A recent deadly Greyhound bus crash into a line of parked semi trucks has brought the issue of truck parking to the forefront of the news, despite years of issues.
The July 12th crash in southern Illinois happened on an exit ramp where a line of semi trucks was parked outside of a rest area that had run out of parking spaces. Parking along the ramps is illegal in Illinois, but officers aware of the parking shortage often let it happen, reported… The accident has once again demonstrated the desperate need for more truck parking across the country.
“It’s very frustrating,” said truck driver Brent France. “That’s probably the number one thing I deal with every day. I have two choices: I have to sacrifice money out of my pocket through either fines or a loss of miles per day.”
France says that in Tennessee over the last year he’s been fined about $550 for parking where he’s not supposed to out of desperation. In addition to the monetary and time costs, France says the parking issue is dangerous.
“Worse than putting me in danger, it puts everyone around me in danger. Yes, I have to make the choice to drive illegal and break the law.”
The Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act, or H.R.2187 targets state funding for more truck parking spots. It is currently being debated in the House and will move on to the Senate if passed. There is potential for it to become law as early as January.
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