The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has dropped climate change and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) language from its Commercial Driver’s License Program Implementation (CDLPI) grant program for the 2025 grant year.
Why it matters: The FMCSA says it’s now focusing only on highway safety for these grants, instead of pursuing extra requirements added by the last administration.
- The agency has announced up to $89.4 million in available grant funds for CDL improvements this year.
- Entities eligible to apply include State Driver Licensing Agencies, other state and local government agencies, tribal governments, and certain nonprofits.
Background: In past years, the grant application included rules that tied funds to DEI and climate change actions, which will no longer be part of the process this time.
- FMCSA says this will keep all dollars going directly to programs that help qualify and keep good drivers on the road.
- The CDLPI grant helps states run driver licensing programs, aiming to prevent crashes by making sure only properly vetted drivers get a CDL and that there is only one file and one license per driver.
The change was made public on June 6, and opens grant money to more applicants who want to focus on “real, measurable outcomes,” according to FMCSA's official grant page.