Wisconsin doubles down on truck driver training

One state is already stepping in to help future truck drivers get their CDLs. Another state is looking to provide a helping hand as well.

Wisconsin

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers has signed a bill aimed at boosting the state’s truck driver training grant program.

The original law, passed two years ago, created grants to help Wisconsin residents pay for CDL training as they work toward getting their first commercial driver’s license.

The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development oversees the program.

Supporters say the grants help cut down the steep cost of CDL training.

To qualify, training programs must follow federal entry-level driver training requirements.

Each grant can pay up to half of the training cost or up to $3,000, whichever is lower.

The Department of Workforce Development is also required to track how many grants are handed out and how much money is awarded.

Funding for the truck driver program comes from money approved through the Joint Committee on Finance.

Widening of eligibility

The new law cracks the door wider on who qualifies for the grants.

Before now, only Wisconsin CDL training schools could apply. These schools also had to train Wisconsin residents planning to earn their CDL in the state.

That changes under the new law.

Now, employers and other groups that pay for third-party CDL training can also apply for grant money.

Rep. Treig Pronschinske, R-Mondovi, said the update makes the program more useful in the real world.

“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.

Another big change: CDL training no longer has to take place only at facilities within Wisconsin.

Applicants must still have at least one location in the state, but the actual training can now take place across state lines.

One thing stays the same – all training must still meet federal standards.

Registered training providers

State officials say more than 600 training providers listed on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry operate at locations in Wisconsin.

The Department of Workforce Development works alongside the Wisconsin DOT and the FMCSA to decide who qualifies for the grants.

Importance of trucking

Lawmakers said the grant program exists because truck drivers are a massive part of Wisconsin’s economy.

In a single year, more than 660 million tons of freight moved through the state. Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce told lawmakers that trucks hauled nearly two-thirds of it. The freight carried a value close to $400 billion.

Pronschinske said the grant program is designed to put more licensed truck drivers on the road.

“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.”

New Jersey

A New Jersey bill would also help the next generation of truck drivers get rolling.

S1870 would require the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission to create a program to increase the number of young people who earn a commercial driver’s license.

The commission would team up with trucking industry experts to build the program. The focus would be on helping young drivers get their CDLs, teaching them about the benefits of trucking careers and connecting them with job opportunities in the industry.

The bill would also require the commission to release yearly reports tracking the program’s progress, including participation numbers, how many young drivers earned CDLs and how many landed jobs.

S1870 remains in the Senate Transportation Committee. LL