The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has announced the recipients of safety training grants worth $1 million. The funds will go to seven community and technical colleges and two state government training facilities to enhance behind-the-wheel safety training courses for students enrolled in commercial driver's license training programs.

"Our roads and highways are safer when we have highly-trained drivers behind the wheels of large commercial trucks and buses," said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "Expanding the ranks of safety-conscious commercial drivers is critical to improving road safety and saving lives."

"We depend on professional truck and bus drivers to safely move our economy," said FMCSA Administrator Anne S. Ferro. "This grant program makes an investment in our workforce, while ensuring that new commercial drivers are well-trained and focused on safety."

The goals of the Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Training Grant Program are to make the roadways safer by increasing the number of CDL holders with enhanced safety training. The program also assists economically-distressed regions of the U.S. by providing workforce training opportunities for qualified individuals to become commercial motor vehicle operators.

The following institutions were awarded grants for fiscal year 2010:

* Arkansas State University, Newport, Ark. ($74,072)

* West Hills Community College, Coalinga, Calif. ($87,360)

* Waubonsee Community College, Sugar Grove, Ill. ($59,978)

* Western Iowa Tech Community College, Sioux City, Iowa ($144,750)

* Crowder College, Neosho, Mo. ($106,140)

* North Carolina Department of Transportation, Raleigh, N.C. ($131,967)

* Northampton County Area Community College, Bethlehem, Pa. ($140,000)

* Western Virginia Workforce Development Board, Roanoke, Va. ($178,568)

* Snow College, Ephraim, Utah ($77,165)

For more information about the program, visit www.fmcsa.dot.gov.