Truck parking bill finds new life with surge in co-sponsors

The Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act is being resurrected with several more co-sponsors, indicating a surge of interest in the topic at the federal level.

On Monday, HR2187, also known as the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act, picked up two more co-sponsors: Reps. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Wash., and Troy Nehls, R-Texas. Only halfway through June, four U.S. House representative have signed onto the bill, the most in a single month since May 2021.

Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Ohio, added his name to the co-sponsor list on June 7. Two days after that, Rep. Daniel Meuser, R-Pa., joined Chabot in supporting dedicated funding for truck parking projects that add capacity.

As of June 14, the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act had 35 co-sponsors, including 23 Republicans and 12 Democrats:

1. Brian Babin, R-Texas
2. Don Bacon, R-Neb.
3. Steve Chabot, R-Ohio
4. Jim Cooper, D-Tenn.
5. Angie Craig, D-Minn.
6. Rick Crawford, R-Ark.
7. Antonio Delgado, D-N.Y.
8. Tom Emmer, R-Minn.
9. John Garamendi, D-Calif.
10. Bob Gibbs, R-Ohio
11. Vicky Hartzler, R-Mo.
12. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Wash.
13. Bill Johnson, R-Ohio
14. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D.
15. Trent Kelly, R-Miss.
16. Ron Kind, D-Wis.
17. Darin LaHood, R-Ill.
18. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif.
19. Nancy Mace, R-S.C.
20. Tom Malinowski, D-N.J.
21. Daniel Meuser, R-Pa.
22. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa
23. Troy Nehls, R-Texas
24. Chris Pappas, D-N.H.
25. Greg Pence, R-Ind.
26. Dean Phillips, D-Minn.
27. Tom Reed, R-N.Y.
28. David Rouzer, R-N.C.
29. Abigail Davis Spanberger, D-Va.
30. Pete Stauber, R-Minn.
31. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif.
32. Thomas Tiffany. R-Wis.
33. Jefferson Van Drew, R-N.J.
34. Jennifer Wexton, D-Va.
35. Susan Wild, D-Pa.

For comparison, the previous version of the bill attracted only 14 co-sponsors before dissolving with the 116th Congress.

Truckers who do not see their representative listed above are encouraged to reach to their U.S. House rep and urge them to co-sponsor the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act. Go to FightingForTruckers.com to find your House representative and simultaneously send them an email.

During the first quarter of the year, it looked like the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act had hit a wall. The bill was inactive until Rep. Abigail Davis Spanberger, D-Va., joined the list of co-sponsors on April 5. Before that, the last co-sponsor to sign on was Rep. Jennifer Wexton, D, Va., on Dec. 9.

Perhaps not coincidental, the topic of truck parking has picked up a lot of steam in the nation’s capital in the last few months. On June 8, the national truck parking crisis was emphasized during a U.S. House of Representatives hearing discussing roadway safety.

The day before the hearing, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Chair Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., along with ranking member Rep. Sam Graves, R-Mo., sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg urging the secretary to increase truck parking capacity.

Last March, Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., reintroduced the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act after the first version went away with the 116th Congress. Bost is requesting $755 million be allocated over five years specifically to add truck parking capacity. Funding would come from existing funds within the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act and the Highway Trust Fund. The bill will not award grants to any project that charges for parking. All projects must provide free parking. LL