The U.S. Department of Transportation will soon launch a three-year pilot program that will allow military veterans and reservists between the ages of 18 and 20 years old to obtain military-equivalent commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) to operate large trucks for interstate use.
It represents a targeted approach to getting more vets in the trucking industry and filling growing gaps that the sector has faced in employment. It is governed by Section 5404 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act and will allow these military members to be sponsored by a participating trucking company. The number allotted to function under this exemption, however, will be limited.
“This program will allow our Veterans and Reservists, to translate their extensive training into good-paying jobs operating commercial vehicles safely across the country, while also addressing the nationwide driver shortage,” Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao said.
Over the course of the program, the safety records of these targeted drivers will be compared against the records of an established control group among other drivers. A public comment period will precede the official launch of the pilot program.