OOIDA makes push to include truck parking in infrastructure plan

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association is asking its members to contact their senators and let them know that funding for truck parking should be included in the infrastructure package.

“Explain why they need to include truck parking funding in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act,” OOIDA wrote. “There is widespread support for $1 billion that would actually create more parking spaces to help drivers find safe and accessible places to rest.

“Let them know that the parking shortage is a highway safety crisis and a daily challenge for truckers.”

You can reach your lawmakers by clicking here.

Earlier this week, the Senate voted in favor of a procedural measure to forward with a bipartisan $550 billion infrastructure package. The package incorporates the Senate version of the highway bill, which does not include any measures to increase motor carriers’ minimum insurance requirement.

OOIDA has favored the Senate version of the highway bill over the House version, which includes several “anti-trucker” measures.

The House bill, for instance, would increase truckers’ minimum liability insurance from $750,000 to $2 million.

A down side of the Senate version for truckers is that it does not include any measures to address the truck parking crisis. The House version would invest $1 billion toward the creation of truck parking spaces.

OOIDA said it will continue to work to get truck parking included in the Senate package.

“(The Senate) version of the highway bill does not include harmful mandates like minimum insurance increases or personal conveyance limits that were passed by the House,” OOIDA wrote. “However, the deal inexcusably leaves out any dedicated funding for truck parking. While the package will include hundreds of millions for zero-emissions transit vehicles and eliminating invasive plant species on highways, Senators are ignoring all the truckers who cannot find a place to park at the end of their day. This must be fixed.” LL