DOT awards $200 million for truck parking projects in 12 states

14 projects will expand parking capacity along major freight corridors, near ports and at border crossings.

Finding a safe place to park at the end of a long day on the road can be not only a challenge, but also a hazard for truck drivers. Now, $200 million in federal funding could help make that search a little easier.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has announced funding for 14 truck parking projects across 12 states, including new parking facilities, expanded rest areas and improvements to existing infrastructure. The money comes through DOT’s Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight and Highway Projects (INFRA) program and is intended to help address a longstanding shortage of truck parking, particularly along busy freight corridors.

“Truck parking is one of the most persistent challenges faced by American truckers today,” said Federal Motor Carrier Administrator Derek Barrs. “This investment will deliver hundreds of new spots across the country, helping hardworking truck drivers get the rest they need and reducing dangerous roadside parking on some of America’s most important corridors.”

According to DOT, 40% of truck drivers spend more than an hour each day searching for parking. That search can cut into available driving time, increase operating costs and leave drivers with limited options when approaching their hours-of-service limits.

Where the money’s going

Among the projects identified by DOT:

• Georgia: Approximately $11.95 million will support a truck parking project in Savannah, providing an estimated 275 spaces near one of the nation’s busiest freight ports.

• Iowa: Approximately $24.5 million will fund improvements at six rest areas along Interstate 80, expanding and modernizing parking accommodations along the heavily traveled freight corridor.

• North Carolina: A $6 million award will support approximately 140 truck parking spaces and 50 container staging positions in Wilmington, helping accommodate commercial traffic associated with port operations.

• Texas: Fort Worth will receive approximately $5 million for a project adding 100 truck parking spaces. Another $9 million will support access-road improvements for a planned 305-space parking facility in Los Indios, near the U.S.-Mexico border.

• Wisconsin: Approximately $15 million will support a project adding an estimated 106 parking spaces along Interstate 41 in Dodge County.

The projects reflect different approaches to increasing truck parking availability, from expanding highway rest areas to developing facilities near major freight destinations.

Some projects also include roadway and access improvements intended to make it easier for commercial vehicles to enter and exit parking areas.

Click here to review the full list of awards.

Addressing a longstanding shortage

The lack of available truck parking has been a longstanding concern for the trucking industry, particularly along heavily traveled interstate corridors and near major distribution centers, ports and metropolitan areas.

For drivers, finding a legal parking space is more than a matter of convenience. Federal hours-of-service regulations limit how long most commercial drivers may operate before taking required rest periods.

When designated parking areas are full, drivers may be forced to continue searching for a space or stop in locations that aren’t ideal — or even legal — for overnight truck parking.

The shortage can also affect carriers through lost productivity, additional fuel consumption and delays in freight movement.

The $200 million in awards comes through a dedicated commercial motor vehicle parking component of the INFRA program. The funding was made available separately from approximately $426.7 million designated for other major freight and highway infrastructure projects.

When will the spaces be available?

Although the awards identify projects selected for federal funding, the announcement doesn’t mean the new parking spaces are immediately available. Individual projects must proceed through applicable planning, federal grant requirements and construction before drivers can begin using the facilities. Construction and opening dates will vary by location.

According to an Oct. 14 statement issued by DOT, the investment represents another step toward addressing the truck parking shortage, although the extent of its impact will depend on how quickly the projects move forward and how many additional spaces ultimately become available.

Linda Garner-Bunch

Linda Garner-Bunch has been with The Trucker since 2020, picking up the reins as managing editor in 2022. Linda has nearly 40 years of experience in the publishing industry, covering topics from the trucking and automotive industry to employment, real estate, home decor, crafts, cooking, weddings, high school sports — you name it, she’s written about it. She is also an experienced photographer, designer and copy editor who has a heartfelt love for the trucking industry, from the driver’s seat to the C-suite.