Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is asking for input as it prepares to move forward with a study to estimate “the monetary benefits of creating new truck parking spaces.”
The agency plans to invite thousands of truckers to complete a 25-minute online survey, according to a notice/request for comments published April 6. The aim is to collect around 1,000 complete responses, gathering information related to how often drivers:
- Park in unauthorized spaces.
- Stop driving early to obtain a parking space.
- Leave their routes to find parking.
- Drive past hours-of-service limits to find parking.
FMCSA says the project will help determine:
- The extent of the nationwide shortage of safe truck parking spaces.
- Cost-effective methods for boosting parking capacity.
- The percentage of drivers who routinely reserve spaces, pay for parking or use other truck parking services.
“Many government, safety and industry organizations are working to create more truck parking spaces, but there is a lack of research on the actual precise monetary benefits of new truck parking spaces,” FMCSA says. “These benefits include decreasing carriers’ costs, increasing drivers’ well-being and reducing the number of crashes.”
The deadline to provide input is May 6.
