Senators Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) and Representatives Mike Bost (R-Ill.) and Angie Craig (D-Minn.) on Wednesday re-introduced the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act – legislation that would authorize $755 million in competitive grant funding to expand commercial truck parking capacity across the country.
Originally introduced to the House in 2021, the same bill was introduced during the prior legislative session and unanimously passed the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure before lawmakers adjourned in January.
"The lack of safe and accessible truck parking places an enormous and costly burden on our nation's truck drivers as they work to deliver for the American people. Given the chronic nature of this issue and its national scope, it is imperative Congress takes action to provide dedicated funding to expand commercial truck parking capacity,” said American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear.
There exits only one parking spot for every 11 trucks on the road, and Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) President Todd Spencer noted that "when truck drivers don’t have a designated place to park, they end up parking on the side of the road, near exit ramps, or elsewhere. This isn’t safe for the driver and it’s not safe for others on the road."
Nearly half (45%) of respondents to CCJ's most recent What Drivers Want survey – a poll of more than 800 leased owner-operators and company drivers – said finding parking was their biggest problem as a driver that’s not related to their current employer/leasing fleet, ranking it ahead traffic delays (32%) and detention (15%).
"There should be laws that require shippers to allow parking before and after loading and unloading," said company driver Randall Marvin, "and access to bathroom, not porta potty."
A U.S. Department of Transportation report found 98% of drivers regularly experience problems finding safe parking and roughly 70% of drivers have been forced to violate federal hours-of-service rules because of this common scenario.
