National Coalition on Truck Parking

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Contact Information: Freight Feedback at FreightFeedback@dot.gov

United States Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration

U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
Office of Operations
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590

FHWA-HOP-17-026

June 2017

[ Notice and Quality Assurance Statement ] [ Technical Report Documentation Page ]

Executive Summary
Chapter 1. Introduction
Chapter 2. Background on Jason's Law
Chapter 3. National Coalition on Truck Parking
Chapter 4. 2016 Regional Meetings
Chapter 5. Synopsis of Meetings
	Parking Capacity
	Technology and Data
	Funding, Finance, and Regulations
	State, Regional, and Local Government Coordination
Chapter 6. Project Summary and Next Steps
Chapter 7. Acknowledgment of Supporting Organizations
Appendix. Regional Meeting Summaries

List of Figures

Figure 1	Photo. Truck parking facility in Washington State.
Figure 2	Diagram. Topic areas addressed at the regional meetings.
Figure 3	Photo. Jason's Law Proclamation Signed at the USDOT in Washington, D.C. on August 21, 2015
Figure 4	Illustration. Organizations and agencies participating in the National Coalition on Truck Parking.
Figure 5	Photo. Interstate trucking is an essential part of the Nation's economy.
Figure 6	Map. Locations of the 2016 regional meetings.
Figure 7	Photo. Salt Lake City, Utah. Regional meeting hosted by American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials through the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) and held at the Utah Trucking Association Headquarters. UDOT Executive Director Carlos Braceras, presenting.
Figure 8	Photo. Truck parking information and management system on I-94 in Michigan.
Figure 9	Photo. Dallas, Texas. Regional meeting hosted by the ATA through the Texas Trucking Association and held at the 2016 Great American Trucking Show.
Figure 10	Photo. Grain Valley, Missouri regional meeting hosted by Owner-Operator Independent Driver Association at their headquarters.
Figure 11	Photo. Meeting of the National Coalition on Truck Parking at U.S. Department of Transportation on December 12, 2016.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and several stakeholder organizations established the National Coalition on Truck Parking (Coalition) in August 2015 as a response to a documented need for truck parking solutions. Stakeholders engaged in the Coalition represent the trucking industry, commercial vehicle safety officials, State departments of transportation (DOTs), and commercial truck stop owners and operators. This National Coalition on Truck Parking Activity Report, 2015-2016 (Report) documents the first year of Coalition activities and synthesizes suggestions from participants to address truck parking problems across the Nation.

The Coalition was formed to respond to needs identified in a truck parking survey conducted by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) as part of Section 1401, also known as "Jason's Law," a provision in the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21; P.L. 112-141) Act, enacted on July 6, 2012. The Jason's Law Truck Parking Survey Results and comparative Analysis (Analysis) of August 2015 documents those findings. The USDOT and its partners are committed to raising the level of dialogue, coordination, and response of the public and private sectors to this area of freight operations and safety.

The Analysis reported on levels of truck parking demand and compared it to publicly and privately available truck parking opportunities along the National Highway System (NHS). Coalition partners were instrumental in designing and distributing the survey and in developing metrics identified in the Analysis to provide a mechanism to periodically evaluate truck parking needs. Truck parking is a matter of national safety for truck drivers and the traveling public. A number of national and regional studies in recent years have documented the following conditions that combine to further heighten the truck parking problem:

Projected growth of truck traffic on the Nation's highway system.
Barriers encountered by facility owners attempting to expand existing parking sites.
More acute truck parking needs in certain regions of the country.
A lack of adequate information for drivers about parking availability at existing facilities.
Challenges associated with meeting scheduling requirements of shippers and receivers.

The Coalition held a kickoff meeting at the USDOT in November 2015. At this meeting, the Coalition committed to convening four meetings around the country to get input from key stakeholders on creative and innovative approaches to solve the nation's truck parking problem.

Four regional meetings were held in 2016; summaries are included in this Report. The meetings were conducted by FHWA with participation by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the Maritime Administration (MARAD), and the five core Coalition partners:

American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
American Trucking Associations.
Owner-Operator Independent Driver Association.
National Association of Truck Stop Operators.
Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance.

