President Joe Biden’s administration is awarding $44 million in grants to streamline the process of obtaining a commercial driver’s license (CDL) and enhance road safety under its Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently announced.
This funding will allow states and other entities to reduce wait times, implement regulatory requirements, ensure conviction and disqualification data is electronically exchanged and combat human trafficking within the trucking sector. In summation, the hope is that, through these grants, motor carriers will have fewer barriers to get qualified divers on the road to meet increasing supply chain demands.
The Biden administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law also includes a 74% increase in CDL Program Implementation (CDLPI) funds. According to FMCSA Deputy Administrator Robin Hutcheson, this investment could help address the rising number of roadway fatalities.
“[The] FMCSA’s core mission is safety, and we’re proud to make investments that support the U.S. Department of Transportation’s ambitious goal of zero fatalities on our roadways,” Hutcheson said. “The grants we are announcing today are an important tool for reducing large truck crashes and supporting critical safety programs in every state.”
Beyond improving the process for obtaining CDLs, the Biden administration’s Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force is looking to confront the issue of driver retention as part of the Trucking Action Plan. Specific initiatives include completing a driver compensation study and forming a Truck Leasing Task Force.
For more information on the FMCSA’s planned grants and financial assistance, click here.
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