Legislation advancing the construction of more truck parking facilities across the country has been approved by members of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Introduced by Illinois Representative Mike Bost, the bill will provide funding of up to $755 million between now and 2027 to build both safety rest areas as well as commercial motor vehicle parking facilities.
The funding will come in the form of a competitive grant program that will be administered by the federal Department of Transportation and used for the construction of new parking spaces on federal highways, or at a facility located near such highways.
Funding will also be used to pay for an analysis to be conducted by the DOT looking at the nation’s truck parking needs and capacity.
In introducing what is an amendment to the existing Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act, Bost remarked that “we’ve seen the need for more trucks and drivers increase significantly, especially during the Covid 19 pandemic, when trucking helped to keep our economy going.”
The Congressman continued: “However, the number of truck parking spaces hasn’t kept pace. That means that drivers are forced to park in unsafe locations, which puts both them and other motorists at risk.”
The measure has won the support of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, whose president, Todd Spencer, remarked in a statement: “The continued growth of the parking shortage shows the status quo is not sustainable. Congress must provide dedicated federal investment to expand capacity if it is serious about addressing the problem.”
The legislation is now on its way to the full House.
By Garry Boulard
