# Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act

Truck drivers often struggle to find safe, legal places to park and rest during long hauls on America's highways. This bill addresses that problem by dedicating federal funding specifically to create more parking spaces for commercial trucks along interstate highways and nearby facilities. The government recognizes that when drivers can't find adequate parking, they either park illegally in dangerous locations or stay on the road when they're too tired to drive safely, both of which create serious safety hazards for everyone on the road.

The bill sets aside money from the Highway Trust Fund to build new truck parking facilities, with funding increasing over five years: $125 million in 2022, growing to $175 million by 2026. States, local governments, and public agencies can apply for competitive grants to construct these facilities. The projects can include building dedicated rest areas with truck parking, creating parking lots next to existing truck stops and travel plazas, adding parking at freight facilities like ports, or converting existing weigh stations into parking areas. Importantly, the federal government will cover 100 percent of the construction costs, and any parking built with this money must be free for truckers to use.

To receive funding, applicants must show they have a real parking shortage problem in their area, prove the project will actually increase parking capacity and improve safety, and demonstrate they can maintain the facility long-term. The bill also requires the Transportation Department to report every two years on whether the program is working and whether states have adequate truck parking overall. This is essentially an investment in highway safety by ensuring tired drivers have legitimate places to stop and rest rather than creating dangerous situations by parking illegally or driving while exhausted.

Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act

Bost, Mike

Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act This bill authorizes appropriations through FY2026 to the Department of Transportation (DOT) to provide parking for commercial motor vehicles on the federal-aid highway system. DOT must provide competitive grants to states, metropolitan planning organizations, local governments, and certain public agencies for projects that provide parking for commercial motor vehicles on federal-aid highways or on a facility with reasonable access to such a highway or a freight facility. The federal share for a project carried out in accordance with the bill must be 100%.