Federal programs aim to attract veterans to trucking industry

The U.S. Department of Defense is highlighting several federal programs designed to steer transitioning service members and veterans toward a career in trucking. It says it is helping to combat supply chain issues.

The programs are the combined efforts of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, and the Small Business Administration. The programs offer a wide array of services to veterans and active military who are looking to transition back into the civilian workforce.

Highlighted as part of the Biden administration Trucking Action Plan to Strengthen America’s Trucking Workforce, the programs help military personnel and their spouses obtain a CDL and find work in the industry.

In an effort to streamline the process of obtaining a CDL for veterans, qualified personnel in all states would be eligible to receive a skills test waiver.

Additionally, 16 states will offer both CDL skills and knowledge test waivers.

Grants are also available to service members, veterans, and military spouses for training in the safe operation of commercial vehicles. Those states are California, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Mexico, South Carolina, Virginia, Vermont and West Virginia.

For those looking to become an owner-operator, the SBA offers the Veterans Business Outreach Center. Their goal is to provide veterans with business training, counseling, and resource partner referrals.

The federal government contends that veterans are uniquely qualified to assist in rebuilding a fractured supply chain. “Our nation’s veterans are excellent candidates to help address these challenges and build the next generation’s trucking workforce,” a White House statement said.

OOIDA Executive Vice President Lewie Pugh, who began his career in trucking as a motor transport operator for the U.S. Army, said that the discipline of military members makes them uniquely qualified for a career in the trucking industry.

“There are no better qualified or more disciplined individuals than the men and women of our military to drive a truck,” Pugh said. “As someone that was trained to drive by the U.S. Army, and received my CDL via my military service, we need to make sure our service members are given the training, pay, and respect they need to be successful in driving a truck in the civilian world.”

In a Dec. 16, 2021 statement, the White House said that there are an estimated 70,000 veterans who received certified trucking experience in the last five years.

While Pugh agrees with supporting veterans and transitioning service members, he is skeptical of the outcome.

“I always support making things accessible to veterans,” Pugh said. “But when we start seeing driver shortage language being used, I get concerned that this will once again be a fast track program to low pay and more retention issues in the industry.”

More information regarding all of the programs can be found here. LL