JPMorgan's Jamie Dimon went off-script at an investor cocktail in late January. Talking AI displacement, he zeroed in on the trucking labor force. "You can't lay off 2 million truckers tomorrow. If you do, you will have civil unrest." The most powerful banker on Wall Street, in front of a room full of people who fund the autonomous trucking startups, told them out loud what training operators have been quietly saying since the first Aurora demo lap. We train drivers every wee

May 4, 2026, Washington, D.C. - CDLLife, a trusted online network for professional truck drivers, today announced a new partnership with the Commercial Vehicle Training Association (CVTA), the nation’s largest association of professional truck driver training programs. Through this partnership, CDLLife will bring greater visibility to CVTA member schools across its network, including the CDLLife student site, CDLLife.com, CDLLife mobile app, social channels, and newsletters,

FMCSA political leadership and career staff from USDOT HQ and the Southeast Regional Service Center join DDA owner, Bruce Busada and staff and CVTA staff in Baton Rouge. Effective truck driver training begins well before a driver gets behind the wheel. This commitment to quality was evident during the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s recent visit to CVTA member Diesel Driving Academy (DDA) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. These school visits allow FMCSA to connect dire

CVTA Member. C1 Truck Driver Training recently attended the ceremonial signing of HEA 1200 following an invitation from Indiana Motor Truck Association President, Gary Langston. The bill was signed into law by Governor Mike Braun and represents a measurable shift in how non-domiciled Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs) are regulated in Indiana. The legislation centers on tightening requirements and oversight for non-domiciled CDL holders, specifically individuals whose legal

On April 21, 2026, the House Education and Workforce Committee passed H.R. 8210, the A Stronger Workforce for America Act of 2026, marking the latest congressional attempt to reauthorize the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Congress has been working toward a WIOA reauthorization for several years. A nearly identical bill cleared the same committee 44-1 in the last Congress before stalling at the end of the session in late 2024. Unfortunately, this year, the bi

On Monday, May 20th, CVTA Executive Director Andrew Poliakoff presented at the 2026 NASASPS Annual Conference in Dallas, alongside FMCSA Deputy Administrator Jesse Elison and Crystal Puderbaugh of the Kansas Board of Regents. The session attracted numerous non-SDLA regulators focused on supporting TPR enforcement in their states. The session addressed the CVTA ELDT Task Force’s efforts, the need for broader state involvement in TPR enforcement, and FMCSA’s recognition that fu

Karen Smerchek, President and Owner of Veriha Trucking, will join CVTA’s Spring Conference this May. With nearly two decades of leadership in the truckload sector, Smerchek has become a recognized voice on safety, workforce development, and operational excellence, helping shape conversations that impact carriers and professional drivers nationwide. As the leader of Veriha Trucking, a company built from a one-truck operation into a respected national carrier, Smerchek has prio

Southwest Truck Driver Training has reached another milestone, earning a 2026 BusinessRate Award based on the experiences and feedback of its students. Unlike traditional recognitions, this award reflects direct input from those who have gone through the program, offering a clear signal of how training translates into real-world impact. At its core, the recognition speaks to consistency. Students are not only completing training, but leaving with the confidence, skills, and s

As the landscape of workforce training continues to expand, clarity for students and job seekers has become increasingly important. The Commercial Vehicle Training Association (CVTA) is supporting the bipartisan Credential Repositories and Transparency in States (CREATES ) Act, introduced by Representatives Lucy McBath (GA-06) and Burgess Owens (UT-04) , which aims to help states develop centralized, accessible credential data systems. By improving how information on trainin