Buttigieg to address truck parking during South Dakota visit

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg will visit South Dakota next week to discuss truck parking.

According to a U.S. Department of Transportation news release, Buttigieg will be in South Dakota on Monday and Tuesday, Sept. 11 and 12, to highlight federal investments in truck parking. The U.S. DOT recognizes truck parking as critical for truck driver safety and supply chain efficiency.

“Secretary Buttigieg will visit a major I-90 improvement project that includes new truck parking spaces and is funded by the Biden-Harris Administration,” the U.S. DOT stated in the news release. “While in South Dakota, the secretary will also see other infrastructure investments and will announce additional critical investments in highway safety, all made possible by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.”

The secretary will join state, local and tribal leaders throughout his visit. He will be in Chamberlain, S.D., on Monday, Sept. 11, and in Sioux Falls and Salem, S.D., on Tuesday, Sept. 12.

Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association President Todd Spencer is expected to attend the Sioux Falls event.

According to Jason’s Law Truck Parking Survey results, South Dakota ranks among the highest quarter of the states for public and private spaces. The state also ranked in the lowest quarter on mentions in comments about parking problems.

Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act

In March, U.S. Sens. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo, and Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., and U.S. Reps. Mike Bost, R-Ill., and Angie Craig, D-Minn., introduced the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act. If passed into law, the bill will allocate money for the creation of more truck parking spots.

Specifically, the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act will allocate $755 million over three years to the construction of parking spots. According to the bill text, any project funded by the bill cannot include paid parking. All parking under the bill must be publicly accessible and free of charge.

As of Friday, Sept. 8, the House version (HR2367) had 30 co-sponsors.

Is your House rep not on the co-sponsor list? Go to FightingForTruckers.com and click on the “Tell your Lawmakers to Support the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act” link. Fill out the form and have it automatically sent to your federal lawmakers. LL