The American Trucking Associations (ATA) greatly appreciates the latest efforts by the US Department of Transportation (DOT) and Secretary Ray LaHood to provide professional truck drivers with safe places to stop and rest along the National Highway System (NHS).
The $6 million recently awarded by LaHood will be used to add parking capacity and to continue to develop innovative ways to provide updated information on space availability to professional truck drivers along Interstate 15 in Utah, I-10 in Mississippi, I-5 in Oregon, I-40 in Tennessee, and I-81 in Pennsylvania. The $6 million awarded is part of the Truck Parking Facilities pilot program, enacted under SAFETEA-LU to provide funding to address the shortage of long-term parking for commercial vehicles on the highway system.
The ATA strongly encourages Congress to pass “Jason’s Law” legislation, introduced by Rep Paul Tonko (D-NY), to further address shortages in safe parking for commercial motor vehicles on the NHS. Named after slain New York truck driver Jason Rivenburg, the legislation would allow the Secretary of Transportation, in cooperation with appropriate state, regional, and local governments, to allocate funds for new safety rest areas and the expansion and improvement of existing safety rest areas that serve the highway system.
At the urging of the ATA and the Virginia Trucking Association, Virginia Gov Bob McDonnell reopened earlier this year the 19 safety rest areas closed by the commonwealth’s previous administration as a cost-cutting strategy. Several other states are looking at closing safety rest areas to lower transportation costs. The ATA continues to work with the states to educate them on the safety benefits safety rest areas provide for all motorists.
Visit www.fhwa.dot.gov/safetealu/factsheets/truckpark.htm for more information about DOT’s Truck Parking Facilities program.