When the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) opened the door for public input on the next highway bill, truck parking quickly emerged as one of the loudest and most urgent concerns. Nearly 2,800 comments were submitted, and among them, drivers and trucking groups repeatedly highlighted the nationwide parking shortage as a crisis that can no longer be ignored.
Trucking groups call for action.
Major industry organizations joined forces in pressing Congress and DOT to take meaningful steps. The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA), American Trucking Associations, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Advocates for Highway & Auto Safety, PrePass Safety Alliance, and the Shippers Coalition were among those submitting formal comments.
For years, OOIDA has urged lawmakers to pass the bipartisan Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act, which would dedicate $755 million to building and expanding truck parking facilities. The group didn’t mince words in its latest submission:
“OOIDA will not support surface transportation reauthorization that fails to dedicate federal funding exclusively for the expansion of truck parking capacity,” the Association wrote in comments signed by President Todd Spencer. “Specifically, truckers support HR1659, the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act, championed by Reps. Mike Bost (R-Ill.) and Angie Craig (D-Minn). This bipartisan legislation enjoys universal industry support and was reported out of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure in 2023 by a vote of 60-4.”
Parking shortage cuts into driver pay.
The financial impact of inadequate parking also drew attention. Even groups that often disagree with OOIDA, such as the Transportation Intermediaries Association, threw their weight behind the legislation.
“For drivers – this legislation would be transformative,” wrote Daniel Hoff, vice president of government affairs at TIA. “The chronic lack of parking forces drivers to waste valuable time searching for spots – costing the average driver about $5,500 in direct lost compensation, which adds up to about a 12% pay cut for drivers.”
Safety concerns on the rise
The PrePass Safety Alliance also weighed in, stressing that the lack of reliable parking poses a danger not only to drivers but also to the broader supply chain.
“By supporting expanded, accessible and secure truck parking and upgrading existing parking facilities with smart parking technology, DOT can address one of the most persistent barriers to both highway safety and supply chain efficiency,” wrote Ashley Simmons, vice president of policy and external affairs at PrePass Safety Alliance.
Individual drivers echoed those concerns in their own comments.
“Parking has become a huge issue and seriously needs to be addressed,” wrote trucker Jeremy Overfield.
A decade of frustration
Despite widespread agreement across the industry, many remain skeptical that Congress will act.
“Somehow, after nearly a decade of unified advocacy, the trucking industry still finds itself pleading for help and feeling anxious that Congress may again fail to act,” Spencer wrote. “Frankly, truckers are sick and tired of some lawmakers ignoring their pressing safety needs while funding other pet projects, and rest assured, they will be watching closely to see if Washington finally delivers.”
The comment period officially closed on September 8, leaving DOT and lawmakers with nearly 2,800 submissions to review. For drivers and fleets, the question remains: will Washington finally put parking on the priority list?
Source: Land Line Media
