The American Transportation Research Institute recently released research that highlights insights and strategies for expanding truck parking at public rest areas. The research was a collaborative effort between ATRI and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), representing the 50 state Departments of Transportation, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico.
The lack of available truck parking is a perennial industry issue and one that is receiving increased attention at the state and federal levels. It is estimated that there is just one truck parking space nationally for every 11 truck drivers, ATRI reported.
“State DOTs strive to deliver the most safe, effective, and efficient transportation network possible; as a result, they continue to pursue a wide range of investments that enhance the nation's multimodal freight system,” Shayne Gill, program director for multimodal transportation for the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, said in a news release. “Addressing truck parking needs across the country is one of those investments crucial to ensuring we maximize the benefits our highway system provides. American quality of life and economic mobility depend in large part on the quality and vibrancy of our transportation infrastructure to connect people as well as goods to their destinations safely.
“And adequate truck parking is key to ensuring we achieve those goals.”
The research included a joint ATRI/AASHTO survey of the 50 state DOTs to understand the costs and components of state provision of public truck parking spaces. In addition to creating an inventory of truck parking spaces, the research collected data on issues and costs associated with land acquisition, parking space construction, maintenance budgets and amenities offered to truck drivers. Nationally, the average rest area has 19 truck parking spaces, with states in the South having an average of 25 truck parking spaces per rest area while states in the Northeast have an average of 15 per rest area.
The research also features select case studies on truck parking topics of interest, and which states are going above and beyond in their provision of truck parking, with accompanying feedback on those efforts from a truck driver survey of over 500 drivers. Case study topics include truck parking information systems, repurposing state-owned facilities for truck parking, and truck parking provision in the event of severe weather conditions.
ATRI used findings from the state DOT survey to generate a public truck parking dashboard that features each state’s public truck parking capacity and breadth of amenities and safety features at rest areas. The metrics evaluated in the dashboard consider differences in state size, road mileage and proximity to major freight routes. Parking data from the 47 participating state DOTS are available through an online dashboard on ATRI’s website.
“ATRI’s research underscores the importance of public sector truck parking and provides multiple tools for states to evaluate their progress in meeting this critical industry need,” said Alix Miller, Florida Trucking Association president and CEO. “We applaud FDOT for their commitment to expanding truck parking capacity and our association is committed to continued collaboration to improve freight safety and mobility in the state of Florida.”