Trucking organizations are praising a bipartisan bill introduced in the House Thursday that allocates $755 million to increase much needed truck parking.
Both the American Trucking Associations and the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association weighed in on the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act, which was sponsored by Illinois Republican Mike Bost and Minnesota Democrat Angie Craig.
The bill calls for awarding funds on a competitive basis and applicants would be required to submit detailed proposals to Department of Transportation. The primary focus would be to construct new truck parking facilities and convert existing weigh stations and rest areas into parking spaces for truck drivers.
There is no companion bill in the Senate, but the House bill could be included in the overall transportation funding legislation.
“One of the most meaningful ways Congress can show its support for America’s professional truck drivers is to ensure they have a safe place to park and sleep when they take their federally mandated rest break or finish their shift,” said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear. “The chronic lack of truck parking poses an unacceptable risk to both truckers and the nation’s motoring public. Congress must step in to provide a solution. We thank Representatives Bost and Craig for their leadership on this vital piece of legislation, which will increase the efficiency of our supply chain and improve highway safety for all motorists.”
“Lack of safe truck parking has been a top concern of truckers for decades and as a former truck driver, I can tell you firsthand that when truckers don’t have a safe place to park, we are put in a no-win situation, said Todd Spencer, president of the OOIDA. “We must either continue to drive while fatigued or out of legal driving time, or park in an undesignated and unsafe location like the side of the road or abandoned lot. It forces truck drivers to make a choice between safety and following federal hours-of-service rules.
“The current situation isn’t safe for the truck driver and it’s not safe for others on the road. OOIDA and the 150,000 small-business truckers we represent thank Representative Bost and Representative Craig for listening to truckers across America and leading the charge to improve highway safety for all drivers. The bill has longstanding, broad industry support and should be a top priority as Congress begins reauthorizing our nation’s highway safety programs.”
Congressman Bost said, “I know firsthand how difficult, and oftentimes dangerous, it can be when America’s truckers are forced to push that extra mile in search of a safe place to park. By expanding access to parking options for truckers, we are making our roads safer for all commuters and ensuring that goods and supplies are shipped to market in the most efficient way possible. This is a matter of public safety for everyone; and I’m committed to do all I can to drive this legislation over the finish line.”
It has been estimated that there is one parking space for every 11 trucks on the road today.
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