Ohio to Add 1,400 Long-Term Truck Parking Spots
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Ohio aims to lead the nation with the most long-term truck parking spots on state property by in 33 locations, announced.
“By expanding safe, accessible places for drivers to rest, we’re supporting the people who keep our economy moving and making it safer for everyone on our roads,” DeWine noted. “As Ohio’s economy continues to grow, so do the number of trucks traveling on Ohio’s network of interstates and state routes.”
The governor and Pamela Boratyn, director of the , jointly announced details of a new plan to alleviate inadequate truck parking.
“This initiative addresses a chronic, nationwide issue,” Ohio Trucking Association CEO Thomas Balzer said. “A recent survey found that 98% of commercial drivers struggle to find safe parking, with 70% admitting to violating hours-of-service regulations in search of a spot. This puts everyone on the road at risk. We applaud Gov. DeWine’s commitment to improving driver safety and freight mobility in Ohio.”
The 33 new truck parking areas will be built in 18 counties. Each site will feature safety lighting and restroom facilities. Construction is expected to start next year and finish by the end of 2027.
“Once complete, the American Transportation Research Institute projects that Ohio will lead the nation in the total number of long-term truck parking spaces available on state-owned property,” the governor’s office noted.
As Ohio’s economy continues to grow, so do the number of trucks traveling on Ohio's network of interstates and state routes. That’s why Director Pam Boratyn and I announced today a new plan to address the shortage of safe, accessible commercial-truck parking in… — Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine)
Commercial motor vehicle crashes linked to truckers parking in undesignated places have mostly occurred around Akron, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Columbus due to higher daily truck volume in major urban areas.
“From 2015 to 2019, Ohio had 106 crashes involving a truck parked in an undesignated area, leading to five deaths, 11 serious injuries and 36 minor or possible injuries,” stated ODOT’s “” issued in 2021.
Inrix truck GPS data within a four-month period showed Ohio had more than 100 clusters of undesignated truck parking mainly at ODOT rest areas, near truck stops, along on/off ramps, on last-mile roadways and in urban areas, the study noted.
Ohio Trucking Association CEO Thomas Balzer speaks during the news conference as Ohio Department of Transportation Director Pamela Boratyn listens. (Ohio Trucking Association)
Driver fatigue also results from truckers looking for places to rest.
“Fatigue-related truck crashes are spread along all major highways in Ohio, with clusters in urban areas. From 2015 to 2019, over 460 truck crashes happened due to fatigued driving, leading to six deaths, 50 serious injuries and more than 400 minor or possible injuries,” the study stated.
14,200 Truck Parking Spaces
Ohio has some 14,200 truck parking spaces with 98 public parking locations that offer an average of 16 spaces. More than half of the state’s public truck parking places are managed by the Ohio Turnpike. The remainder are mostly at privately owned truck stops and businesses.
“Ohio’s new truck parking plan is a major step forward in improving safety for truck drivers and everyone on the road,” Boratyn said. “These projects will make our state a national leader in total truck parking capacity — setting the standard for safety and service.”
Ohio’s commercial truck parking plan was allocated $150 million in the transportation budget passed by the Ohio General Assembly and signed by DeWine earlier this year.
1 Billion Tons of Good Moved
Demand for truck parking is expected to increase, especially since Ohio is located within a day’s drive of 60% of the U.S. and Canadian populations.
The state’s freight system moves more than 1 billion tons of goods worth about $1.2 trillion yearly. ODOT forecasts freight volume to rise 26% by 2045. In 2023, trucks logged 27.5 million miles on Ohio roads. Construction materials, food and agricultural goods are the top commodities transported by trucks in Ohio, according to the latest state freight plan.
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