Linn-Benton Community College Receives $130,543 Grant Award From Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

Linn-Benton Community College received $130,543 in funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) through a Commercial Motor Vehicle Operational Safety (CMVOST) grant for fiscal year 2024.

"We are incredibly appreciative of the support from the U.S. Department of Transportation and the advocacy of Senator Jeff Merkley for educational initiatives like ours," said Tatiana Wicke, Linn-Benton Community College's Special Projects and CDL Program Coordinator. "This funding will allow us to serve 20 veterans and their families in our community, making it possible for them to attend our CDL program and achieve their career goals."

The mission of FMCSA is to is to reduce crashes, injuries and fatalities involving large trucks and buses. The agency is awarding more than $3.5 million to states and other entities through the CMVOST grant, which seeks to reduce the severity and number of crashes on our nation’s roads involving large trucks and buses by expanding the number of CDL holders possessing enhanced operator safety training. 

The CMVOST grant program has three goals: 1) to expand the number of CDL holders possessing enhanced operator safety training; 2) to provide opportunities for current or former members of the United States Armed Forces (including National Guard members and reservists) and their families to enter the trucking or busing industry as drivers; and 3) to help increase training opportunities for candidates from rural, refugee, and underserved communities.

“At FMCSA, our job is all about safety – that includes safety of the roadways and safety of our nation’s commercial motor vehicle drivers,” said FMCSA Deputy Administrator Vinn White. “So, we are proud to make this funding available, and are committed to working with the awardees to put it to good use, making it easier for drivers to enter into and stay in the CMV industry.”

This will reduce the severity and number of crashes on our nation’s roads involving large trucks and buses by expanding the number of CDL holders possessing enhanced operator safety training. The focus on attracting veterans and individuals from underserved communities helps expand and diversify the trucking industry. The grant also highlights the Biden-Harris Administration’s continued commitment to its Trucking Action Plan, increasing the pool of trained drivers to strengthen the trucking workforce. Strengthening our nation’s trucking workforce also improves the resiliency of our national supply chain.