USDOT to Give $292 Million in Parking Grants

The war for more commercial vehicle parking continues, with this time the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) weighing in to provide funding.

My Kingdom for a Spot

With the number of available truck parking spots to the number of trucks on the road being a ratio of about 10:1, there is a lot of work to be done before drivers do not have to fight tooth and nail for a spot. This government handout from the federal government to state governments is certainly a step in the right direction, however.

The projects include:

• $180 million to the Florida DOT to build over 900 parking spaces in central Florida.
• $92 million for the Missouri DOT to improve parking facilities alongside the I-70, which cuts through near, but not quite, the center of the state.
• $12 million between Washington, Oregon, and California to develop software to connect truckers with available parking at 54 different facilities along the West Coast.
• $8 million to Wisconsin DOT to expand a rest area’s available commercial vehicle parking spaces from 16 to 90, an increase of 462.5%.

“I often hear directly from truck drivers on the serious challenge of finding safe parking, and today, we are answering those concerns with more action,” Buttigieg said in a statement regarding the funding.

The announcement was met with approval from industry stakeholders, including the ever-present President of American Trucking Associations Chris Spear. “America’s highways are our shop floor. When drivers finish their shift, they deserve to know that they will be able to find a safe place to sleep that night. These significant investments in expanding parking capacity along some of America’s busiest freight corridors will help reduce supply chain bottlenecks, alleviate stress on truck drivers and make the roadways safer for all motorists.”

Conclusion

This appears to be a decent allocation of funds, as it provides more parking and tools both in areas that are densely populated (Florida and California), as well as states such as Missouri that see a lot of traffic regardless of the state’s own population.

Still, while this funding provides approximately one thousand parking spaces for weary drivers as well as better access to existing spots, the battle for adequate truck parking is far from over, and it will be a long time before it truly is finished.

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