According to today's USDA Grain Transportation Report, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently awarded more than $44 million in grants to State Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) programs.
To increase the number of commercial drivers and ease supply chain issues, the annually awarded grants received a 74-percent increase in funding since last year. To boost State CDL programs’ efficiency, the grants allow hiring personnel, buying new equipment, and investing in capacity that meets grant guidelines.
The funding is one strategy of the Trucking Action Plan—a joint initiative of the Department of Transportation and Department of Labor—which aims to expand trucking’s available labor pool. FMCSA also awarded $3.1 million to community colleges and training institutes through a program that provides safety training to commercial motor vehicle operators.
These grants also help current and former members of the U.S. Armed Forces receive the necessary training to become truck drivers and to obtain CDLs.