DOT Marks Veterans Day With Freedom Haulers Funding Boost
Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and FMCSA Administrator Derek D. Barrs marked Veterans Day on the National Mall by highlighting results from the Freedom Haulers campaign, an interagency effort launched in July with the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of War and the Department of Labor to move veterans into trucking careers.
Duffy announced FMCSA is putting $3.5 million into training providers across 21 states to expand services for veterans. The department said 12 trucking companies have committed to hiring more than 13,000 veterans with help from the Department of Labor, and nearly 400 veterans have already used GI Bill benefits to pursue trucking credentials, according to the release.
As part of Freedom Haulers, FMCSA expanded its Military Skills Test Waiver and Even Exchange Program, which lets veterans with relevant military driving experience get a CDL faster. Truckload Carriers Association President Jim Mullen praised the initiative in the release. The announcement did not name the training providers, the 21 states, or the 12 companies that made hiring commitments.
What's next
- Watch for FMCSA to identify the training providers and states receiving the $3.5 million.
- No new regulatory deadlines were stated in the release.
All sources
- DRIVING THE NEWS: Trump’s Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy Hosts Veterans Day to Showcase Freedom Haulers Campaign Success, Announce Millions More in Veteran Training Grants | US Department of Transportation — Government site: Department of Transportation (.gov), 2026-11-11
Related coverage
- Veterans Truckers — Rutland Herald (via Google News), 2026-11-11
