The House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee today unanimously voted to advance U.S. Representative Mike Bost’s (IL-12) Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act to the full House for approval. The bill would set aside existing U.S. Department of Transportation funding to address a critical shortage in available parking for semis and large commercial trucks.
“Growing up in a family trucking business, I am all too familiar with the struggle our nation’s truckers face as they push the extra mile to find somewhere safe to park,” said Bost. “Expanding access to parking options for truckers will not only help ensure their safety and the safety of all on the road but will also help address our supply chain crisis by ensuring they aren’t spending precious time searching for somewhere to park. I’m grateful to my colleagues for supporting my bill today and hope that it will quickly be brought up for a vote on the House floor soon.”
In 2012, Congress passed Jason’s Law in honor of Jason Rivenburg, a truck driver who lost his life in a violent crime because he couldn’t find safe parking. Jason’s Law established federal studies, stakeholder meetings, and roundtables to examine truck parking issues. The Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act would build on the results of these studies.
The Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act is co-sponsored by 37 members of Congress. In addition, it is supported by the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), the American Trucking Associations (ATA), the Truckload Carriers Association, ATA Law Enforcement Advisory Board, Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, ATA Women in Motion Advisory Board, SHIPPERS Coalition, National Association of Small Trucking Companies, and Consumer Brands Association.
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