Reps. Mike Bost (R-IL) and Angie Craig (D-MN) recently introduced a measure they said is designed to improve highway safety by addressing the parking shortage for semis and large commercial trucks.
The Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act establishes an existing Department of Transportation funding source to create more parking spots. The lack of which interferes with operators’ ability to take necessary rest periods to avoid driver fatigue – compromising highway user safety.
“Growing up in a family trucking business, I learned at an early age what a rewarding career it could be,” Bost said. “However, I also understood that trucking can be a tough, demanding, and even dangerous job. One concern for truck drivers is the lack of enough safe parking spots where they can get the rest they need without risking collisions on the shoulder of the highway or being forced to push their limits to find the next rest stop. This puts the truckers and other motorists at significant risk. That’s why I’m proud to lead this effort to create sufficient rest parking options for long-haul truckers.”
American Trucking Associations (ATA) officials are in support of the bill, which makes $755 million available to states to finance projects, increasing the number of parking spaces for commercial truck drivers.
“Truck drivers perform a valuable service to our economy, moving more than 70 percent of our nation’s goods, and having opportunities to safely rest is an important part of that,” ATA President and CEO Chris Spear said. “Representatives Bost and Craig recognition that in order to do their jobs, truck drivers need places where they can safely park and rest is overdue, and we applaud them for their leadership in introducing this important legislation.”