DOT awards $61.7 million for new truck parking spaces and technology
Key takeaways
- Four states received $61.7 million in grants to expand truck parking capacity and improve driver access.
- Kentucky and Mississippi projects include real-time parking information systems for drivers.
- Truck parking shortages continue to affect driver safety, available drive time, and fleet efficiency.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) recently awarded $61.7M in grants to expand truck parking capacity along key freight corridors nationwide. The funding was awarded through DOT’s Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant program.
The grants will provide funding for the following truck parking improvements:
- Illinois received $13.2 million to add 45 rest area spaces.
- Kentucky received $25 million to add truck parking spaces at seven rest areas and install real-time parking information systems.
- Mississippi received $22.1 million to add 54 rest area spaces and real-time parking information systems.
- Wyoming received $1.4 million to improve winter parking options for trucks.
“The chronic lack of truck parking poses a public safety risk, raises costs for consumers, and makes professional drivers’ tough jobs even harder. We appreciate Secretary [Sean] Duffy’s commitment to addressing this long-standing problem and commend Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Wyoming for prioritizing truck parking projects in their transportation plans,” Chris Spear, president & CEO of the American Trucking Associations (ATA), stated. “When drivers finish their shift, they deserve to know that they will be able to find a safe place to sleep that night. Congress can help build on this investment by approving the $200 million for truck parking included in this year’s appropriations bill.”
What this means for the trucking industry
The $61.7-million investment addresses a long-standing challenge for fleets by expanding access to safe truck parking and adding real-time parking information systems in some locations. A DOT study found that 98% of truck drivers regularly experience problems finding safe parking, while research from the American Trucking Research Institute (ATRI) found that drivers lose an average of 56 minutes of drive time per day due to parking challenges. Expanding parking availability could help fleets improve driver safety, reduce lost productivity, and support more efficient freight operations.
