On Monday, October 22, 2012, President Barack Obama signed into law the Military CDL Act. The law permits states to waive a residency requirement for issuing commercial licenses to service members living in-state.  According to Rep. Mike Quigley, D-Ill., one of the bill’s sponsors, this change in the law will help service members obtain their commercial driver’s licenses in advance of leaving the military, thereby smoothing their transition to civilian life.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that commercial trucking is a high-demand industry, in which 300,000+ additional positions are expected by the year 2020. This change in the law is seen as an important move which should make it easier for service members to obtain civilian jobs and serve to stimulate the economy.  The new law has reportedly been endorsed generally by the commercial trucking industry as well as the American Legion, the largest veterans’ organization in the nation.