Behind-the-wheel training programs get financial boost

“Our roads and highways are safer when we have highly-trained drivers behind the wheels of large commercial trucks and buses,” LaHood said. “Expanding the ranks of safety-conscious commercial drivers is critical to improving road safety and saving lives.”

The Trucker News Services

7/26/2010

WASHINGTON — Seven community and technical colleges and two state government training facilities received a share of $1 million in Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration grants to enhance behind-the-wheel safety training courses for students enrolled in commercial driver’s license (CDL) training programs, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced Monday. 

“Our roads and highways are safer when we have highly-trained drivers behind the wheels of large commercial trucks and buses,” LaHood said.  “Expanding the ranks of safety-conscious commercial drivers is critical to improving road safety and saving lives.”

“We depend on professional truck and bus drivers to safely move our economy,” FMCSA Administrator Anne S. Ferro said. “This grant program makes an investment in our workforce, while ensuring that new commercial drivers are well-trained and focused on safety.”

The goals of the Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Training Grant Program are to make the roadways safer by increasing the number of CDL holders with enhanced safety training.  In addition, the program seeks to assist economically-distressed regions of the United States by providing workforce training opportunities for qualified individuals to become commercial motor vehicle operators, Ferro said.

Those eligible for the grant program include accredited public and private institutions of higher education, federally recognized Native American Tribal Governments and city, county and state governments.

The following institutions were awarded grants for fiscal year 2010:

• Arkansas — Arkansas State University, Newport ($74,072),

• California — West Hills Community College, Coalinga ($87,360),

• Illinois — Waubonsee Community College, Sugar Grove (59,978),

• Iowa — Western Iowa Tech Community College, Sioux City ($144,750),

• Missouri — Crowder College, Neosho ($106,140),

• North Carolina — North Carolina Department of Transportation, Raleigh ($131,967),

• Pennsylvania —Northampton County Area Community College, Bethlehem ($140,000),

• Virginia — Western Virginia Workforce Development Board, Roanoke ($178,568), and

• Utah — Snow College, Ephraim ($77,165)

The Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Training Grant Program was established by Congress in 2005 through the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU).

Schools wishing to apply for the fiscal year 2011 CMV Operator Training Grant Program, visit www.fmcsa.dot.gov.

The Trucker staff can be reached for comment at editor@thetrucker.com.

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