The Fiscal Year 2025 Commercial Driver’s License Program Implementation (CDLPI) grant is administered by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), a division of the U.S. Department of Transportation. FMCSA’s primary mission is to reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities involving large trucks and buses, and the CDLPI program contributes to this by ensuring that only qualified drivers obtain and retain Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs). The program supports states and eligible entities in implementing national standards and processes to maintain a single, reliable driving record for each driver, and ensure compliance with federal requirements.
The CDLPI grant is intended to provide financial support to State Driver Licensing Agencies (SDLAs), other state agencies, and non-state organizations for projects that advance the National CDL Program. These efforts aim to ensure consistent compliance with FMCSA’s licensing regulations and to improve the accuracy and reliability of commercial driver records. Grants also support national-level projects conducted by non-state organizations that enhance CDL program efficiency and aid state compliance.
Total program funding for FY 2025 is authorized up to $88.7 million, with no match required from applicants. Eligible applicants may submit up to four projects per application, and the performance period extends from the year of award through September 30, 2029. Funded projects must address national priorities such as CDL regulation compliance, improved testing and data reporting, reducing CDL issuance delays, preventing fraud, enhancing court expertise, or expanding access to underserved communities.
Applications must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, February 24, 2025. The Title VI Program Assurance and Compliance Plan must accompany applications and be approved by FMCSA. Key submission documents include SF-424, SF-424A, SF-424B, a lobbying form (SF-LLL, if applicable), a project narrative, and a detailed budget narrative. Applications from SDLAs must also include a CDL Program Self-Assessment.
The application must follow a performance-based planning format, including a problem statement with quantitative baseline data, performance objectives, a detailed activity plan, a performance measurement and monitoring plan, and a budget narrative aligned to the project activities. A template is provided to streamline this process, and training is available via a webinar on January 22, 2025, from 1:00–2:00 p.m. ET.
FMCSA will evaluate applications using technical merit, budget and cost analysis, program-specific criteria, past performance, and alignment with broader federal goals like racial equity and climate change. Applicants are rated as highly responsive, responsive, or not responsive based on how well they meet these evaluation criteria.
Contact information for support includes Montika Brooks (Montika.Brooks@dot.gov) for financial questions, CDLgrants@dot.gov and Isabella Marra (Isabella.Marra@dot.gov) for programmatic concerns, and FMCSA_GrantMgmtHelpdesk@dot.gov for general inquiries.
Utilize FMCSA’s optional application template and attend the January 22 webinar. Complete all required forms and ensure Title VI Compliance Plan is submitted and approved.
