Trump Launches Initiative To Recruit Veterans As Truck Drivers

WASHINGTON, DC-President Donald Trump launched a new federal initiative aimed at recruiting US military veterans into the trucking industry, saying the program would create thousands of well-paying jobs while helping address the country’s shortage of qualified truck drivers.

Speaking at the White House alongside US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins and trucking industry leaders, Trump announced the ‘Freedom Haulers’ initiative, which streamlines commercial driver’s license requirements for veterans with experience operating heavy military vehicles.

“We’re doing a very strong movement,” Trump said. “We’re taking action to get illegal alien truck drivers off the American roadways… and replace them with proud American veterans.”

Trump said veterans who drove heavy military vehicles would automatically qualify for commercial driver’s licenses without undergoing duplicate road tests if they apply within two years of leaving active duty.

“Any American who has driven a heavy truck for our military will automatically be eligible for a commercial driver’s license,” Trump said. “We’re going to make it as easy as possible for the veterans.”

He added that veterans without military trucking experience would receive accelerated training and could obtain their licenses within weeks.

According to Trump, the initiative has already been adopted by 34 states, with Maryland joining on July 29. He said the administration hopes all 50 states and Washington, D.C., will eventually participate.

Trump linked the initiative to his administration’s broader immigration enforcement policies, arguing that some states had improperly issued commercial driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants. He said the administration had removed thousands of non-English-speaking drivers from US roads and cancelled commercial driver’s licenses it said were unlawfully issued, arguing that English-language proficiency is essential for road safety. Trump also cited recent fatal crashes and claimed some involved undocumented immigrants holding commercial driver’s licenses.

Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins said the Department of Veterans Affairs would support the program by expanding access to CDL training through veterans’ benefits.

Nathan Meisgeier, president of Werner Enterprises, announced that the trucking company would hire 1,400 veterans over the next year.  (IANS)