On October 21, 2014, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced that it would provide $1 million in grants to nine vocational schools and community colleges across the United States to train military veterans for truck and bus driving jobs.
“Those that we entrust to protect and serve our nation deserve opportunities that utilize the skills and training they received on the job on military bases overseas and at home,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “We can think of none more appropriate to safeguard our highways as commercial vehicle drivers than the thousands of veterans who have already proven they can safely handle large vehicles under extremely stressful circumstances.”
FMCSA says the funds will be used to recruit, train and provide job placement assistance after graduation. An estimated 400 students will benefit from the grants.
The grant money was distributed to the following schools:
- Florida– South Florida State College, Avon Park, FL., $58,003
- Illinois– Joliet Junior College, Joliet, IL., $165,800
- Minnesota– Century College in White Bear Lake, MN., $91,080
- Missouri– Crowder College, Neosho, MO., $72,160
- Nebraska– Metropolitan Community College, Omaha, NE., $47,614
- Pennsylvania– Northampton County Area Community College, Bethlehem, PA., $134,400
- Pennsylvania– The Sage Corporation, Camp Hill, PA., $249,968
- Texas– Lone Star College-North Harris, Houston, TX, $73,704
- Virginia– Tidewater Community College, Norfolk, VA., $107,271
The agency made a similar grant last year, allotting $1 million to six driving schools in the U.S. to train former military members to become drivers.
In June, 2014, the FMCSA also announced that it would expand its Military Skills Test Waiver. This allows all 50 states and the District of Columbia (D.C.) to waive the skills test portion of CDL applications for veterans who have at least two years of safe driving experience operating a truck or bus while on active duty in the military.