The federal government is looking into the adequacy of truck parking facilities again, this time turning its attention to the National Highway System and conducting a nationwide survey of truck drivers to gauge their parking needs.
Adequate parking for truckers is an ongoing problem. Some states limit how long commercial truck drivers can stay at highway rest areas, and truck stop lots are often full. Recent studies commissioned by trucking have shown that the supply of parking spaces is insufficient for the number of truckers on the road.
In 1996 the Federal Highway Administration conducted research into the parking facility issue, focusing chiefly on the Interstate Highway System. The current survey is intended to advance that research.
FHWA will survey 2,000 randomly selected drivers to determine how they plan for and address their parking needs; how they choose when, where and at which facility to park (including public vs. private stops), and what they think of current parking facilities.
For the full story, see the Feb. 7 print edition of Transport Topics. .
