In late August, the Federal Motor Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced plans to divide $3.5 million in funding between 27 providers of CDL training, including colleges and other facilities, through the Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Safety Training (CMVOST) Grant Program.
Grant amounts range from $101,000 up to $139,980.
According to a press release from the FMCSA, the funds are intended to provide additional training for current CDL holders and to help provide career opportunities in transportation for military veterans and residents of underserved communities.
The funding is a part of the Biden administration’s “Trucking Action Plan,” geared toward improving U.S. supply chains and supporting transportation workers. The release listed three goals for the CMVOST program:
- Expand the number of CDL holders with enhanced operator safety training.
- Provide opportunities for current and former members of the Armed Forces, and,
- Increase training opportunities in rural, refugee and underserved communities.
“At FMCSA, our job is all about safety,” said FMCSA Deputy Administrator Vinn White. “That includes safety of the roadways and safety of our nation’s commercial motor vehicle drivers. So, we are proud to make this funding available and are committed to working with the awardees to put it to good use.”
The FMCSA began accepting applications for the CMVOST grants in March. Recipients must be accredited educational institutions recognized by the Department of Education or non-accredited institutions that were approved by the U.S. Department of Labor, state approving agencies and the Veterans Administration to accept VA benefits. The schools also must accept Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) grants.
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) announced a total recommended award of $509,775 to four Iowa community colleges, including Des Moines Area Community College, Iowa Central Community College, Hawkeye Community College and Western Iowa Tech Community College.
“Improving pathways for eligible individuals to secure commercial driver’s licenses is a simple way we can boost the economy. These resources will unlock good-paying jobs, address labor shortages in the trucking industry and streamline supply chain operations,” Grassley said in a news release. “I’ve seen firsthand the efficacy of commercial driver’s license programs in Iowa and am confident our community colleges will use this federal investment to build on their proven successes.”
A list of colleges and award amounts follows. Individuals who are interested in applying for training under the CMVOST grants should contact the appropriate training institution.
Alabama: Wallace State Community College – $129,500
Arizona: Pima County Community College District – $131,043
California: Nordic Enterprises – $135,000
Colorado: Aims Community College – $137,560
Georgia: Central Georgia Technical College – $130,240
Illinois: Lake Land College – $133,131
Indiana: Ivy Tech Community College – $129,870
Iowa:
- Des Moines Area Community College – $127,400
- Hawkeye Community College – $132,375
- Iowa Central Community College – $119,000
- Western Iowa Tech Community College – $131,000
Kansas: Johnson County Community College – $139,980
Maryland:
- Cecil College – $108,675
- Community College of Baltimore County – $132,000
- Wor-Wic Community College – $133,700
Ohio: Clark State Community College Inc. – $126,000
Oregon:
- Klamath Community College – $135,286
- Linn-Benton Community College – $130,543
Pennsylvania:
- Community College of Allegheny County – $126,875
- Lehigh Carbon Community College – $135,600
Texas:
- Collin County Community College District – $133,400
- Houston Community College – $130,500
- Lone Star College-North Harris – $101,000
- North Central Texas College – $137,500
- Texas State Technical College – $132,916
Virginia: Tidewater Community College – $131,385
Washington: Walla Walla Community College – $128,521
Cliff Abbott is an experienced commercial vehicle driver and owner-operator who still holds a CDL in his home state of Alabama. In nearly 40 years in trucking, he’s been an instructor and trainer and has managed safety and recruiting operations for several carriers. Having never lost his love of the road, Cliff has written a book and hundreds of songs and has been writing for The Trucker for more than a decade.
As a class 8 driver out on the road I can safely say this; the level of training for all that money is poorly addressed. New trainees are not really ‘trained’ only subjected to a lot of rules and mechanical info that does not let them know what the cargo is, what the cargo does and just how important it is to care about the humans around them on the road and in the streets.
Waste of funds if the Trainers are not.