Logos for participating members of the National Coalition on Truck Parking, including the US Department of Transportation, the USDOT Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the USDOT Federal Highway Administration, the USDOT Maritime Administration, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, the American Trucking Associations, the Owner-Operator Independent Driver Association, the National Association of Truck Stop Operators, and the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance.

Figure ES-1. Illustration. Organizations and agencies participating in the National Coalition on Truck Parking.

The results and findings of the regional meetings conducted as part of this effort are suggestions and proposals received by participants at the meetings. As such, they should not be interpreted or viewed as recommendations of USDOT, FHWA, or the associations that participated in the National Coalition on Truck Parking.

At each meeting, participants shared their ideas relating to four topics that were identified at the Coalition kickoff. These topic areas are: Parking Capacity; Technology and Data; Funding, Finance, and Regulations; and State, Regional, and Local Government Coordination.

Key suggestions for each of these discussion areas are described in detail in the body of this report and include the following:

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 controls and funding mechanisms such as industrial park co-operatives or industrial tax districts for pooled parking in industrial areas.
Promote and support public-private partnerships for new or expanded parking facilities.
Study financial models for truck parking fees to provide a source of capital and operating revenue for truck parking facilities.

State, Regional, and Local Government Coordination

Encourage States and metropolitan planning organizations (MPO) to address truck parking and similar issues in State and regional freight plans.
Conduct outreach on truck parking and other important trucking industry issues through MPOs, regional councils, economic development authorities, and national industry organizations.
Involve trucking and truck stop industries in State and MPO freight or transportation advisory committees to address truck parking needs.
Develop a public relations campaign to educate the public and elected officials about the importance of truck parking in freight transportation and industrial development.

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Chapter 1. Introduction

The United States has seen dramatic growth in trucking activity in recent decades due to several factors, including overall economic growth and the deregulation of the trucking industry in the early 1980s. The resulting increase in trucking firms conducting business on the Nation's highways occurred at a time when passenger traffic was increasing significantly as a result of population and employment growth. These trends combined and have continued, putting ongoing strain on the highway system.

A long line of trucks parked side-by-side at a truck parking facility.

Figure 1. Photo. Truck parking facility in Washington State.
Source: Washington State Department of Transportation.

Truck parking demand is driven by safety considerations and the need for adequate rest for commercial vehicle operators. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) hours-of-service (HOS) rules establish the operating capabilities of a truck driver, including rest time. These rules have undergone a number of changes since 2000, with a focus on improving safety through longer continuous rest periods for drivers. The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and various State and regional government agencies conducted various studies of truck parking demand and capacity constraints during that time. The Study of the Adequacy of Truck Parking Facilities, conducted in 2002 by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), documented this issue on a national basis. This study and subsequent studies reflect a consensus that truck parking demand exceeds the available supply in many public rest areas and private truck stops across the nation.

Ongoing Federal efforts related to addressing this issue are driven by two general public interests: (1) reducing driver fatigue to protect truck drivers and other motorists; and, (2) encouraging the provision of safe parking facilities along, and adjacent to the National Highway System (NHS) to allow for adequate rest under FMCSA HOS rules.

The development and expansion of truck parking is complicated by the fact that truck parking needs and truck parking services are impacted by public sector and private sector constraints. The privately-run trucking industry conducts business for its customers on public roadways and is subject to a public regulatory process overseen by government agencies. Most of the truck parking spaces in the U.S. are located off the Interstate Highway System, at truck stops operated as private business establishments. The public and private sectors, including private industries such as shippers/receivers, motor carriers, and truck stop owners, can have competing interests that make the process of siting, constructing, and maintaining truck parking facilities challenging.

This National Coalition on Truck Parking Activity Report, 2015-2016 (Report) documents recent steps by the USDOT and its partners in private industry to address truck parking issues. At the first meeting of the National Coalition on Truck Parking (Coalition) held in Washington, D.C. on November 10, 2015, the USDOT identified topics for in-depth consideration and committed to holding four regional meetings to gain input from key stakeholders on innovative approaches to solving the Nation's truck parking problem.

The meetings were led by the FHWA with the participation of the FMCSA and the Maritime Administration (MARAD), and with assistance from the five core Coalition partners:

American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
American Trucking Associations.
Owner-Operator Independent Driver Association.
National Association of Truck Stop Operators.
Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance.

