The federal government is continuing its efforts to address the nationwide truck parking crisis, but it needs information from the men and women behind the wheel who know the situation better than anyone else.
For well over a decade, one of the biggest issues plaguing the trucking industry has been the lack of truck parking. Not only is the economy losing billions of dollars annually due to time lost finding parking, but the problem has also resulted in lost lives.
The truck parking problem has gotten so out of hand that the National Transportation Safety Board made an unusual move by endorsing legislation. In a final report on a fatal crash involving a truck parked on the shoulder of a highway, NTSB members called for more legislative action, pointing to the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act.
“It appears that essentially the same obstacles we were facing two decades ago are the same obstacles we’re facing today,” NTSB member Thomas Chapman said. “It’s a funding issue. I’m guessing in some respects, it might be more than funding. It could be available space, but this is a problem that has been around for a long time, and it’s only getting worse.”
In February, President Donald Trump signed a $1.2 trillion spending package into law that included $200 million for truck parking expansion. While that will not solve the problem, it is certainly a step in the right direction.
Although federal funding has been an issue, one of the biggest hurdles states, counties and municipalities have faced is a lack of awareness.
That includes both citizens and government officials.
Even those aware of the truck parking crisis may not fully understand the benefits of additional parking. A recent study reveals that both funding and community pushback are slowing down truck parking expansion.
This is where FMCSA’s new study steps in
Benefits of truck parking
FMCSA will conduct a study showing that the benefits of truck parking extend far beyond convenience for truck drivers.
On April 6, FMCSA published a notice and request for comments in the Federal Register. The agency is seeking feedback for an upcoming study called “Quantifying the Benefits of
Creating New Truck Parking Spaces.”
In its notice, FMCSA points out “there is a lack of research on the actual precise monetary benefits of new truck parking spaces.” The new study will ask thousands of truck drivers about their parking habits and experiences.
Truck drivers may be quick to roll their eyes over another truck parking study. FMCSA notes that this study will compile data that no other study has done before, including how often and how long drivers:
- Parking in unauthorized spaces
- Stop driving early to obtain a parking space
- Drive off their routes to find parking
- Drive past hours-of-service limits to find parking
Results of the study will be combined with related research to show the benefits of new truck parking spaces. That information can be used by both government and private organizations to better decide where to build those spaces and state their case to stakeholders, including local residents.
The output of the study is only as good as the input. Once the survey is launched, truck drivers are encouraged to participate. Researchers don’t know what they don’t know, and participating in the survey will put a driver’s lived experiences in the data.
Public comments on how the study will be conducted are due May 6. To submit a comment, click here or go to Regulations.gov and enter Docket No. FMCSA-2025-0787. LL
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