DOT Makes Effort to Tackle Lack of Truck Parking – Fleet Administration
Photograph: Deborah Lockridge
In September, the Federal Freeway Administration detailed its methods for growing truck parking and greatest practices on designing and establishing new truck parking to state, business and federal leaders at a gathering of the Nationwide Coalition of Trucking Parking.
Division of Transportation officers additionally mentioned the brand new and expanded funding assets which can be eligible for truck parking initiatives via the Bipartisan Infrastructure Legislation.
The assembly builds on the commitments of the Trucking Motion Plan, an effort centered on making a steady and secure trucking workforce for truck drivers.
Want for Truck Parking
The American Trucking Associations and Proprietor-Operator Unbiased Drivers Affiliation wrote a letter to DOT earlier this 12 months citing that the majority truck drivers, 98%, reported issues discovering secure parking. It prices drivers greater than 56 minutes of drive-time to seek out parking, wasted time that’s estimated to trigger a $5,500 loss in annual compensation, affiliation officers cited.
“I’ve heard from numerous truckers throughout the nation about how the scarcity of truck parking prices them money and time—to not point out making our roads much less secure and weakening our provide chains,” stated Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. The DOT says increasing truck parking is a precedence for the company.
Funding in Truck Parking Capability Enhancements
In September, the DOT introduced vital investments to develop truck parking capability on the interstate system via the INFRA program. These first-of-its-kind investments included $15 million so as to add roughly 120 new truck parking areas alongside the Interstate 4 hall in Florida between Tampa and Orlando and a $22.6 million funding so as to add roughly 125 areas alongside I-40 east of Nashville, Tennessee.
“This problem is of explicit significance for girls drivers, who repeatedly cite the dearth of secure parking choices as a deterrent to extra girls getting into the sector,” ATA President and CEO Chris Spear stated in a press releae. “Investing in these initiatives and guaranteeing all drivers have prepared entry to secure and well-lit parking amenities is a vital step in shifting our business’s workforce demographics and empowering extra girls throughout the nation to pursue the rewarding profession alternatives that trucking has to supply.”
The Federal Motor Provider Security Administration additionally awarded $1.4 million in grant funding to Montana and Kentucky to enhance truck parking via its Excessive Precedence Modern Expertise Deployment grants.
“One of many main causes of truck crashes is driver fatigue. It’s clear that satisfactory relaxation for drivers is foundational for secure operations. We have now heard loud and clear from drivers – they want extra locations to relaxation and so they should be secure and safe whereas doing so,” stated FMCSA Administrator Robin Hutcheson. “We’re proactively working on the native and regional degree to level to the quite a few assets throughout DOT for truck parking building, growth, and know-how options, and we are going to proceed to work collaboratively with companies inside DOT and with all of our companions within the business.”
Moreover, DOT has up to date steering on the sources of federal funding which can be eligible for states taken with making additional investments in truck parking. States and different authorities entities can apply for grants or prioritize system funding for capability initiatives from over $47.4 billion in eight applications.
“Truck parking is a security problem – each for truck drivers and all different highway customers, which is why FHWA has up to date our steering to make sure there is no such thing as a query about eligibility for truck parking initiatives in new system and discretionary grant applications licensed below the Bipartisan Infrastructure Legislation,” stated FHWA Performing Administrator Stephanie Pollack. “This new data will assist states, localities and different eligible entities establish eligible system funding sources and apply for discretionary grants to fund truck parking initiatives that not solely assist the elevated demand for truck deliveries and strengthen our provide chains, but additionally present secure truck parking, which is crucial to guard the truck drivers we depend on, in addition to the touring public.”
