A new effort by the federal government to attract military veterans to the trucking industry officially got under way at the White House today.
President Donald Trump and several cabinet members hosted veterans at the White House for the kickoff of the Freedom Haulers truck driver recruitment campaign.
During the event, the group made several announcements, including:
- Expanding the time frame after service that veterans can apply for an expedited trucking license from within one year to two years. This program – called Even Exchange – means veterans can get their license in weeks instead of months.
- Seven states – Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, and Wyoming – are joining the Even Exchange Program – bringing the total number of participants to 34 states.
- Werner Trucking is pledging to hire 1,400 military Veterans and military spouses in 2027— a 67% boost to its Veteran workforce.
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The kickoff also included the administration's attack on truckers who are not legal citizens but who have obtained work documents and hold non-domiciles commercial drivers licenses.
“Illegal immigrants who can’t speak our language have no business getting behind the wheel of a big rig. Veterans – who have already demonstrated the grit, discipline, and skills to take on this vital task – are the right people for the job,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. “Now through our Freedom Haulers campaign, we are cutting the red tape so these patriots can get their licenses even faster and start making real money in record time."
The Freedom Haulers campaign is an interagency push involving the White House, the U.S. Departments of Transportation, Veteran Affairs, War, and Labor. Freedom Haulers is leveraging radio ads, a new viral digital ad, and a new microsite cataloging all the federal resources and private sector partners that can help service members secure good-paying trucking jobs.
One of the trucking industry's leading advocacy organizations praised the Freedom Haulers campaign.
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association praised the Freedom Haulers campaign.
"With nearly 40 percent of our membership having served in the U.S. Armed Forces, OOIDA’s members bring a unique dedication to both national security and road safety," said OOIDA President Todd Spencer. "Military veterans have the skills to succeed in trucking and that’s what makes them the safest operators of the 80,000-pound commercial vehicles that traverse America’s roadways. OOIDA strongly applauds the Trump Administration for launching the Freedom Haulers initiative to ensure the most well-trained, professional men and women are operating large trucks on our nation’s roadways and keeping our supply chain secure.”
