- New short-term funding: The Department of Education is establishing "Workforce Pell Grants" for high-quality, short-term programs lasting 8 to 14 weeks and 150 to 599 clock hours, specifically targeting in-demand industry sectors like trucking and diesel mechanics .
- Strict accountability metrics: To maintain Pell Grant eligibility, these workforce programs must achieve a verified completion rate of at least 70% and a job placement rate of at least 70% within 180 days of completion .
- Value-added earnings test: Program tuition and fees are prohibited from exceeding a "value-added earnings" threshold, which is calculated as the difference between the median earnings of program completers and 150% of the federal poverty level .
The Department of Education this week introduced a proposed rule that would strengthen CDL training schools and diesel mechanic training programs by establishing a new “Workforce Pell Grant” pathway to allow eligible students to use Pell Grants for educational courses lasting from 8 to 14 weeks.
Most diesel tech training can take more than a year, but some specialized certifications can be obtained in fewer than 15 weeks. Cummins, Peterbilt, and Daimler Truck North America each offer 12-week manufacturer-specific training hosted by Universal Technical Institute.
CDL classes can range from just a few weeks to three months or longer, but 6 to 8 weeks is among the standard for a Class A license.
Currently, Pell Grants can only be applied to programs with a duration of 15 or more weeks and are inaccessible to students in shorter-term, high-quality job training programs.
"By expanding Pell Grant flexibility to make short-term educational programs eligible, this rulemaking will open the door of opportunity to more young people seeking rewarding, good-paying careers in trucking," said American Trucking Associations Chief Advocacy & Public Affairs Officer Henry Hanscom.
This reform, slated to take effect in July 2026, implements provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) for which the ATA advocated to help students enroll in credentialing programs that meet federal and state quality standards. The change, the ATA said, would dismantle financial barriers that prevent students from low-income households from accessing the career pathways that lead to the trucking industry.
This comes as the Trump administration continues its ongoing crackdown on CDL mills. The Department of Transportation has dropped 7,000 CDL training providers from its registry, and 4,500 more have been placed on notice for potential removal.
The proposed rule sets additional eligibility requirements for the approval of eligible workforce programs, including approval by a Governor after consultation with the state’s workforce board. Each program must also meet certain accountability benchmarks, including completion and job placement rates, as well as a value-added earnings measure. To maintain eligibility, programs must achieve at least a 70% completion rate and a 70% job placement rate.
