DOT Report Rounds Up Truck Parking Solutions
A report on the first year’s activities of the public-private National Coalition on Truck Parking presents suggestions from trucking stakeholders from several regional meetings held in 2016 on how best to address truck-parking problems across the country.
Published by the Department of Transportation, the report notes that the coalition launched with a kickoff meeting at DOT in November 2015. Then four regional meetings were held in 2016 to get input from key stakeholders on “creative and innovative approaches” to solve the nation’s truck parking problem.
The meetings were conducted by the Federal Highway Administration with participation by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the Maritime Administration, and the five core Coalition partners:
American Association of State Highway and Transportation OfficialsAmerican Trucking AssociationsOwner-Operator Independent Driver AssociationNational Association of Truck Stop OperatorsCommercial Vehicle Safety Alliance
Key suggestions developed for each of four discussion areas are described in the report, including the following points:
Parking Capacity
Develop additional truck parking capacity through the creative use of public land within highway rights-of-way.Develop an updated national design standard for parking facilities, considering the needs of oversized trucks, security, and lighting needs while also maximizing the capacity of a truck parking area within the highway right-of-way. Integrate shippers/receivers into the conversation to address truck parking needs at industrial sites. Address truck parking needs in the context of improving the efficiency of the entire supply chain.
Technology and Data
Develop interoperable tools to disseminate real-time information about parking availability at highway rest areas and private truck stops.Incorporate truck parking technology into trip planning and reservation services using existing fleet/vehicle management software.Build parking availability and reservation capabilities into connected vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) technology.
Funding, Finance and Regulations
Establish a dedicated funding source to support capital projects and maintenance for public rest areas and truck parking facilities on the national highway network.Promote innovative local land-use …Read the rest of this story
