The U.S. Department of Transportation has announced $200 million in funding for 14 truck parking projects across 12 states, adding hundreds of parking spaces along major freight corridors and at key freight facilities. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the investment, which will be distributed through the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant program.
The American Trucking Associations (ATA) welcomed the funding in an October 16 statement, emphasizing the importance of expanding safe parking options for professional drivers who regularly struggle to find available spaces.
Truck Parking Expansions Planned Across 12 States
The funding will support projects in Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, North Carolina, Nebraska, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin.
The projects are intended to increase parking capacity in areas serving commercial freight traffic. Although the announcement identified 14 projects, the information released did not establish a completion timeline for each location.
ATA Chief Advocacy and Public Affairs Officer Henry Hanscom said the investment addressed a longstanding concern for the trucking industry.
“Truck parking is not simply a matter of convenience. It is a critical safety and supply chain issue that affects every truck driver and every motorist on our highways,” Hanscom said.
The shortage has been documented in federal research and industry studies. According to a USDOT study cited by ATA, 98% of truck drivers regularly experience difficulty finding safe parking.
Research from the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) also found that drivers lose an average of 56 minutes of available driving time each day searching for parking. The organization estimated the resulting annual lost wages at $6,813 per driver.
Additional Federal Truck Parking Funding Under Consideration
The $200 million announcement comes as lawmakers continue considering legislation intended to increase truck parking capacity nationwide.
ATA has endorsed the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act, introduced by Representatives Mike Bost and Angie Craig. The legislation would authorize $755 million in competitive grants for commercial truck parking projects.
Another proposal, the BUILD America 250 Act, would authorize $750 million over five years for truck parking construction as part of a broader reauthorization of federal surface transportation programs.
Congress also approved $200 million for truck parking in the fiscal year 2026 appropriations package, according to ATA. Lawmakers are considering an additional $200 million for truck parking in the next fiscal year’s funding legislation.
These proposals are separate from the 14 INFRA-funded projects announced by USDOT and would require further legislative action where funding has not yet been approved.
Hanscom said ATA would continue advocating for additional parking investments, noting that the latest awards represented progress but would not eliminate the nationwide shortage.
The newly announced projects will add parking capacity in several freight corridors, although drivers will need to wait for individual construction schedules and opening dates before those spaces become available.
The TDUSA editorial team creates practical, driver-focused content covering trucking news, industry updates, safety, regulations, and career information for professional truck drivers across the United States. Each article is built to reflect real-world experience, industry developments, and information drivers can use on and off the road.
Last Updated: October 20, 2026
Source: The Trucker
