TAMP, Fla. — The Hillsborough County Transportation Planning Organization voted Wednesday to create more spots for big-rig truck drivers along Interstate 4, a project worth more than $5 million.
The proposal would create a new truck driver parking area on the Hillsborough-Polk County line along I-4.
The West Central Florida Truck Parking Facility would include 120 parking spaces for trucks with the ability to expand by 250 parking spaces in the future.
Trucking professionals say a shortage of rest areas and safe areas to park is a nationwide problem.
The Florida Trucking Association said the state would need to make a more than $1-billion investment to meet the needs of truck drivers currently on the road.
Currently, there are only 90 truck parking spaces between Tampa and Daytona Beach.
Florida Trucking Association President and CEO Alix Miller says not only has the lack of safe parking hurt in the hiring of new drivers, but it is also hurting companies retaining drivers.
“Trucking is hard. It’s a tough job,” said Miller. “And on top of that, not have somewhere safe to sleep, not have facilities at your disposal or even vending machines at the end of a long day. That makes the job even harder.”
Miller says although any project that helps fill the void of truck parking spaces is good news for the industry, it only scratches the surface of the broader shortage of parking available for drivers.
The project timeline has construction starting in the spring of 2025.
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