This article is taken from the October 5, 2023 USDA Grain Transportation Report.
On September 14, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced it will award approximately $48 million in grants to enhance opportunities for commercial driver’s license (CDL) driver training.
The funding will also continue to improve the licensing process. More than $44 million will go to States and other entities to operate national CDL programs through FMCSA’s Commercial Driver’s License Program Implementation (CDLPI) grant program.
The CDLPI funding will help States expedite CDL issuance and Weekly Highlights renewals, as well as ensure interstate electronic exchange of conviction and disqualification data.
Examples of funded projects include hiring State personnel to reduce CDL skills testing delays, improving CDL reporting, maintaining accurate driver records, and training CDL skills test examiners.
FMCSA intends the funding to improve the resiliency of the national supply chain and strengthen the Nation’s trucking workforce.