Two years after launching a truck driver training grant program, Wisconsin lawmakers are putting it back in the shop for a tune-up.
A 2024 state law created a grant program for commercial driver training. The training is for people who live in Wisconsin and are working to get their first commercial driver’s license.
The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development runs the program.
Supporters say the grants help pay for the cost of CDL training.
To qualify, training schools must meet federal entry-level driver training rules.
Each grant can cover up to half of the training cost or up to $3,000, whichever is less.
The Department of Workforce Development must report how many grants are given. The department must also show how much money is awarded.
Funding for the program comes from money set aside by the Joint Committee on Finance.
Expanded eligibility
Rep. Treig Pronschinske, R-Mondovi, is leading a new Assembly effort to expand who can qualify for the grants.
The Assembly Transportation Committee held a hearing on Jan. 7 to review the bill.
Under current rules, only CDL training schools in Wisconsin can apply for the grants. These schools must train people who live in Wisconsin and plan to get their CDL in the state.
AB766 would no longer limit grants to training providers. Entities that pay for third-party CDL training, such as employers, could apply for grants.
Pronschinske said the bill updates the grant program in a practical way.
“The grant can be applied for by an employer, school or other organization that either provides commercial driver training directly or pays a qualified third-party to provide that training,” Pronschinske testified.
AB766 would also remove the rule requiring training to occur only at Wisconsin facilities. Any applicant must have at least one facility in the state. CDL training could be done outside the state.
The bill keeps the requirement that all training meets federal standards.
Eligible training providers
The state says more than 600 training providers listed on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry have locations in Wisconsin.
The Department of Workforce Development works with the state Department of Transportation and the FMCSA to decide which applicants qualify for the grant program.
Importance of trucking
Lawmakers said the program was created because trucking is very important to the state.
In one year, Wisconsin shipped more than 660 million tons of freight. The Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce told lawmakers that nearly two-thirds of that freight was moved by trucks. The total value of the freight was close to $400 billion.
Pronschinske said the grant program helps increase the number of licensed commercial drivers in the state.
“Commercial drivers are critical to Wisconsin’s economy and public safety,” he said. “By clearly defining who can apply for these grants and setting consistent training standards, Assembly Bill 766 helps grow a skilled workforce while keeping our roads safer.”
The Assembly Transportation Committee has not voted on the bill. A Senate version, SB783, is now in the Senate Transportation and Local Government Committee. LL
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