June 25, 2015 – This week, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has announced a huge success: over 10,000 veterans and transitioning service members have used the Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Military Skills Test Waiver to start their careers in trucking.

The CDL Military Skills Test Waiver exempts service members who are or were employed in a military position in the last 12 months from taking the driving portion of their CDL skills test. The form must be completed and signed by a commander within 90 days from their exit date. A signed Waiver allows State Driver Licensing Agencies to “count” military veterans’ safe driving experience in select military vehicles because that experience has value in commercial trucking.

The Waiver helps veterans to obtain their CDL faster, but FASTPORT discovered that nearly 80% of veterans had not heard about it. That’s why the Trucking Track asked J.B. Hunt to sponsor a detailed “How-to” on using the Skills Waiver on truckingtrack.org. “J.B. Hunt is proud to be a part of the Trucking Track and to provide education that has a direct positive impact on veterans who are starting a new career in trucking,” said Dave Harrison, Military Recruiting Manager at J.B. Hunt. “J.B. Hunt alone has helped educate about 2,000 veterans on the Skills Test Waiver and its benefits at hiring events all over the country, and we will continue to work hard at this important effort.”

The Trucking Track and its sponsors have educated over 5,000 transitioning veterans about the Skills Waiver. “The FMCSA’s Military Skills Test Waiver Program is the trucking industry’s most impactful veteran credentialing program,” said Bill McLennan, CEO of FASTPORT. “The Trucking Track is proud to provide veteran education about the Skills Waiver and offer the employment opportunities the Waiver enables.”

To learn more about hiring veterans and transition military, contact FASTPORT at 978-877-4300 or visit truckingtrack.org.