At the regional meetings, participants shared their ideas on the following four discussion areas, which were identified during the November, 2015 Coalition kick-off meeting:

The four topic areas at the regional meetings were parking capacity; technology and data; funding, finance, and regulations; and State, regional, and local government coordination.

Figure 2. Diagram. Topic areas addressed at the regional meetings.
Source: Federal Highway Administration

The results and findings of the regional meetings conducted as part of this effort are suggestions and proposals received by participants at the meetings. As such, they should not be interpreted or viewed as recommendations of USDOT, FHWA or the associations that participated in the National Coalition on Truck Parking.

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Chapter 2. Background on Jason's Law

Jason's Law was enacted by Congress as Section 1401 of The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) that became effective on October 1, 2012. The Jason's Law provision is named in honor of Mr. Jason Rivenburg, a truck driver who was attacked and murdered on March 4, 2009, while sleeping in his truck at an abandoned gas station near a delivery location that was not yet open for the day. He had been unable to find a dedicated truck parking facility and learned about the abandoned gas station from other truckers. Since Jason's death, his widow, Ms. Hope Rivenburg, has become a nationally known advocate for solutions for the national truck parking problem. Her efforts, along with those of family members, friends, and trucking industry representatives, were instrumental in developing the legislation that led to Jason's Law, to document the problem of truck parking and support solutions on a national level.

Figure 3 . Photo. Jason's Law Proclamation Signed at the USDOT in Washington, D.C. on August 21, 2015.

Source: Federal Highway Administration

Jason's Law established a "national priority on addressing the shortage of long-term parking for commercial motor vehicles on the National Highway System (NHS) to improve the safety of motorized and non-motorized users and for commercial motor vehicle operators." The Law also required United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) to conduct a survey of States and a comparative assessment, in consultation with relevant State motor carrier safety personnel, to:

Evaluate the capability of [each] State to provide adequate parking and rest facilities for commercial motor vehicles engaged in interstate transportation.
Assess the volume of commercial motor vehicle traffic in [each] State.
Develop a system of metrics to measure the adequacy of commercial motor vehicle parking facilities in [each] State.

The results of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) survey and comparative assessment carried out under Jason's Law were published in August 2015 in a report titled Jason's Law Truck Parking Survey Results and Comparative Analysis (Analysis). The Analysis documents the survey results, which identified a widespread need for truck parking across the nation and for expanded truck parking services. The report is found at: https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight/infrastructure/truck_parking/jasons_law/truckparkingsurvey/index.htm

Upon publication of the Analysis for Jason's Law, a public announcement of the results was held on August 21, 2015, at the USDOT in Washington, D.C. This event also highlighted the agency's commitment to addressing truck parking issues in collaboration with various public and private sector stakeholder groups. The event included presentations by:

U.S. Deputy Secretary of Transportation.
Federal Highway Administrator.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrator.
Hope Rivenburg.

As safety has long been a top priority of the USDOT, the issue of truck parking is of great concern to the Department, which looked beyond the legislative requirements to explore ways to support the spirit and intent of Jason's Law in other aspects of the Federal agency's work. For example, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) expanded the scope of the survey beyond States to include truck stop owners and operators, law enforcement personnel, and thousands of truck drivers. This broader set of respondents led to a more comprehensive picture of truck parking needs from those whose lives and livelihoods depend on safe truck parking.

In the fall of 2016, the USDOT released a memorandum clarifying the eligibility of truck parking projects for various federal funding programs, to aid States interested in advancing truck parking projects using their federal funding resources. The USDOT also selected two projects to provide truck parking information to drivers, as part of competitive, discretionary funding programs. These projects included one award to a coalition of eight states, which sought funding under the 2015 round of the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery ("TIGER") program, and an award to the State of Florida, which was selected for a grant under the Nationally Significant Freight and Highway Projects program in 2016.

Since the release of the Jason's Law Analysis, USDOT has supported efforts by States to incorporate truck parking consideration in State Freight Plans and as a focus for discussion at State Freight Advisory Committee meetings or separate truck parking meetings. In 2017, the FHWA will develop a training package to assist stakeholders in convening dialogues to identify and solve State and regional truck parking issues.

