Truck parking receives $275M boost from DOT
For years, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) has pushed for more truck parking investment from the federal government. Its persistence is finally paying off.
The truck parking shortage has affected the industry throughout the 21st century. Many areas faced this issue long before that. Lawmakers largely ignored it, unaware of its severity. Thanks to grassroots efforts, government officials are now starting to recognize the problem.
The crisis hit a turning point with the murder of Jason Rivenburg. A trucker from Fultonham, N.Y., Rivenburg was killed while parked at an unsafe location. He had been turned away when he arrived early for a delivery. After parking at an abandoned gas station, he was fatally shot and robbed for $7.
In 2012, Congress passed Jason’s Law, which created a truck parking survey. The first survey results, released in 2015, confirmed what truck drivers had been warning about: there isn’t enough parking.
Sadly, that survey did little to increase parking capacity. An updated survey in 2020 showed that not much had changed in five years. This led a lawmaker and OOIDA to take action.
In 2020, Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., introduced the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act. The bill would dedicate $755 million to projects that would increase free, public parking spaces for truck drivers.
OOIDA worked closely with Bost to develop the meaningful truck parking legislation that would garner support throughout the industry.
Since then, OOIDA has pushed the issue forward at full speed. Through Calls to Action and FightingForTruckers.com, the Association gathered support for the bill. OOIDA Executive Vice President Lewie Pugh frequently testified to Congress about the parking crisis.
Bost’s bill died in committee with 14 bipartisan co-sponsors. Neither Bost nor truck drivers gave up on the truck parking bill. It was reintroduced in each new session of Congress. Last year, the bill was placed on the House calendar with 27 Democratic and 26 Republican co-sponsors.
This momentum continued as a new administration took office. On June 27, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation is listening to truck drivers.
The DOT unveiled a “Pro-Trucker Package,” which includes several new initiatives to support truck drivers:
- Increase truck parking capacity
- Withdraw speed limiter rulemaking
- Increase hours-of-service flexibility
- Improve driver resource page
- Reform DataQ
- Modernize National Consumer Complaint Database
- Address unlawful brokering
- Maintain ELD exemption on pre-2000 engines
- Remove “needless” regulations
“These steps not only improve the daily lives of truckers across America but also enhance safety for everyone on the road,” OOIDA President Todd Spencer said. “For years, truckers have urged Washington to address the severe shortage of truck parking, eliminate the dangers posed by a national speed limiter mandate and give drivers greater control over their hours of service.
At the top of the list is truck parking. The DOT will provide over $275 million in grants to increase parking availability. This includes a $180 million grant awarded to Florida in 2024, adding over 900 parking spaces along the I-4 corridor.
Additionally, the DOT will issue a memo stating that truck parking is a “national priority” under Jason’s Law. This will open more grant programs for parking projects.
Bost praised the announcement, highlighting the impact of truck drivers voicing concerns.
“Growing up in a family trucking business, I know how hard it can be to find a safe place to stop and rest,” Bost said in a statement. “That’s why I’ve led efforts in Congress to expand truck parking and fight for common sense reforms that make life easier and safer for truckers. I’m proud to see President Trump and Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy stepping up to the plate with meaningful action that reflects what drivers have been telling us for years.” LL