To meet future needs of trucking industry, DOT awards nearly $3.5M for driver training

Aug. 26 (UPI) -- The U.S. Department of Transportation on Monday announced the awarding of nearly $3.5 million for commercial driver license training at 27 locations.

The grants range from $101,000 to $139,980 for 26 public colleges and Nordic Enterprises in California, which runs Western Pacific Truck School.

The funds come from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration through the agency's Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Safety Training Grant Program.

These grants are an attempt to improve roadway safety with funds for additional training for current CDL holders and creating new pathways for career opportunities.

The government'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 in a news release . "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 goals of program are three-fold:

• Expand the number of CDL holders possessing enhanced operator safety training.
• Provide opportunities for current or former members of the United States armed forces, including National Guard members and reservists, and certain family members to enter the trucking or busing industry as drivers.
• Help increase the 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 50% of FMCSA's annual budget provides states and local communities with funding to promote CMV safety.

A commercial driver's license is required in the United States to operate trucks, buses and tractor trailers, or vehicles that transport more than 15 people or ones that transport hazardous material. Licenses are broken down by Class A, B and C.

The minimum age is 18 for a CDL except for Hawaii, where it is 21. No DUI convictions are allowed in the past five years.

The cost of obtaining at CDL ranges from $4,000 to $12,000, depending on whether it is public or privately funded, according to Schneider Jobs . Most schools have a 160-hour training program.

The average salary of a truck driver in the United States is $101,256, according to Indeed.com .

In 2022, USDOT released the National Roadway Safety Strategy , "a comprehensive approach to significantly reduce serious injuries and deaths on the nation's highways, roads, and streets. Through the NRSS, USDOT committed to a national vision of zero roadway fatalities and identified priority actions it will take" through safe people, safer roads, safer vehicles, safer speeds and post-crash care."