Commercial Driver Workforce Study

The Laws of Minnesota 2024, chapter 127, article 3, section 130 established a study to “address commercial driver shortages in transportation and transit sectors and propose recommendations to address the challenges posed by driver shortages and the attrition rate of commercial vehicle drivers in Minnesota.”

The Minnesota Departments of Transportation (MnDOT) and Public Safety (DPS) will jointly conduct the study, and will examine challenges in test access, workforce development, driver compensation and retention, training and certification offered by postsecondary institutions, and how each of those challenges may be addressed by the legislature or other state regulatory action.

In conducting the study, MnDOT and DPS must consult with “stakeholders involved in the training, certification, licensing, development, and education of commercial drivers, including but not limited to representatives from trucking companies, freight and logistics companies, transit and bus operators, labor unions representing commercial motor vehicle drivers, public and private commercial driver's license testing providers and behind-the-wheel instructors.” The study must also include input from the Departments of Labor and Industry, Commerce, and Employment and Economic Development, along with Metro Transit, the Center for Transportation at the University of Minnesota, and representatives from the State Colleges and Universities in Minnesota.

Opportunities for engagement

Your participation in this study will help us address commercial driver shortages and attrition rates in transportation and transit sectors and propose recommendations to address these challenges for commercial vehicle drivers in Minnesota. You can provide feedback in the following ways:

• Sign up for email updates
• Attend a stakeholder meeting
• Ask a question or submit comments
• Participate in a survey (watch for information - coming soon)