CHICAGO, July 31, 2026 — The Trump Administration has launched a new program aimed at easing a problem that trickles down to the food-away-from-home industry: A shortage of truck drivers.
The distribution sector of the business has been struggling for decades to attract more drivers of the tractor trailers and other vehicles that haul supplies to the backdoors of restaurants and other foodservice outlets. The shortfall can severely complicate the logistical challenges of what’s known as the last mile of the supply chain.
The Administration is hoping to enlarge the pool of potential recruits through a new program that promotes driving trucks as a career option for individuals ending their military service. Under the Freedom Haulers initiative, the process of securing the necessary licenses for driving commercial vehicles is streamlined, as is the process for qualifying to learn the job as apprentices.
A key component is allowing participants to take civilian truck-driving courses during the last six months of their active duty. Individuals who drive commercial-scale vehicles as part of their service don’t even have to take a road test for a commercial driver’s license.
The program also offers such incentives as total reimbursement of tuition for relevant educational courses, and salaries that average $70,000 a year. Part of the pitch is the opportunity for veterans to make a good living without having to sit in an office all day.
“This isn't a desk job–it requires the precision, independence, and level-headed mindset that you forged in the military,” reads the Freedom Haulers website.
The site suggests participants in the program will give an advantage in landing jobs at companies whose business is hauling supplies, including Fedex and UPS.
The path between military service and driving trucks is already well worn. The federal government estimates that 25% of military veterans currently work as truck drivers.
The food-away-from-home industry is a frequent second career for veterans who have left the service. A number of restaurant chains, for instance, provide training to ease former service members and their spouses into restaurant management jobs. Others offer various forms of assistance to turn the vets into franchisees.