Veterans Day and the Driver Shortage: What Waste Fleets Should Know About Hiring Military CDL Holders

Veterans Day lands in the middle of a hiring squeeze. Waste fleets are competing for CDL holders while federal driver rules keep shifting, and in July the Department of Transportation launched a campaign called Freedom Haulers aimed at steering veterans into trucking.

The campaign made three policy changes, according to FreightWaves' reporting. The window to use the Military Skills Test Waiver stretches from one year after separation to two. Seven more states joined the Even Exchange Program, bringing it to 34. And active-duty service members can now apply and test for a CLP or CDL in the state where they are stationed, not only their home state.

If you run refuse routes, here is what matters and what does not.

What the waiver actually does

Under 49 CFR 383.77, states can waive the CDL skills test for service members and veterans with two years of safe experience operating heavy military vehicles. Documentation is commonly a DA Form 348 equipment operator qualification record. The Even Exchange Program separately lets qualified military drivers skip the knowledge test in participating states.

Veterans who qualify under the waiver are also excepted from Entry-Level Driver Training, per 49 CFR 380.603(a)(3). FMCSA has found military training meets its standards. FMCSA reports roughly 40,000 service members and veterans have used the waiver. You can find the rule text on the FMCSA website.

The experience, safe driving record, and medical certification requirements did not change. The campaign widens the window. It does not lower the bar.

Why refuse fleets should care

Driver supply is tight. Waste Pro told a federal court earlier this year that its hiring process takes 60 to 75 days, and that its fixed daily routes cannot absorb sudden workforce losses, as Waste Dive reported in March. Any additional pipeline of qualified, licensed drivers helps.

Veterans also tend to bring habits that suit this work: early starts, checklists, equipment discipline, and comfort operating in tight, hazardous environments.

How to hire veterans well

• Verify the actual vehicle time. A military job code does not tell you what someone drove. Heavy transport experience is different from mostly light tactical vehicles. Ask for the equipment record, not just the title.

• Check with your insurer first. A waiver can mean a CDL without a skills test. Your carrier may still require its own minimum driving experience or road test. That is contractual, so settle it before you make an offer.

• Train for refuse work anyway. Backing in alleys, curb-side stops, automated arm operation, packer controls, and pedestrian and cyclist awareness are not covered in any military course. Budget for a full ride-along period regardless of the license in hand.

• Recruit near the base, and the transition office. Installations run transition programs. The new stationing rule may also make it easier for soon-to-separate service members to get licensed before they leave.

Retention is the harder problem

The most useful caution in the FreightWaves piece is that the main challenge is keeping drivers, not finding them. A veteran who gets a CDL quickly can leave just as quickly if pay, schedules, and respect do not match what they were told.

Offer predictable routes where you can, clear advancement paths into safety, training, and supervisory roles, and a mentor from day one. Several states and the VA also offer education benefits you can mention in your recruiting.

A note on the policy debate

Freedom Haulers arrived alongside the non-domiciled CDL rule, which FreightWaves estimates removes roughly 194,000 drivers across industries. Critics argue the two policies pull in opposite directions on testing and verification. Whatever your view, it is worth knowing that the veteran pathway is not new and does not by itself replace the drivers some fleets have lost.

Key Takeaways

Veterans are a strong hiring pool, and the waiver now reaches two years past separation. It is not a shortcut around your own standards. Verify experience, confirm insurance requirements, train for refuse specifics, and build a retention plan before the first offer goes out.