DOT Says Freedom Haulers Opens an Express Lane for Veterans. Much of That Lane Was Already Built.

What Was Announced U. S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced Freedom Haulers, describing it as a patriotic hiring campaign to move veterans into trucking careers. The Department of Transportation leads it, with contributions from the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Labor and the Department of War.

The launch package included a digital ad, radio spots and a microsite at freedomhaulers. dot. gov cataloging federal resources and private sector partners. A kickoff event scheduled for Monday, July 27 was postponed. It happened today at the White House, with President Trump joining Duffy to announce the policy measures. Three changes came out of that event.

The Military Skills Test Waiver window extends from one year post-separation to two. Seven states join the Even Exchange Program, bringing participation to 34: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland and Wyoming.

And active-duty service members may now apply and test for a commercial learner’s permit or CDL in the state where they are stationed rather than traveling back to their state of domicile. Separately, Werner Enterprises pledged to hire 1,400 military veterans and military spouses in 2027.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association endorsed the campaign, with President Todd Spencer noting that nearly 40 percent of OOIDA’s membership has served in the armed forces. “With nearly 40 percent of our membership having served in the U. S. Armed Forces, OOIDA’s members bring a unique dedication to both national security and road safety.

Military veterans have the skills to succeed in trucking and that’s what makes them the safest operators of the 80,000-pound commercial vehicles that traverse America’s roadways.

OOIDA strongly applauds the Trump Administration for launching the Freedom Haulers initiative to ensure the most well-trained, professional men and women are operating large trucks on our nation’s roadways and keeping our supply chain secure.” The Baseline Context To evaluate what changed, you have to know what was already there.

FMCSA has operated a suite of military driver programs for years, and they are more permissive than most carriers realize. The Military Skills Test Waiver, codified at 49 CFR 383. 77, lets states waive the CDL skills test for service members and veterans with two years of safe experience operating heavy military vehicles. It is available in every state.

FMCSA reports that roughly 40,000 service members and veterans have used it. The Even Exchange Program handles the other half. In participating states, qualified military drivers are exempt from the CDL knowledge test. Combine the two and a veteran can exchange a military license for a civilian CDL without taking either test.

Here is the piece that gets least attention and matters most. Under 49 CFR 380. 603(a)(3), veterans who meet the requirements of 383. 77 are excepted from Entry-Level Driver Training entirely.

When FMCSA adopted that exception, it stated that military training and testing meet or exceed the agency’s own standards in appendices A through E of Part 380, and the Commercial Vehicle Training Association agreed that Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine training manuals covered the required skills in considerable detail.

So in essence, a qualifying veteran was already exempt from the federal training mandate that costs civilian applicants several thousand dollars. The VA tuition benefit was also already in place.

FMCSA’s own campaign materials state that the VA’s tuition cap typically covers 100 percent of CDL training costs at colleges and technical schools for veterans who served at least 36 months.

Add the Under 21 Military Driver Program, CMV Operator Safety Training grants to schools that train veterans, and DOT’s Veterans Transportation Career Center, and the federal scaffolding was substantially complete before July.. fwp-ct{--fwp-ink:#1a1d21; --fwp-mute:#5c646d; --fwp-rule:#d8dce0; --fwp-hair:#eceef0; margin:2. 25rem 0; font-size:.

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