NEWARK, N.J. – A New Jersey reentry organization is expanding efforts to retrain formerly incarcerated individuals and veterans as commercial truck drivers, backed by a $300,000 investment aimed at easing a growing labor shortage tied to the region’s freight economy.
The Francine A. LeFrak Foundation has committed the funding to the New Jersey Reentry Corporation to scale up Commercial Driver’s License training for court-involved individuals, as demand for qualified drivers continues to strain the Port of New York and New Jersey and surrounding logistics networks.
The port is the busiest on the Atlantic Coast and a central gateway for food, medicine, construction materials, and consumer goods moving through the New York–New Jersey region. Industry estimates project the U.S. trucking sector will need more than 1.1 million new drivers over the next decade, a shortage already felt in New Jersey’s dense freight corridors and warehouse hubs.
NJRC officials said the expanded training program is designed to address barriers that often delay employment for people reentering society, including unresolved municipal fines, bail obligations, and administrative requirements that can prevent enrollment in workforce programs.
Rather than waiting for those issues to be fully resolved, NJRC’s model combines legal assistance with workforce preparation, allowing participants to begin CDL training while outstanding matters are addressed. The organization reported securing more than $6.1 million in municipal court fines and bail relief, according to its 2025 annual report.
Training is delivered in partnership with EZ Wheels and aligned with employer demand. NJRC said participants will be connected directly to hiring pipelines with companies including Amazon, Canada Dry Ice, Federal Express, Schneider National, Swift Transportation, UPS, and Western Express.
• $300,000 investment expands CDL training for court-involved individuals and veterans
• Program targets driver shortages impacting the NY–NJ freight economy
• NJRC links legal support, training, and direct employment pathways
