Pennsylvania announces statewide truck parking expansion

It’s way past the point of debating the truck parking problem in the U.S.

Action that addresses the problem is what’s needed – and Pennsylvania is moving in that direction with a recent announcement it will add more than 1,200 truck parking spaces at 133 locations across the state by the end of 2026.

Additionally, the Pennsylvania Turnpike is evaluating the potential for another 600 truck parking spaces across its system.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation said this is the first statewide expansion of designated truck parking spaces other than facility construction projects. PennDOT’s designated truck parking spots will be located on:

Interstate on-ramps with no sight distance or safety concerns
Weigh stations used for Pennsylvania State Police motor carrier safety enforcement
Various other locations within highway right of way

“Truck parking is a nationwide issue,” PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll said. “As a commercial driver’s license-holder myself, I know how important this commonsense approach is to our economy and workforce. By adding these spots – and looking at ways to add even more – we’re giving truckers many more options to safely park and meet their rest requirements.”

Michael Hampton, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s senior policy advisor, recently spoke about the truck parking problem from the agency’s perspective.

The new truck parking spaces will be designated by signage installed by PennDOT.

PennDOT is adding 1,200+ truck parking spots in 133 locations by the end of 2026 to address a chronic, national issue. Also new, truckers can view spots on the Public Truck Parking filter on https://t.co/zNnFMs0HFS or 511PA app.
See more: https://t.co/V3Yo8oO7Y2.@PAStatePolice pic.twitter.com/lKDxR6U3TJ
— PA Department of Transportation (@PennDOTNews) October 6, 2025

“This initiative directly supports our mission to ensure motor carrier safety by reducing driver fatigue and improving the overall safety of our highways,” PSP Director Bureau of Patrol Major Robert Krol said. “Safe, designated parking is essential for commercial drivers, and this effort represents a significant step forward in protecting everyone who travels on Pennsylvania’s roads.”

A PennDOT new release said the Pennsylvania Turnpike has invested over $30 million to expand truck parking. As it shifts to open-road tolling, the Pennsylvania Turnpike is reviewing configurations of interchanges to potentially add additional truck parking spaces.

“The trucking community is essential to our mission of supporting national commerce,” said Pennsylvania Turnpike CEO Mark Compton. “We are dedicated to finding innovative solutions that address the increasing truck parking shortages along our system, and we take pride in collaborating with partners throughout the Commonwealth to enhance driver safety and improve logistics efficiency.”

The state’s 511 website now includes public truck parking locations in a list (under “traffic” in the site menu), as well as on the map on the homepage (when “public truck parking” is selected). New locations will be added when they become available.

“Truck drivers are essential to keeping our economy moving, goods on our shelves and food in our pantries – but they need safe places to stop and rest,” Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association President and CEO Rebecca Oyler said. “With only one parking space for every 11 drivers on the road, too many truckers are forced to choose between breaking hours-of-service laws or stopping in unsafe locations. Every new space added to our highway network means one more trucker has a safe and secure place to stop.”

In 2023, the Pennsylvania State Transportation Advisory Committee commissioned a truck parking study.

“The supply of truck parking has failed to keep pace with the escalating demand, leading to a widespread shortage of truck parking across Pennsylvania,” Rep. Doyle Heffley, R-Cabon, wrote in a bill memo.

PennDOT said its latest truck parking expansion follows the study’s recommendation to repurpose select state-owned surplus properties.

A truck parking task force has also been established to collaborate with regional and municipal partners as well as to engage with the trucking industry and advance potential solutions at the local level, PennDOT said. LL