House reps reintroduce truck parking bill

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Legislators reintroduced a truck parking bill Thursday aimed at improving the amount of areas to stop and rest for commercial vehicle drivers.

A group of House members are again bringing back the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act, which has been introduced in every congressional session since 2020 but has never fully materialized.

“By expanding access to parking options for truckers, we are making our roads safer for all commuters and ensuring that goods and supplies are shipped to market in the most efficient way possible,” U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., said in an announcement. “This is a matter of public safety for everyone.”

The bill seeks to provide $755 million in competitive grant funding over five years toward the issue. Fixes the funding would support range from building safety rest areas to reclaiming closed facilities and adding to existing areas connected to the federal highway system or freight facilities, including port terminals.

Trucking groups have voiced their support, including the American Trucking Associations and Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association. ATA President and CEO Chris Spear said the “chronic lack of truck parking poses an unacceptable risk” for truck drivers and the public.

OOIDA President Todd Spencer said current conditions are unsafe. “We must either continue to drive while fatigued or out of legal driving time, or park in an undesignated and unsafe location like the side of the road or abandoned lot,” he said.

Trucking industry surveys by the ATA’s research arm, the American Transportation Research Institute, have found the industry’s leading concerns in recent years are the economy and truck parking.

The bill was referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Thursday.

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