Federal funding will pay for commercial driver's license training program in Southeast

Snowplow and bus drivers are exceptionally critical occupations this time of year — but they’re in short supply statewide.

A new Juneau-based program may change that.

The $1.7 trillion federal spending bill recently passed by Congress includes $750,000 for University of Alaska Southeast to establish and operate a commercial driver’s license (CDL) education training program at the UAS Juneau campus.

According to UAS Chancellor Karen Carey, the new program will help fill the many positions for CDL-certified drivers currently vacant across Southeast Alaska.

“We are just really thrilled that we go...