A new Maryland bill will make it easier
for veterans to get into the trucking industry.
Delegate David E. Vogt III has passed
legislation that affirms a Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration program to
help veterans secure commercial driver’s licenses.
Vogt’s legislation deals with commercial
driver’s licenses for military veterans.
Currently, the MVA waives a skills test
for the commercial license for veterans who have left the military within the
past year. To qualify for the waiver, the veterans must also pass the CDL
knowledge test, have a good driving record, have at least two years of related
driving experience in the military and have a certification from their
commanding officers.
Although this program already exists,
Vogt’s bill would include it in state law, meaning that the MVA officials could
not choose on their own to discontinue it, according to an agency spokesman.
The proposal also directs the MVA to explore providing CDL training courses on
Maryland’s military bases.
Vogt, R-District 4, said the proposal
will make the state more welcoming to military veterans and help former service
members land employment in the trucking industry.
“Programs like this will help provide
well-paying jobs and will turn the climate to be more friendly for our veterans
and retirees,” said Vogt, who served in the Marine Corps for eight years.
Many veterans have experience operating
heavy machinery, so waiving the skills test makes sense, Vogt said. Offering
on-base CDL training would also extend these vocational opportunities to
military personnel who aren’t assigned to drive large equipment, he added.
Estimates show that there are more than
428,000 military veterans living in Maryland, according to a fiscal analysis of
Vogt’s bill. The unemployment rate for Maryland veterans stood at 5.9 percent
in 2013, according to state data.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan will decide
whether to sign the bill into law. The spokeswoman had favorable comments for
Vogt’s bill on helping veterans get commercial licenses.
“The measure is effective in many
states, as it lends itself to assisting veterans who already have a skill-set
without making them go through additional training, testing, and expense,” Erin
Montgomery, Hogan’s spokeswoman, said in a prepared statement.
Follow
Bethany Rodgers on Twitter: @BethRodgersFNP.
Let us all think of ways to make it easier for veterans to
assimilate back into society after a stint in the military. Our school trains many veterans to
become freight brokers. We also
have many truck drivers who are ready to stop driving but still want to stay in
the industry train to become freight brokers.
Think this might be a great career move for you? Give me a call.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.transportationtraining.com
