DES MOINES, Iowa — On Thursday, Oct. 19, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds announced a plan to make it easier for some community college students to obtain commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs).
In a news release, Reynolds stated that a new grant program “will help expand the use of modernized infrastructure needed for (CDL) programs.”
The grants come as part of the two-year collective effort to widen the pathways to and expand training opportunities for Iowa’s high-demand jobs, the news release noted.
The CDL Infrastructure Grant Program is awarding $4,844,092 to 10 in-state community colleges, allowing the schools to remodel existing or create a driver training program and to update or purchase new equipment. The CDL programs at these colleges will soon be able to support an estimated total increase of 1,305 program participants in their annual class size thanks to the grants.
The grant funds will be administered as reimbursements, and programs must offer successful training courses, allowing the student to complete training and take the licensing exam all in 30 days. The colleges that accept the funds must agree to freeze their tuition prices for their CDL programs for five years once the projects are complete.
“The pathway to finding a job as a truck driver, one of our most-needed occupations, runs through getting a CDL license. It’s important that we do everything we can to not only make it easier for individuals to obtain these licenses but also to support the long-term viability of the programs that made it possible to gain that experience right here in Iowa,” Reynolds said. “Increasing the CDL pipeline is crucial to sustaining and improving our economy. We are chronically short of drivers and Governor Reynolds’ continued investment in our community colleges should help accomplish this goal,” said Beth Townsend, Executive Director of Iowa Workforce Development. “This investment today will also give Iowa employers a leg up in recruiting more individuals in our state who have a CDL and are workforce ready.”
For more information on the grant program and for a list of awardees, visit this link.
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
