Governor Jim Pillen announced Friday that Nebraska is joining President Trump’s new Freedom Haulers initiative, a federal program aimed at helping military veterans move more quickly into commercial trucking careers by streamlining the commercial driver’s license process.
Pillen says the program creates another pathway to good-paying jobs while cutting unnecessary paperwork for veterans with military driving experience. “This program provides another career opportunity for our military veterans,” Pillen says.
“It reduces red tape and speeds the process for those who may already have training in operating heavy vehicles. It also extends the window of time for them to take advantage of this program.” Under the governor’s direction, the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles will update its CDL waiver process so qualifying veterans can receive testing waivers under the Freedom Haulers initiative and the federal Even Exchange Program.
In Nebraska, eligible veterans already receive a waiver for the driving skills test. The new changes mean many qualifying veterans will also be able to skip the written test if they operated certain military vehicles during active duty.
DMV Director Rhonda Lahm says the program maintains strict safety standards. “The parameters of the program are very specific in describing which branches of the military and the type of prior vehicle experience that qualify for a waiver,” Lahm says.
“This ensures that veteran drivers already have the skill set that would ensure the highest levels of safety while operating a commercial vehicle on our nation’s highways.” The initiative also doubles the amount of time veterans have to qualify for a CDL waiver, extending the deadline from 12 months after leaving military service to 24 months.