The Veterans Jobs Bank will soon celebrate its one year anniversary of having more than 5,000 employers posting more than 1 million veteran-friendly jobs in a national database. The Department of Transportation recently joined the effort of offering jobs to U.S. military veterans with the Military Commercial Drivers License Act of 2012, which will help remove state-restricted barriers for military personnel.

In the past, veterans and service men and women were only able to obtain a commercial drivers license in the state where they permanently reside. With many individuals serving and training at duty stations far from home, it was difficult for them to receive a CDL before leaving for military service. The new legislation removes this obstacle, and allows individuals who are residents of other states to apply for commercial licenses in multiple states.

The Department of Transportation held a Veterans Transportation Career Opportunities Forum in conjunction with the Department of Labor to focus careers in the motorcoach, transit and trucking sectors. Topics discussed at the forum included the importance of working with these industries to recruit service men and women for critical transportation jobs that need to be filled. Due to their past training, veterans understand the importance of safety, so  DOT officials believe they will make a great addition to the industry.

“At DOT we think that removing barriers that stand in the way of our veterans’ success and connecting them with job opportunities that they deserve is the least we can do to thank them for their service,” Ray LaHood, secretary of the Department of Transportation, wrote in a White House blog post. “So this meeting gave motor carriers and other stakeholders a chance to tell us how DOT can assist them in making the transition for veterans easier.”

LaHood explains that the DOT recruits veterans because have the on-the-ground training and experience that can really benefit the industry. Opening up job opportunities and making it easier for veterans to obtain CDLs will help veterans find jobs after active duty and, at the same time, strengthen the United States transportation system.

Additionally, the Department of Transportation and Veterans Affairs launched the Veterans Transportation Career Center, which is a website that will help veterans find jobs in the private transportation sector. The site includes information on certification and training required for civilian jobs and searches to help veterans determine what career or field fits best with their personal background.
DOT made a commitment to continue working with a range of partners to help veterans succeed in the transportation fields, LaHood said.