A whopping amount of $1 million dollars was awarded in grants by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). This amount was awarded to seven technical and community colleges with the intention to train veterans and the families of veterans in becoming commercial bus and truck drivers.
The U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx stated that this grant was put in place as a small thanks to the people who serve our country so well, in other words, it is our way of showing our appreciation. He also mentioned that since these men and women are some of the finest of our country, they will make some of the safest commercial drivers out on the road.
FMCSA administrator T.F. Scott Darling, III mentioned that safety is their number one priority and they believe that veterans will be the best group of people prepared for the job.
The grants and awards provided through FMCSA’s Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Safety Training will provide truck driving training at accredited public or private colleges, universities and many other institutions, such as truck training schools and technical-vocational schools.
The Grants were awarded to the following institutions:
- Joliet Junior College, Joliet, Illinois- $159,800
- Hawkeye Community College, Waterloo, Iowa- $100,524
- Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas $104,376
- Central Technical Center, Drumright, Oklahoma $200,000
- Rogue Community College District, Grants Pass, Oregon $71,300
- The Sage Corporation, Camp Hill, Pennsylvania $210,980
- Tidewater Community College, Norfolk, Virginia $149,967
In 2005, the Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Safety Training Grant Program was born. Congress was the mastermind behind the project and used the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act which is A Legacy (SAFETEA-LU) for Users to expand the number of commercial driver’s license holders taking enhanced operator safety training to benefit the severity and number of accidents on U.S roads that involve big trucks and buses.
The CMV-OST program, FMCSA wants to take steps towards showing a greater recognition towards armed service members and the skills and training they pertain. A three year pilot program is being proposed by the FMSCA which will allow a certain number of 18-21 year olds who received a certificate which allows them to operate specific heavy duty motor vehicles while serving in the military to operate motor vehicles. These individuals should be sponsored by a participating motor carrier.
Bravo! Veterans are brave and fearless individuals who have served our country and performed under the most stressful circumstances imaginable. Assuming mental health assessments are performed on perspective veteran beneficiaries of this grant, this sounds to me like the least we can do to support those who have risked their lives for our freedom.
I am thrilled to see this grant program implemented. It contributes to a solution for two current issues: 1) looking after our veterans and 2) providing more highly trained, safer drivers. It is good that your article is trying to get the information out there so there is more awareness of assistance for veterans.