Department of Transportation Announces Truck Parking Grants
If you have been a part of the trucking industry for any length of time, you are no doubt aware about the parking problem: the dearth of legal parking spots for commercial vehicles that cause truckers to spend over an hour finding a spot, or worse, parking in illegal and unsafe locations. Congress has introduced numerous bills in hopes of getting funding for needed parking spots, but they have always died on the debate floor. Now the executive branch is stepping up to provide federal grants to help increase parking, to the tune of $80 million.
Details
The announcement came on September 12th, during National Truck Driver Appreciation Week. Various members of the Department of Transportation were examining recent infrastructure investments in South Dakota when they made this announcement to boost truck parking.
“We have stepped up our work on the truck parking coalition and our efforts to encourage states and other decision-makers to make better use of infrastructure dollars to expand parking. Know that you will continue to have a partner in the U.S. Department of Transportation. And I’m really glad that we’re able to be here to celebrate projects like this one, expanding truck parking nationwide,” Pete Buttgieg, Secretary of the Department of Transportation, said in a statement.
For truck drivers, their truck cab is their office, living room, and sleeping quarters. When there's not enough truck parking, there's not enough places to rest safely.
— U.S. Department of Transportation (@USDOT) September 12, 2023
We're announcing $80M to improve access to truck parking, and advance highway safety nationwide. pic.twitter.com/LOX1G62nLt
The money has not yet been spent, so there is no timetable as to when these parking spaces will be completed or where they will be located. Considering the absolutely abysmal ratio of supply to demand, alongside any highway is likely to be a worthwhile investment!
Conclusion
It is good to see the executive branch of the U.S. government apply taxpayer dollars to the topic widely considered to be the most bipartisan: infrastructure. There are eleven semi trucks on the road for every available parking spot, and truck parking is consistently within at least the top five for the American Transportation Research Institute’s annual survey for trucking concerns. These spots, once completed, are sure to be welcomed with open arms, and will no doubt pay dividends for America’s economy.
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