For a long time, the lack of safe parking for truck drivers was a major issue. While long-haul truck drivers knew about this problem, the general public was unaware. Fortunately, in recent years, the advocacy for safety in trucking is beginning to see results.

Bills such as Jason’s Law brought more attention to this critical issue in the industry, and the recent Bipartisan Infrastructure Act has been a large source of funding for new parking projects.

Thus far, the infrastructure law has allocated enough funds through the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) Program to build 2,000 new parking spaces. The first 1,000 spots were funded in Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, Texas, Tennessee, and Wyoming. A new round of funding will provide for California, Florida, Missouri, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Wisconsin.

In addition to drivers, the parking initiatives are supported by multiple trucking industry stakeholders. President and CEO of the American Trucking Associations, Chris Spear, commented:

When drivers finish their shift, they deserve to know that they will be able to find a safe place to sleep that night. These significant investments in expanding parking capacity along some of America’s busiest freight corridors will help reduce supply chain bottlenecks, alleviate stress on truck drivers and make the roadways safer for all motorists.

Adequate parking ensures that drivers can safely find parking when they need and follow the Hours of Service regulations that determine how much driving can be done in a day. Investments in parking pay off for the public, as truck drivers are the backbone of the US economy.