Truck Parking Coalition Letter To House Leaders

The Honorable Mike Johnson
Speaker
U.S. House of Representatives
H-232, The Capitol
Washington, D.C. 20515

The Honorable Hakeem Jeffries
Minority Leader
U.S. House of Representatives
H-204, The Capitol
Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Speaker Johnson and Minority Leader Jeffries,

We write in support of H.R. 2367, the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act, which would provide necessary federal investment to help expand nationwide truck parking capacity. This bipartisan legislation enjoys universal industry and stakeholder support and was reported out of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in May 2023 by a vote of 60-4. We believe the bill would garner similar bipartisan support on the House floor. Therefore, we encourage you to work together to schedule a vote for this important legislation that will benefit countless men and women who make their living behind the wheel of a commercial motor vehicle (CMV).

Access to safe and ample truck parking has been a top safety priority for American truck drivers for more than a decade. By increasing capacity, we can ensure that truck drivers do not have to choose between parking in a potentially unsafe location, such as a highway shoulder, or continuing to drive while they feel fatigued or are out of available driving hours under federally mandated hours-of-service regulations.

Increasingly, these factors are affecting the safety of the driving public as well. As you likely remember, three people were recently killed and fourteen injured when a passenger bus struck three CMVs that were parked along the shoulder of a rest area in Illinois. At least one of the truck drivers indicated that he parked on the shoulder after he ran out of available driving hours and encountered a full rest area. The crisis also reduces supply chain efficiency. Professional drivers sacrifice about an hour of precious drive time a day searching for parking or shutting down early when a coveted spot is located.

Beyond these roadway safety and supply chain concerns, an ample supply of truck parking capacity contributes to overall truck driver recruitment and retention. Accessing safe and secure truck parking is an integral part of daily life for professional drivers, many of whom travel the nation’s Interstates for weeks at a
time. Members of Congress from every corner of the country and across the political spectrum have supported H.R. 2367 because they understand their constituents are affected by truck drivers’ ability to meet necessary rest requirements and operate as safely as possible.

We appreciate your desire to control federal spending and ensure taxpayer dollars are being spent in a responsible manner. In this regard, H.R. 2367 itself does not obligate the federal government to spend a single dollar. Instead, enacting this legislation would allow Congress to exercise its authority over spending through regular order with the annual appropriations process.

House passage of H.R. 2367 would be an important step not only for improving highway safety, but demonstrating to all the hardworking men and women in the trucking industry that Congress is capable of working together to address problems affecting their daily lives on the road. Truckers operate in one of the most heavily-regulated industries, especially for small businesses. They often feel that the federal government implements strict regulations on their operations, but fails to act when it comes time to address the critical safety concerns they have identified. We stand ready to work with you to provide whatever assistance is necessary to secure another strong, bipartisan vote in support of this legislation on the House floor.

Sincerely,

Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association
Consumer Brands Association
Mid-West Truckers Association
Truckload Carriers Association
National Association of Small Trucking Companies
Western States Trucking Association
North American Punjabi Trucking Association
Women In Trucking
American Apparel & Footwear Association
American Highway Users Alliance
Agriculture Transportation Coalition – AgTC
Institute for Safer Trucking
National Motorists Association
American Trucking Associations
American Chemistry Council
National Private Truck Council
National Association of Truck Stop Operators
Transportation Intermediaries Association

cc: Members of the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure