OOIDA, WTA support Washington state bills
The Washington Trucking Associations, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, and the American Trucking Associations are working together at the Washington statehouse to address truck parking concerns and rest area access.
One bill would provide incentives to increase truck parking options around the state and at ports.
Big problem
Rep. Dan Griffey, R-Allyn, told members of the House Finance Committee his bill addresses the “big problem” of a lack of safe and secure overnight truck parking.
“We are finding that we are not treating our truckers very well and dealing with the global supply chain shortage. Washington state’s policies are kind of getting in the way,” Griffey testified.
Griffey wrote in the bill that the demand for truck parking in Washington “far exceeds supply.”
He adds that a workshop of the Federal Highway Administration and the Washington State Department of Transportation found that the biggest hurdles for expanding capacity are high real estate costs and community opposition.
Griffey’s bill, HB1657, would add capacity through tax reductions associated with expanding existing parking and developing new parking. Specifically, all real and personal property would be exempt from property taxes at a time when there are a minimum of 10 “safe, overnight commercial truck parking spaces constructed.”
As introduced, the bill calls for truck parking spaces to be a minimum of 54 feet long and 11 feet wide.
Trucking groups testify
OOIDA Executive Vice President Lewie Pugh told lawmakers Association members identify parking as one of their daily problems. He adds that members say they spend at least an hour each day trying to find a safe place to park.
“What we’ve been doing in the past just isn’t working. Every year there is less capacity, but there are more trucks on the road,” Pugh said. “(HB1657) is a way to allow private companies to figure out ways to add parking, and to get a tax incentive.
“We need to find ways to build a better mouse trap. This is one of those ways.”
Sheri Call, WTA president and CEO, told the committee that truck parking is an important issue with bigger implications for the health and resiliency of the supply chain.
She added that the issue of truck parking presents a simple problem for which there are few simple answers.
“There have been several potential solutions but none better or more preferred by truck drivers than parking in areas where services are provided, such as truck stops,” Call said. “HB1657 provides incentives for private development of truck parking spaces and presents a challenge to add new capacity where drivers prefer to park.”
OOIDA and WTA asked for a change in the bill that covers minimum dimensions for parking spaces. The groups would like to see minimum spaces set at 70 feet long and 12 feet wide.
Griffey said he would make the change on parking dimensions.
“Their amendment is fine. They are the ones who drive the trucks.”
Rest areas
A second bill would direct the Washington DOT to keep state-owned and operated rest areas open. Exceptions would be made for seasonal closures, cleaning, maintenance, and repairs.
The House Transportation Committee met to discuss the bill to let the state DOT issue short-term contracts to provide cleaning, security or repairs to the rest areas when the department is unable to provide such services using existing employees.
Truck groups say the bill should be a model for state legislatures around the country to consider.
Griffey says Washington state made the parking problem worse in the fall by closing many state-owned and -operated rest areas. As of January, eight rest areas were closed. Staffing issues and winter conditions were cited for the closures.
He added that to help prevent serious and fatal injuries, HB1655 would encourage the opening of safety rest areas for all drivers who need a place to stop when they are tired.
Griffey said the availability of designated areas to rest is of the upmost importance during the global supply chain shortages.
“Our truck drivers have mandatory rest cycles, and our trucking industry is telling us they are having a very tough time finding places to rest,” Griffey testified.
National crisis
OOIDA’s Pugh told the committee that truck parking is in a national crisis.
“All across this country truckers every night are wasting hours trying to find a safe place to park and get their rest,” Pugh said. “We know there are lots of places, lots of communities, that don’t want trucks. They don’t like trucks, but truckers are a vital asset, along with the parking.”
Call asked for more legislative oversight of rest area closures.
“We hope that the needs of commercial vehicle operators are given consideration when extraordinary closures are planned.”
Restroom access
Another bill to receive the endorsement of motor carriers and truck drivers would give truck operators assurances for access to restroom facilities.
Rep. Mike Sells, D-Everett, is behind a bill to require a retail establishment to allow a common carrier delivering goods to an establishment access to a restroom during normal business hours. Marine terminals also are covered in the legislation.
Independent truck driver and OOIDA Board Member Tilden Curl of Olympia, Wash., provided written testimony to the committee.
Curl told legislators HB1706 addresses basic human needs.
“I cannot adequately express to you the feeling of needing to use the restroom and being rejected because you are a trucker,” Curl wrote. “Oftentimes, truck drivers will drive for several hours just to meet a delivery obligation and then be refused the right to relieve themselves.”
He added that truck drivers are not seeing real-world application of the gratitude that many claim to have for their efforts.
“Two years ago, truck drivers were elevated to hero status for continuing to supply necessary goods to our nation. During that time we had many challenges, including finding a place to eat and park,” Curl wrote. “It was very dehumanizing to work through all the challenges to get the freight to its destination and then be refused a restroom visit. It felt like going from hero to zero many times throughout the day.”
Bill specifics
HB1706 defines restrooms as “a bathroom facility on the premises of, and operated by, a retail establishment” that is intended for use by customers or employees.
Terminal operators would be required to provide “a sufficient number of restrooms” for use by drayage truckers in areas of the terminal that operators typically have access. Areas covered in the legislation include inside the gate and truck queuing lots.
Terminals would be in compliance with the rule when a policy is in place to allow drayage truckers to leave their vehicles at “reasonable times and locations” to use the restroom.
Sells said action is necessary to address the issue.
“It would seem to me that logic would determine that this would already be handled, or taken care of, but evidently not. So, it is requiring us to step up and take some kind of action around this particular issue,” Sells testified. LL