Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act

Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act

This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to provide competitive grants for projects that provide public parking for commercial motor vehicles and improve the safety of commercial motor vehicle drivers. States, metropolitan planning organizations, tribal governments, and local governments are eligible for these grants. The grants must be used for projects on federal-aid highways or a facility with reasonable access to such a highway or a freight facility.

In providing grants, DOT must determine that

• there is a shortage of commercial motor vehicle parking capacity in the corridor in which the project is located;
• the eligible entity has consulted with motor carriers, commercial motor vehicle drivers, public safety officials, and private providers of commercial motor vehicle parking regarding the project;
• the project will likely increase the availability or utilization of commercial motor vehicle parking, facilitate the efficient movement of freight or improve highway safety, traffic congestion, and air quality; and
• the eligible entity has demonstrated the ability to provide for the maintenance and operation of the facility.

To the maximum extent practicable, DOT must select grant projects that maximize the geographic dispersion of new commercial motor vehicle parking capacity across the United States.

The Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act, also known as Bill 118 s 1034, is a piece of legislation currently being considered by the US Congress. The main goal of this bill is to address the issue of inadequate truck parking facilities for long-haul truck drivers.

The bill proposes several measures to improve truck parking safety, including the establishment of a national system to monitor the availability of truck parking spaces in real-time. This system would help truck drivers plan their routes more effectively and reduce the likelihood of drivers being forced to park in unsafe or unauthorized locations.

Additionally, the bill calls for the development of a comprehensive plan to address the shortage of truck parking facilities across the country. This plan would involve working with state and local governments, as well as private sector stakeholders, to identify and address areas where additional truck parking facilities are needed. Overall, the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act aims to improve safety for truck drivers and other road users by addressing the issue of inadequate truck parking facilities. It is currently being reviewed by Congress and may be subject to amendments before being voted on.