FMCSA Awards Nearly $1 Million to Help Train Veterans as Drivers
The FMCSA has awarded close to $1 million in grants to seven technical and community colleges to help train military veterans and their families for jobs as commercial truck and bus drivers.
by Staff
October 18, 2016
Image: U.S. Department of Transportation
2 min to read
Image: U.S. Department of Transportation
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has awarded close to $1 million in grants to seven technical and community colleges to help train military veterans and their families for jobs as commercial truck and bus drivers.
The funding is provided through FMCSA’s Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Safety Training grant program. FMCSA awards CMV-OST grants to educational institutions that provide truck driving training, including accredited public or private colleges, universities, vocational-technical schools, post-secondary educational institutions, truck driver training schools, associations, and state and local governments, including federally recognized Native American tribal governments.
Ad Loading...
“These types of programs are just one small way in which we can show our appreciation and commitment to our nation’s veterans, and thank them for their brave service,” said Anthony Foxx, U.S. Transportation Secretary. “These men and women represent the absolute finest of our country, and with the help of programs like this, they will be prepared to be some of the safest commercial drivers on the road.”
The 2016 FMCSA grants announced on Oct. 18 are projected to provide training for more than 250 students.
The awards were made to the following organizations:
Iowa – Hawkeye Community College, Waterloo, $100,524
Kansas – Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, $104,376
Oklahoma – Central Technical Center, Drumright, $200,000
Oregon – Rogue Community College District, Grants Pass, $71,300
Pennsylvania – The Sage Corporation, Camp Hill, $210,980
Virginia – Tidewater Community College, Norfolk, $149,967
“We charge each of the institutions that will receive a grant to train those that have served our nation in the armed forces to be the very best professional drivers in the industry,” said Scott Darling, FMCSA Administrator. “In this profession, being the best requires an absolute commitment to making safety the top priority, and I believe there is no group better prepared to do that than our veterans.”
CMV-OST was established by Congress in 2005 to expand the number of CDL holders possessing enhanced operator safety training to help reduce the severity and number of crashes on U.S. roads involving large commercial vehicles.
In addition to providing grants under the CMV-OST program, FMCSA is proposing to take additional steps that recognize the skills and training obtained by members of the armed services.
Specifically, FMCSA is proposing a three-year pilot program that would allow a limited number of individuals between the ages of 18 and 21 to operate commercial motor vehicles in interstate commerce if they received specified heavy-vehicle driver training while in military service and are sponsored by a participating motor carrier.
Cargo theft rings plant operatives as drivers inside legitimate, fully vetted carriers, then execute coordinated thefts that look like a traditional straight theft from the outside.
ATA’s Women In Motion Council and Trucker Path highlight three truck stops that meet all seven safety-focused criteria and rank highest among female drivers.
Western Star is expanding its Star Nation Experience in 2026, adding new competitions and dealer participation to highlight operator skills and promote careers in trucking.
CarriersEdge announced the 2026 Best Fleets to Drive For overall winners, with Crawford Trucking, Fortigo Freight Services, and FTC Transportation receiving top awards.
The Department of Labor plans to expand Pell Grant eligibility to some shorter workforce training programs, a move the American Trucking Associations said will help strengthen commercial driver training schools and diesel technician training programs.
For an industry that has watched this issue go back and forth for years, the independent contractor proposal marks the latest swing in the regulatory pendulum.
America’s Service Line adopted Link’s SmartValve and ROI Cabmate systems to address whole-body vibration, repetitive strain, and driver turnover. The trucking fleet is already seeing measurable results.
