Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Safety Training Grants

Expand the number of commercial driver�s license (CDL) holders possessing enhanced operator safety training to help reduce the severity and number of crashes on U.S. roads involving commercial motor vehicles, as defined in 49 U.S.C. 31301, and to assist current or former members of the U.S. Armed Forces, including National Guard and Reservists to obtain a CDL.

Eligible applicants must be accredited by a government organization such as the Department of Education.

All discretionary (competitive) grant program applications undergo a series of reviews prior to award selection as required in 2 CFR �� 200.204 and 205. These reviews include: 1) technical review that provides an independent assessment of the technical/programmatic merit of an application. At least three qualified individuals are selected to review each application to ensure diversity of perspective and knowledge. Individuals are selected based on their technical education and experience and the extent to which the individual has engaged in relevant work, the capacities in which the individual has done so, and the quality of such work; 2) suitability review that provides a risk assessment on each applicant�s organization to ensure the applicant is suitable to receive and manage Federal funds. The risk assessment is conducted in several parts: 1) a debarment and suspension review that included a review of the applicant�s administrative capability self-certification and a check against the applicant�s records in the System for Award Management (www.sam.gov); 2) a review of the applicant�s history with other Federal agencies in the Single Audit Clearinghouse Database; and 3) an evaluation of the applicant�s Single Audit in accordance with the Single Audit Act; 3) past performance review that provides information that is considered as a possible indicator for predicting future performance. Many applicants for FMCSA programs have received FMCSA funding in the past and will be...

The Federal share of the grant is 85 percent of the approved expenditures in the project plan. A 15 percent matching share by the recipient is required.

Fiscal year 2016: Not Available. All projects provided accredited organizations with funding for tuition assistance to veterans and members of the US armed forces Fiscal year 2017: Funded a community college to recruit, train, and place up to 118 veterans at a cost of $1,160 per student for in-state tuition and $3,465 per student for out-of-state tuition. The community college�s curriculum included 96 classroom hours and 288 hours of off-road and behind-the-wheel training. The community college is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and has an on-campus Office of Veterans Affairs and there are three military bases within 50 miles. The community college uses print and social media and job fairs to recruit students and partners with potential employers to assist graduates with job placement. Fiscal year 2018: FY 2018 CMVOST National Priorities - The FMCSA may not award grant funding to individuals for personal gain, such as individual requests for obtaining specialized training required for CDL licensing or to any private business for direct financial gain or profit. The FMCSA will prioritize the funding for tuition assistance for students meeting the...