FMCSA announces nearly $3.5M in CDL training grants

On Monday, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced it had awarded Commercial Motor Vehicle Operators Safety (CMVOST) Training Grants to 27 colleges and training programs across the country.

The nearly $3.5 million in grants will provide additional training for current CDL holders, as well as create new pathways for career opportunities for drivers, officials said.

“The Biden-Harris Administration’s investments in training and support for Commercial Driver’s License holders will help meet the nation’s growing demand for truck drivers and better prepare for the future,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. “The funding we’re announcing today is an important part of this Administration’s Trucking Action Plan to strengthen America’s supply chains and support the workers who keep our economy moving.”

The CMVOST program works to expand the number of CDL holders, provide opportunities for current and former members of the U.S. Armed Forces and certain family member to enter the trucking or busing industry as drivers, and help increase training opportunities for candidates from rural, refugee and underserved communities.

“At FMCSA, our job is all about safety – that includes safety of the roadways and safety of our nation’s commercial motor vehicle drivers,” FMCSA Deputy Administrator Vinn White said. “So, we are proud to make this funding available, and are committed to working with the awardees to put it to good use, making it easier for drivers to enter into and stay in the CMV industry.”

More than half of the FMCSA’s annual budget provides states and local communities with funding to promote CMV safety, officials said.

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