As truckers, balance is an essential skill – expenses and income, work and life, … speed limits and hills. The most important thing for us to balance is our ability to complete our loads with our own safety. For years, one of the biggest obstacles to trucker safety has been adequate parking for our trucks. The US House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has just approved new legislation to provide funding for truck parking projects, so let’s look at why that matters and what it means for truckers moving forward.
The Parking Pinch
Estimates nationwide are that we have about 1 parking space for every 11 truck drivers on the road. If you’ve spent hours at a truck stop waiting for a place to park, you know exactly what that means for drivers. Truckers must follow federal regulations that dictate how long they can drive in a given period. The lack of adequate parking puts drivers in a terrible situation where they,
- Risk violating regulations
- Risk their safety and the safety of others by parking in illegal locations (side of the road, non-trucking parking lots, etc)
- Have a greater risk of accidents due to exhaustion without needed rest
Paving a New Truck Parking Lot
For several years now, trucking groups have pushed for more parking. While the problem isn’t new, the pandemic proved just how critical the need has been. While stores cut hours or closed their doors to instore traffic, online ordering increased, and so did the need to keep goods on the shelf. We stepped up to meet the demand, while stores were closed and as they opened their doors.
Now, Washington is stepping up to meet our needs. This new bill provides $755 million over for years to fund infrastructure grants specifically to provide needed parking nationwide for truckers. The bill (H.R. 2187 so you can keep following it in the news) has only recently left the committee and still has to come up for a vote in the House and Senate. With strong support from industry leaders, truckers, and members of Congress from both major parties, it looks like that is likely to happen soon.
For truckers, new dedicated parking areas mean,
- Less wait time at truck stops
- Safe locations truckers can park for meals, rest, and fill out service logs
- Safer roads and parking lots for all drivers
REY Logistics Looking Out for Our Drivers
At REY Logistics, we closely monitor changes in regulations and laws to ensure our drivers meet requirements and remain safe on the road. We’ll keep you updated on this and other legislation that impacts our drivers.
Considering joining a team as an owner-operator? Reach out to REY Logistics to see what else we can offer you.