New Program Will Support CDL Training

COLUMBUS – A new state program will help Ohioans who want to earn a commercial driver’s license.

Applications are now being accepted for the Commercial Truck Driver Student Aid program, which is designed to support training to help prospective drivers prepare for jobs in this important in-demand field.

Lawmakers created the program in the state budget, providing $5 million for the initiative. State Representative Jon Cross (R-Kenton) said the program is one of the ways lawmakers are helping keep and create jobs in Ohio.

“Commercial truck drivers are Ohio’s supply chain life line,” Cross said. “The trucking industry has been suffering from shortages and this is leading to shortages in goods. This program is what is needed to help bolster their ranks. ”

The Commercial Truck Driver Student Aid Program is meant to promote and encourage job growth for Ohio’s commercial drivers through educational training in programs related to employment opportunities. According to the Ohio Department of Higher Education, funds awarded to eligible institutions through a competitive application process will be disbursed in the form of grants and loans to students who enroll in approved CDL training programs at those institutions.

Students receiving funds to complete a CDL program must commit to reside and be employed in Ohio for a minimum of one year upon completion of the program, according to the Ohio Department of Higher Education. A total of $5 million in funding is available through the program over the next two years, and eligible institutions can request a maximum of $200,000 per year to support their CDL programs.

Application materials can be found on the Ohio Department of Higher Education’s website at: www.ohiohighered.org/cdl