Trucking is one of the best good-paying careers in America—and under President Trump, average annual earnings for truckers have climbed to $70,000. That’s a 7.42 percent increase from previous administrations. And there is no one better trained for that job than the men and women who drove trucks for our military. 

But there’s a problem: our service members still have to complete redundant tests and knowledge exams to get their license. It’s a career put on hold because of unnecessary tests, paperwork, and a winding clock that runs out while they're busy figuring the transition to civilian life

To tackle this problem, I introduced the Freedom Haulers Act today to open the door for more veterans who want to keep America moving. My bill doubles the window for the military skills test waiver from 12 to 24 months and requires every state to offer a true even exchange: if you drove heavy machine trucks for the military and kept a clean record, your experience counts. We don’t need service members repeating tests for skills they’ve already proven. Medical certifications and background checks still apply, the bar stays high, and the bureaucracy goes away.

As I wrote yesterday, our roads need more qualified, vetted drivers behind the wheel—not fewer.

They drove for this country. Making sure that experience translates to a career when they come home is the least we can do.