Coalition urges full House to consider truck parking bill

A coalition of two dozen trucking stakeholders is urging the House to move the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act to the House floor for consideration.

On Monday, Sept. 11, stakeholders led by the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association urged House leadership to consider HR2367, the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act, on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives this fall.

The Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act would 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.

“This important legislation, reported out of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on a strongly bipartisan vote in May, would address an important safety issue that affects America’s professional truck drivers, the trucking industry, the American public and the national supply chain,” the letter states.

The letter mentions several “far-reaching benefits” of the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act, including:

• Improved driver well-being
• Better driver recruitment and retention
• Maximization of federal dollars
• Enhanced highway safety
• Economic prosperity
• Reduced roadway congestion

“Truck drivers and their partners in the shipping industry are the backbone of our nation’s economy, ensuring the efficient delivery of goods that sustain our everyday lives,” the coalition stated in the letter. “The reliability of our supply chain depends on them, and it is imperative that we prioritize their safety and well-being. The Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act represents a crucial step toward achieving this goal.”

The coalition also said that when truckers park in unsafe or unauthorized areas, it jeopardizes the safety of not only truck drivers but also the general public. Earlier this year, a Greyhound bus crashed into parked trucks in Illinois, killing three and injuring several more. The National Transportation Safety Board is looking into truck parking safety as part of its investigation.

“We urge you to prioritize consideration of the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act in the House this fall,” the letter stated. “This legislation represents a balanced, practical and effective solution to a long-standing problem that affects the trucking industry, the driving public and American businesses and consumers. Passage of H.R. 2367 will demonstrate Congress is capable of passing critical bipartisan legislation that will improve the lives of professional drivers, the safety and well-being of our citizens and the efficiency of our supply chain.”

Coalition members include the following:

• Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association
• Retail Industry Leaders Association
• Mid-West Truckers Association
• North American Punjabi Trucking Association
• American Apparel & Footwear Association
• Truckload Carriers Association
• American Highway Users Alliance
• National Association of Small Trucking Companies
• National Association of Truck Stop Operators
• Western States Trucking Association
• Transportation Intermediaries Association
• Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance
• Institute for Safer Trucking
• American Trucking Associations
• Association of Food Industries
• American Chemistry Council
• Women In Trucking
• Consumer Brands Association
• Road Safe America
• Agriculture Transportation Coalition
• S. Chamber of Commerce
• Food Industry Association
• International Brotherhood of Teamsters
• National Motorists Association LL