The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced nearly $2.3 million in grants, double the amount provided in 2014, to 13 technical and community colleges across the country to help train veterans and their families for jobs as commercial bus and truck drivers. The funding is provided through FMCSA’s Commercial Motor Vehicle - Operator Safety Training (CMV-OST) grant program.
“We support job opportunities for Veterans who have served our country, but not only because it is the right thing to do, it also makes good sense,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “One of the most important, fastest growing employment sectors is for qualified commercial vehicle drivers and veterans bring invaluable experience to the industry and can enter the workforce quickly.”
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FMCSA awards CMV-OST grants to a variety of educational institutions that provide truck driving training, including accredited public or private colleges, universities, vocational-technical schools, post-secondary educational institutions, truck driver training schools, associations, and state and local governments, including federally-recognized Native American tribal governments.
The 2015 FMCSA grants will provide training for hundreds of new students.
The Commercial Motor Vehicle – OST program was established by Congress in 2005 through the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act – A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), to expand the number of commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders possessing enhanced operator safety training to help reduce the severity and number of crashes on U.S. roads involving large trucks and buses.
In July 2014, FMCSA announced that the Military Skills Test Waiver Program had been expanded to include all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Under this program, state licensing agencies have authority to waive the skills test portion of the CDL application for active duty or recently separated veterans who possess at least two years of safe driving experience operating a military truck or bus. Waiving the skills test expedites the civilian commercial drivers licensing application process and reduces expenses for qualified individuals and operating costs to state licensing agencies.
METRO’s Executive Editor Alex Roman spoke with Mueller about the opening event, the company’s progress since launching in late 2022, and the road ahead.
METRO Executive Editor Alex Roman presented the award to the operation’s President/CEO Scott Parsons at the United Motorcoach Association’s EXPO in Birmingham, Alabama.
The new facility, spanning more than 43,000 square feet, includes pre-delivery inspection, a large repair, maintenance, and service center, an administrative building, and a dedicated training and delivery center for customers and service partners.
The company will feature a fully equipped 2026 Van Hool CX45 alongside an interactive virtual showroom highlighting the company’s latest vehicle, service, parts, and support solutions.
The survey, produced by the ABA’s research arm, the American Bus Association Foundation, reports quarterly on data collected from surveys of major motorcoach manufacturers that sell vehicles in the US and Canada.
Driven by a people-first culture and data-driven innovation, Anchor Transportation has built a safety-focused, values-led operation that continues to redefine excellence in the motorcoach industry.
US Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin announced that the EPA is seeking information from major diesel engine manufacturers on critical data on DEF system failures.
