Federal grant to cover CDL program tuition for military members, veterans

CHEYENNE, Wyoming – Tuition costs for a limited number of active or former military members and eligible family members seeking commercial driver license training will be covered by a new federal grant at Laramie County Community College.

The grant, awarded by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, is part of a national effort to strengthen the commercial motor vehicle workforce through high-quality, safety-focused driver training. The funding is targeted toward veterans and military families in the community, helping those who have served find careers in commercial driving.

Through the award, LCCC’s CDL program will be able to offer tuition-free CDL training to up to 15 eligible participants. Because of the limited number of slots, the opportunity is expected to be competitive.

For LCCC’s Transportation & Diesel Training program, the grant represents a first-of-its-kind opportunity to remove cost barriers for military-connected students while expanding access to career-ready CDL training for the local community.

“Cheyenne has many veteran families, and the need for CDL drivers has never been greater, but the cost of training puts this career out of reach for many,” said James Drudge, Transportation & Diesel Training manager. “This new grant makes the dreams of aspiring drivers possible.”

LCCC’s CDL program combines classroom instruction with behind-the-wheel training to prepare students for commercial driving careers in a range of transportation and logistics settings.