Grant Puts Some Students on Road to Free Commercial Driver’s License Training
Credit: vm / Getty Images- Twenty-seven community colleges and training programs were awarded almost $3.5 million to cover the cost of underserved students completing their commercial driver’s license (CDL) program.
- The grant focuses on helping veterans and students from underserved communities get their licenses.
- CDL programs across the country can be particularly popular for workers’ wage potential after completion.
Newly released funding from the Biden-Harris administration is set to help students in underserved communities pursue a career in trucking — for some, at almost no cost.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced Aug. 26 that it was investing almost $3.5 million in the Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Safety Training (CMVOST) Grant Program. The funds will then be distributed to 27 colleges and other commercial driver’s license (CDL) training programs.
The CMVOST program prioritizes training for current or former members of the U.S. armed forces — including members of the National Guard.
Students can complete a typical CDL program in less than six months, and CDL license requirements vary by state.
The grant will allow one recipient, Clark State College in Springfield, Ohio, to offer free CDL classes to qualifying underserved students. On average, Clark State students who complete the program can earn an annual first-year income of $85,000-$90,000, according to Duane Hodge, Clark State’s director of commercial transportation training.
“A commercial driver’s license changes lives dramatically in the first year,” Hodge told BestColleges.
Expanding Opportunities for Underserved Students
Clark State has received a $126,000 grant. The school also received $200,000 in December 2023.
“These funds provide training grants for students from underserved communities who typically cannot afford CDL training,” Hodge said.
If a student qualifies for the grant funds, the program is free.
Clark State’s program has the capacity for about 170 students annually, and students can enroll at any time since the program operates 12 months out of the year. Clark State offers both a four-week weekday and six-week weekend option for its CDL training.
“Our CDL program produces skilled workers in a high-demand occupation,” Hodge said. “CDL is and will probably always be a top-five demand occupation nationally and definitely in Ohio.”
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the U.S. median pay for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in May 2023 was $54,320 per year or $26.12 per hour.
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio lauded the grant distribution in a public statement.”Training more commercial vehicle drivers helps meet local demand for skilled workers and equips Ohioans with the skills they need for careers in trucking and other industries,” he said.
“With this investment in Clark State College’s commercial driver’s license program, we are expanding opportunities for Ohioans to get good-paying jobs.”
Addressing Workforce Demand
The BLS projects an average of about 240,300 openings for this job each year from 2023-2033. You must have a CDL to be a heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver.
“The Biden-Harris administration’s investments in training and support for commercial driver’s license holders will help meet the nation’s growing demand for truck drivers and better prepare for the future,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in the Department of Transportation (DOT) press release about the funding.
Buttigieg said the funding “is an important part of this administration’s Trucking Action Plan to strengthen America’s supply chains and support the workers who keep our economy moving.”
Klamath Community College (KCC) in Oregon received $135,286 in this round of grant funding. The amount is based on tuition and fees for about 23 students to complete the program through September 2026.
“KCC CDL is not a course that would be covered by traditional financial aid, so having nearly $6,000 covered is pretty significant,” KCC President Dr. Roberto Gutierrez told BestColleges. “This is one of the institution’s most successful programs in terms of both completion rate and placement with living-wage employers.”
According to KCC, the median Oregon wage per hour for the CDL industry is $26.68.
Gutierrez said the KCC CDL program is one of their “most sought-after programs” and that the college receives “CDL inquiries daily” and has been offering CDL classes every other 5-6 weeks since 2022.
About 3.5 hours north of KCC, there are over 150 truck driver openings in Linn County, Oregon, according to Tatiana Wicke, special projects and CDL program coordinator for Linn-Benton Community College.
The $130,543 the college received from the grant will support 20 veterans or their families in obtaining their CDLs. Wicke said the college has relationships with local companies that could lead to employment once students have completed the course.
“Getting more drivers on the road keeps our local commerce moving while lowering unemployment rates,” Wicke told BestColleges.
She said the college is planning outreach efforts to local veterans to help them achieve their career goals.
The CMVOST Grant Program is a competitive and discretionary grant funding opportunity that aims to reduce the number of crashes on America’s roads by increasing CDL holders. Congress set the program’s priority to recruit and train individuals in underserved communities — including veterans and their spouses.
“At FMCSA, our job is all about safety — that includes safety of the roadways and safety of our nation’s commercial motor vehicle drivers,” FMCSA Deputy Administrator Vinn White said in the DOT press release.
“So, we are proud to make this funding available, and are committed to working with the awardees to put it to good use, making it easier for drivers to enter into and stay in the CMV (commercial motor vehicle) industry.”