Truck drivers across the country already know the parking situation is tight, and the FMCSA is finally taking another step to collect hard data directly from those dealing with it every day. In a new Federal Register notice, the agency announced plans to submit an Information Collection Request to the White House to launch a national study on the truck parking shortage.
The study is titled “Quantifying the Benefits of Creating New Truck Parking Spaces” and will gather about one thousand completed surveys from drivers. The goal is to better understand what the parking shortage costs in real terms and what improvements would actually deliver measurable benefits.
FMCSA pointed out that driver parking has stayed at the top of the industry concern list for years. In the American Transportation Research Institute’s reports, parking reached the number two spot in 2023 and 2024 and moved to the number four spot this year. Drivers have repeatedly told the industry how serious the shortage is, and now FMCSA wants data that reflects exactly how much impact the problem creates.
The agency also acknowledged that “many government, safety, and industry organizations are working to create more truck parking spaces,” but noted that “there is a lack of research on the actual precise monetary benefits of new truck parking spaces.” The benefits the agency wants to measure include:
- Decreasing carriers’ costs
• Increasing drivers ‘ well-being
• Reducing the number of crashes
FMCSA explained that past surveys never captured certain data with enough accuracy. According to the notice, researchers still need strong national statistics showing how often drivers do the following:
- Park in unauthorized areas
• Shut down early to secure a legal space
• Leave their routes searching for parking
• Run past hours of service limits trying to find parking
The agency says the new survey results will be paired with other research to help estimate the full value of creating additional parking in different regions. The goal is to support decision-making among both public and private groups that determine where new parking should be built.
FMCSA also outlined several questions it hopes this study will help answer, including:
- How many trucks park in authorized and unauthorized spots per day across the country
• What methods offer the most cost-effective way to increase capacity
• Which truck parking information systems do drivers rely on most
• How many drivers use reservations, paid parking, or other parking services on a routine basis
Several thousand drivers from different parts of the industry will receive the online survey, which takes about twenty-five minutes to complete. FMCSA expects roughly one thousand usable responses.
The agency is requesting feedback on its plan for the survey, including whether the survey is necessary, how it could be improved, and ways to ensure the collected information is clear and useful. Comments can be submitted for sixty days at www.regulations.gov by searching Docket No. FMCSA 2025 0787.
For now, the study is moving forward, and FMCSA says it wants real insight from working drivers. With parking continuing to shape daily schedules and trip planning, many drivers may welcome the chance to weigh in directly on an issue that affects them every single day.
Source: Overdrive
