New Jersey Gets $2M FMCSA Grant to Start Mobile CDL Testing
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New Jersey officials joined with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration leaders Nov. 1 to tout how a $2 million federal roadway safety grant will pay for new state motor vehicle mobile units to bring commercial driver license tests to rural areas.
“We want CDL testing to be accessible to anyone who is willing to learn and earn that driver’s license. Commercial Driver’s License Program Implementation grants can help break down barriers for people seeking to earn or renew their CDL,” said Vinn White, FMCSA deputy administrator. “There’s no better example of that than the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission’s mobile testing unit.”
Now the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission will use the federal dollars to launch a mobile CDL testing program, buy the testing vehicles and extend its ability to reach those seeking to become professional bus and truck drivers. Part of the grant also will go toward upgrading and redesigning CDL skills test sites across the state to expand testing capacity and allow training for larger commercial vehicles.
New Jersey was among 30 states to receive $55.1 million in fiscal 2024 funds from the FMCSA’s Commercial Driver’s License Program Implementation Grant to improve highway safety within states and nationally.
Among the other grants awarded, the Arizona Department of Transportation will receive $1.87 million to improve CDL skills testing sites “found to be unsafe for both examiners and CDL applicants,” according to FMCSA.
FMCSA hosts press conference Live from Delanco, NJ.
Our grant programs make a difference! Join us live today at 10:00 am ET from Delanco, NJ to learn how we’re partnering to make CDL training more accessible in rural areas.
Watch at https://t.co/HPpfY1XYPM. pic.twitter.com/MmGFGkEhAQ — FMCSA (@FMCSA) November 1, 2024
Another grant of $1.83 million was allocated to Kansas State University to create a CDL court docket as a template for courts in Kansas and other states to adjudicate CDL holders who commit traffic, misdemeanor and felony offenses.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said the funding ultimately will give state residents easier access to training materials and testing. “This investment reflects our commitment to building a stronger and safer driving community in New Jersey,” Murphy added.
“We create a lot of great programs in Trenton and in D.C., but getting them out to the people who need them and can utilize them is a challenge,” noted state Assemblywoman Andrea Katz (D). “These mobile testing units that are going to be dispatched all over the state are going to help ensure that our CMV drivers have the knowledge to drive safely on our roads and turnpikes, particularly in my district, which includes large rural areas.”
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The mobile CDL testing program will use two specialized teams and trucks to offer CDL skills and knowledge tests at remote sites throughout New Jersey. State officials plan to coordinate with more than 550 school districts and driving schools regarding use of the CDL testing mobile units.
“This is going to be a game changer for our delivery of CDL testing across the state of New Jersey,” said Jim Ferguson, agency central operations director at the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. “While we currently offer bulk skills testing remotely outside of our road test facilities, this grant will enable us to also offer knowledge tests and to bring our testing capabilities to communities anywhere in the state on a regular basis.”
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