The U.S. Department of Transportation began rolling out educational grants to help train veterans for careers in the trucking industry. Dubbed the Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Safety Training Grant program, $3.1 million has been earmarked for members of the branches of the military, National Guard, and their spouses to enroll in truck driver training at accredited institutions.
“Veterans know how to get things where they need to go safely. At a time when our supply chain depends on having more qualified truck drivers, this program will give those who have served in uniform a new and important way to contribute, and benefit, by launching a new career in this vital industry,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg reportedly said.
Grants pass through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to expand the number of CDL holders, provide transitional career paths for veterans, and increase opportunities for traditionally underserved communities. The grants also support careers as local bus drivers. The FMCSA recently published a shortlist of institutions receiving portions of the $3.1 million grant program.
- Advanced Technology Institute: $175,000
- Central Georgia Technical College: $150,900
- Collin Community College: $191,000
- Commercial Driver Services Inc: $200,000
- Community College of Baltimore County: $197,410
- Des Moines Area Community College: $112,500
- Global Trucking Academy LLC: $196,100
- Hawkeye Community College: $132,359
- Johnson County Community College: $75,000
- Klamath Community College: $194,106
- Lehigh Carbon Community College: $193,677
- Lone Star College System District: $60,600
- Nordic Enterprises: $198,429
- Northwest Florida State College: $186,480
- Tidewater Community College: $102,769
- Truck Driver Institute of FL, Inc.: $195,860
- Truck Driver Institute, Inc.: $195,860
- Wor Wic Community College: $147,550
- York County School of Technology: $194,400
Transportation Sec. Buttigieg recently visited Pennsylvania, where federal infrastructure money has been allocated to the Lehigh Valley International Airport and the Lehigh Carbon Community College earned a veteran truck driver training grant. The airport secured a $5 million grant to supplement its $29 million buildout and the community college will receive $193,000.
“A good sign of whether the economy is working is whether it’s working for communities like this, with a lot of growth potential, great people with a strong work ethic, and a deep tradition of making things and building things,” Sec. Buttigieg reportedly said.
In 2021, Pennsylvania reportedly required an additional 4,000 truck drivers to fill its workforce needs. The country currently has an 80,000 trucker shortage and that figure is expected to rise in the coming years.
Sources:
https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/mission/grants/cmvost-grant-recommendation-summaries
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