Freedom Haulers Campaign Puts More Veterans On The Road

Freedom Haulers Campaign Seeks More Veterans for Trucking

The federal government has launched a new campaign to help more military veterans enter the trucking industry. The program is called Freedom Haulers and it will be led by the US DOT.

The Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of War, and the Department of Labor are also taking part.

Freedom Haulers will promote trucking careers through online ads, radio ads, and a new website. The site will connect veterans with CDL training, federal benefits, license resources, and trucking employers.

However, the campaign does not give veterans an automatic CDL. It also does not create one fast-track license for every veteran. Applicants must still meet federal and state CDL rules.

Freedom Haulers Builds a Military-to-CDL Path

The main goal of Freedom Haulers is to place trucking career resources in one location.

Many of the benefits named in the campaign already exist. These include GI Bill support for approved CDL training. They also include possible CDL test waivers for veterans with the right military driving experience.

Freedom Haulers brings those programs together under one national effort.

That may make it easier for veterans to find useful information. It may also help trucking companies connect with former service members who want to become commercial drivers.

Federal officials said the campaign will include private trucking partners. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins were also set to host a kickoff event.

Officials said added policy steps would be announced during that event. However, the first announcement did not explain what those steps would include.

That leaves one key part of the campaign unclear.

Some Veterans May Skip the CDL Skills Test

Veterans who drove heavy military vehicles may qualify for a CDL skills test waiver. This waiver may let an eligible applicant skip the road test portion of the CDL exam. The goal is to avoid making trained military drivers repeat skills they already used during their service.

Still, the waiver is not automatic.

Applicants must show that they meet the required rules. They must also apply through their state driver licensing agency.

Some applicants may still need to pass written tests. State CDL rules will also continue to apply.

Veterans without the required military driving history will usually need to follow the normal CDL process. That process may include getting a commercial learner’s permit. It may also include required training, written tests, and a road skills test.

Military service alone does not remove every step.

Veterans must still earn the correct CDL class. They must also hold the proper endorsements for the truck or freight they plan to haul.

Freedom Haulers Promotes GI Bill CDL Training

Freedom Haulers also promotes the use of GI Bill benefits for truck driver training.

Some veterans may use those benefits at approved colleges, trade schools, and CDL training programs.

The campaign says training may be fully paid for in some cases.

However, that will not apply to every veteran or every school.

The amount of aid can depend on several factors. These may include length of service, remaining education benefits, and the type of GI Bill program.

The school must also be approved for VA education benefits. Veterans may need to confirm a school’s status before they enroll. They may also need to check which costs are covered. Tuition may be covered in some cases. Other costs may not be. Those costs could include permit fees, testing fees, medical exams, housing, or travel.

Freedom Haulers could lead to more veteran students at approved CDL schools. It may also push more schools to seek VA approval.

Freedom Haulers Connects to Wider CDL Enforcement

Federal officials linked Freedom Haulers to a wider push on CDL rules and road safety. The announcement said the campaign would support efforts to strengthen the driver workforce.

It also connected Freedom Haulers to stronger action against drivers who do not meet licensing rules. 

That link makes the campaign more than a basic job advertising effort.

The government appears to be working on two goals at the same time.

One goal is to bring more veterans into trucking.

The other is to tighten control over who may hold and use a commercial driver’s license.

For now, Freedom Haulers is mainly a national hiring and information effort. It may help veterans find training, benefits, and truck driver job openings more easily.