Bipartisan truck parking bill passes House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, which has worked for years to address the national truck parking shortage, is applauding the advancement of H.R. 2367, the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act, through the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
The bipartisan bill introduced by U.S. Representatives Mike Bost (R-IL) and Angie Craig (D-MN) would dramatically increase designated parking for commercial trucks.
The lack of truck parking has been a problem for decades and is only getting worse as capacity has not kept pace with the increasing number of trucks on the roadways. There is currently only one parking spot for every 11 trucks, resulting in drivers wasting an average of one hour every day trying to secure parking.
“Truckers are the backbone of the supply chain carrying over 70% of America’s freight, yet there is only one parking spot for every 11 trucks on the road,” said Todd Spencer, president of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association. “OOIDA and our 150,000 members thank lawmakers from both parties who came together to advance this critical bill through the committee and we encourage the U.S. Senate to follow their lead by stepping up to address American truckers’ top safety concern.”
Drivers need the ability to rest in safe places when they are tired and to comply with federal regulations that require mandatory breaks. Trucks parked on highway shoulders, exit and entrance ramps, vacant lots, and side streets create an immediate safety hazard for truck drivers and other roadway users. Additionally, the time drivers waste finding safe parking is time not spent getting goods to their destination, slowing the supply chain and raising costs for consumers. Expanding truck parking capacity will improve road safety and supply chain efficiency.
The Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act would invest $755 million over three years to create new truck parking spaces. Funding would be awarded on a competitive basis and applicants would be required to submit detailed proposals to the U.S. Department of Transportation. The program’s primary focus would be to expand parking capacity through the construction of new truck parking facilities and the conversion of existing weigh stations and rest areas into functional parking spaces for truck drivers.
H.R. 2367 now awaits consideration by the full House of Representatives. Senators Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ), have introduced companion legislation, S. 1034, which currently awaits further action in the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Additional Resources
- Illinois Business Journal: As mandates loom, it’s getting harder to ‘just keep truckin’
- NPR: There is 1 parking space for every 11 semi-trucks on the road. Why that’s a problem.
- Landline: Bost continues push for truck parking
- NPR: Parking for semis is so scarce it leaves truckers in peril and feeling ‘homeless’
- TransportDive: Truck driver in Maryland resorts to parking at funeral home
To view the YouTube video of OOIDA EVP Lewie Pugh testifying at the May 10 T & I Hearing, click here.
About the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association is the largest national trade association representing the interests of small-business trucking professionals and professional truck drivers. The Association currently has more than 150,000 members nationwide in all fifty states that collectively own and operate more than 240,000 individual heavy-duty trucks. OOIDA’s mission is to promote and protect the interests of its members on any issues that might impact their economic well-being, working conditions, and the safe operation of commercial motor vehicles on our nation’s highways. OOIDA was established in 1973 and is headquartered in the greater Kansas City, Mo. area.
