The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has awarded nearly $1,000,000 in grants to seven technical and community colleges across the country to help train veterans and their families for jobs as commercial bus and truck drivers.

The funding is provided through FMCSA’s Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Safety Training (CMV-OST) grant program.

“These types of programs are just one small way in which we can show our appreciation and commitment to our nation’s veterans, and thank them for their brave service,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “These men and women represent the absolute finest of our country, and with the help of programs like this, they will be prepared to be some of the safest commercial drivers on the road.”

The grants, projected to provide training for more than 250 students, were made to the following state organizations: Illinois – Joliet Junior College, $159,800; Iowa – Hawkeye Community College, $100,524; Kansas – Johnson County Community College, $104,376; Oklahoma – Central Technical Center - $200,000; Oregon – Rogue Community College, $71,300; Pennsylvania – The Sage Corporation, $210,980; and Virginia – Tidewater Community College, $149,967.

FMCSA Administrator Scott Darling said that “In this profession, being the best requires an absolute commitment to making safety the top priority, and I believe there is no group better prepared to do this than our veterans.”