Truck Parking Initiatives on Docket, Secretary Buttigieg Says

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Growing parking availability for the nation’s truck drivers stays excessive on the U.S. Division of Transportation’s agenda, Secretary Pete Buttigieg indicated lately.

Addressing reporters on Capitol Hill on Sept. 20, the secretary stated a timetable of upcoming freeway security tasks would prioritize parking for the men and women who function industrial automobiles across the nation.

Federal grants which might be made out there to state transportation businesses are also alternatives for stakeholders to develop and increase truck parking tasks, Buttigieg defined. These sources of funding embrace the Nationally Important Multimodal Freight and Freeway Initiatives program, or INFRA, and the Rebuilding American Infrastructure With Sustainability and Fairness program, or RAISE.

“You’re going to proceed to see proposals that embrace truck parking get favorable consideration after they’re coming in for our grant applications, no less than these grant applications the place it’s eligible. INFRA is one instance; RAISE, probably, is one other one,” Buttigieg stated shortly after a Home Transportation and Infrastructure Committee listening to.

“We actually need to flip up the dial on [federal formula] {dollars} as a result of the states can do loads with this, however they might not essentially notice it, or they might not prioritize it,” the secretary went on. “So we’ll maintain scoring extremely when a truck parking mission is eligible and compelling. We need to be certain states are doing the identical factor with these {dollars}.”

On Sept. 13, the division introduced greater than $80 million in grants is obtainable for freeway security applications, equivalent to parking tasks. Transportation businesses in Louisiana, Florida and Tennessee had been lately awarded grants particular for truck parking amenities. The funding was accredited primarily by the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Funding and Jobs Act that was enacted in 2021.

“President [Joe] Biden’s historic funding by the bipartisan infrastructure regulation helps enhance industrial motorcar security on our roadways each on the nationwide and native ranges,” Federal Motor Service Security Administration head Robin Hutcheson stated in an announcement accompanying the announcement. “Our grantees will dedicate these investments to modern expertise, analysis and different tasks that may positively impression [commercial motor vehicle] security and transfer us in direction of the Nationwide Roadway Security Technique’s aim of zero deaths on our nation’s roadways.”

On Capitol Hill, policymakers have but to clear for the president’s desk complete laws meant to increase truck parking availability. A invoice awaiting a vote within the Home would increase parking amenities for truck drivers. In Might, the Truck Parking Security Enchancment Act was superior by the chamber’s transportation coverage panel by voice-vote. Particularly, the invoice would authorize $755 million by fiscal 2026 to increase parking entry for industrial automobiles. Below the invoice, state businesses can be tasked with including parking to present amenities and aiding with the development of latest amenities.

“Truck drivers do the onerous work to maintain our provide chains shifting, and it’s our accountability to guard their security and well-being,” stated Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.), a co-sponsor. “I’m happy to see my bipartisan invoice heading to the Home ground for a vote — and will probably be working with my colleagues on each side of the aisle to get this handed.”

MORE: Firm Targets Previous Drive-In Theaters for Truck Parking

Resolving the parking scarcity for truckers has gained bipartisan motion in Congress. A companion model sponsored by Sens. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) has but to be thought-about in committee. “The scarcity of accessible and dependable parking for truck drivers places a pressure on truckers, Arizona companies and our nation’s provide chain. Our bipartisan laws will be sure that truck drivers can safely and effectively transfer the products that help our economic system,” Kelly stated. “I’m grateful for Sen. Lummis’s continued partnership on this effort and her dedication to tackling this concern.”

In 2022 the American Transportation Analysis Institute ranked insufficient entry to parking third on its “Crucial Points within the Trucking Business.”

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