Drivers lose an average of 56 minutes of driving time each day searching for parking, resulting in a $5,600 annual pay cut.
When U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stated, "I know that truck parking is an issue that most Americans probably don’t think about every day—but it’s [a] vitally important one… And that’s because it’s a life and death issue," he was highlighting a crisis that goes unnoticed by many but has severe implications for all.
Motorists frequently see 18-wheelers parked on highway offramps, side streets, and the shoulders of rest areas. But have you ever wondered why these trucks are there? A severe, nationwide shortage of truck parking is pushing America’s professional truck drivers into a difficult position—either break federal hours-of-service regulations that require rest breaks or park in unsafe, unauthorized locations. A staggering 98% of truck drivers face this dilemma regularly, a problem exacerbated by cities across the country banning truck parking within their limits.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized this point in September during the inauguration of a new truck parking facility in South Dakota. The shortage isn’t just an inconvenience for truckers or a supply chain issue—it’s a significant safety hazard for everyone on the road. Law enforcement organizations nationwide are increasingly raising alarms about this growing problem.
Brenda Neville, president of the Iowa Motor Truck Association, recently conveyed this message to Congress. Testifying before the U.S. Senate Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on behalf of the American Trucking Associations (ATA), she warned that the crisis will only worsen if lawmakers do not take action. Over the next decade, trucks will need to move an additional 2.4 billion tons of freight. This increase will necessitate more trucks and drivers, and consequently, more parking spaces.
The shortage of safe parking options ranks among the top challenges facing drivers today. This issue is particularly significant for women in the industry, who already represent a small percentage of the trucking workforce and cite the lack of safe parking as a major barrier. According to a study by the American Transportation Research Institute, drivers lose an average of 56 minutes of driving time each day searching for parking, resulting in a $5,600 annual pay cut.
To address this issue, Secretary Buttigieg has made funding truck parking projects a priority, leveraging discretionary grant funding under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to assist states. The ATA Federation has also reached out to all 50 governors, reminding them of available federal resources to help mitigate this problem. State officials can collaborate with existing private truck stops to address the shortage.
Congress has a vital role to play. The Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act, a bipartisan bill introduced by Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Arizona), Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Rep. Mike Bost (R-Illinois), and Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minnesota), seeks to allocate $755 million in competitive grant funding specifically for truck parking projects nationwide. This effort has garnered support from all sectors of the trucking industry, law enforcement, private truck stop operators, and transportation safety stakeholders.
The time for legislative action is now. The safety of truck drivers and the general public depends on resolving this critical issue before more lives are lost.
