Iowa Governor Awards CDL Training Grants; Eases Path To Professional Driving
According to a release from Iowa Work Force Development, Governor Kim Reynolds recently announced a new grant award that will directly support the critical training opportunities necessary to obtain a commercial driver's license (CDL) in Iowa.
The programs, which can be conducted either in-house or in conjunction with a third-party provider, will serve an estimated 1,642 individuals employed by the participating organizations. Employees will receive skills or knowledge tests in preparation for a CDL.
“This unique program addresses Iowa’s need for truck drivers in our workforce,” “Iowa is leading the nation by investing in the required training and removing barriers to these high-demand positions. The pathway to a CDL must be accessible to keep Iowa’s, and the nation’s, economy moving forward.”
-Kim Reynolds, Iowa Governor
For more information on all awardees visit this website which compiles all employers, nonprofits, local governments and school district organizations who employ CDL drivers in Iowa.
“Providing new grants specifically for training means that Iowa employers and organizations can more easily recruit the workforce they need to be successful. Today’s awards are about getting the individual in the door and on a better pathway to a CDL. Once they are trained, their roles as truck drivers benefit our entire economy.”
-Beth Townsend, Director of Iowa Workforce Development
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration implemented additional training requirements on top of existing CDL standards in 2022. CDL training can be costly and require additional travel or resources. Grant funding like this acts as a reimbursement following documented training certification and a CDL exam within 30 days of a participant’s last day of training.