In accordance with the provisions of MAP-21, USDOT will conduct additional rounds of the Jason's Law survey on a periodic basis to assess the status of truck parking needs and track progress. These and other efforts, including the activities of the National Coalition on Truck Parking, will advance a more comprehensive set of programs, efforts, and research to improve truck parking and provide States and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) with resources to identify parking needs and to encourage improvements and investments.

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3. National Coalition on Truck Parking

At the August 2015 event, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced the formation of the National Coalition on Truck Parking and "a call for action for a national dialogue on trucking needs and strategies for immediate, near-term and long-term solutions."

The event's speakers, along with the leaders of the stakeholder groups in attendance, signed a formal proclamation and pledge to reinforce their commitment and support for the Coalition. The original core stakeholders in the Coalition included the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, the American Trucking Associations, the National Association of Truck Stop Operators, the Owner-Operator Independent Driver Association, and the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance.

The USDOT hosted a formal, in-person kick-off meeting of the Coalition on November 10, 2015. In addition to the core member organizations, invitees to this meeting included other industry representatives, technology providers, and highway safety groups. The purpose of this meeting was to formalize the Coalition and establish a set of topic areas to be the focus of the Coalition's activities moving forward. Through a facilitated dialogue, the participants identified the following topics as areas of concern or opportunity for future focus:

Parking Capacity (Land Use/Siting).
Technology/Data.
Funding & Finance (including Regulatory/Policy issues).
Community Education / Coordination with Regional and Local Governments.
Safety/Security.
Creative Models and Solutions.

The Coalition then agreed to fold the latter two topics into the first four topics for future activities.

Figure 4. Illustration. Organizations and agencies participating in the National Coalition on Truck Parking.

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Chapter 4. 2016 Regional Meetings

The first major action of the National Coalition on Truck Parking (Coalition) was to organize four regional meetings to be held around the country. The purpose of these meetings was to gain input from key public and private sector stakeholders on creative and innovative approaches to address the Nation's truck parking problem. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) assumed a leadership role in the planning and execution of these regional meetings. Several key parameters guided the planning efforts:

Ensure broad regional coverage across the United States.
Engage the core Coalition organizations or their affiliates as hosts, to the greatest extent possible.
Avoid conflicts in scheduling, limiting regional meetings to one per month to encourage participation by core members at all meetings.

Schedule regional meetings in conjunction with other conferences or industry events, to the greatest extent possible, where stakeholders would likely be in attendance.

A semi traveling on a multi-lane highway in a rural area of the Southwest.

Figure 5. Photo. Interstate trucking is an essential part of the Nation's economy.
Source: VHB

Key partners and stakeholders hosted the regional meetings:

Western U.S. – June 8, Salt Lake City, Utah – hosted by AASHTO through the Utah Department of Transportation; held at the Utah Trucking Association Headquarters.
Northeast – July 12, Hanover, Maryland – hosted by the I-95 Corridor Coalition; held at the Maryland Department of Transportation Headquarters.
South – August 26, Dallas, Texas – hosted by the American Trucking Association (ATA) and the Texas Trucking Association; held at the 2016 Great American Trucking Show.
Midwest – October 5, Grain Valley, Missouri – hosted by the Owner-Operator Independent Driver Association (OOIDA); held at OOIDA headquarters in conjunction with the organization's fall 2016 board meeting.

Map of North America shows that the regional meetings were held June 8th in Salt Lake City, UT (hosted by AASHTO via UDOT at the Utah Trucking Association Headquarters; July 12th in Hanover Md (hosted by the I-95 Corridor Coalition at Maryland DOT); August 26th in Dallas, TX (hosted by the Texas Trucking Association at the 2016 Great American Trucking Show); and October 5th in Grain Valley, MO (hosted by OOIDA at OOIDA Headquarters).

Figure 6. Map. Locations of the 2016 regional meetings.
Source: Federal Highway Administration

The format of the regional meetings followed this structure:

Meetings were held with 20-50 participants, considered to be optimal for obtaining valuable input from a broad range of stakeholder representatives.
Welcoming remarks were offered by the host organization, the FHWA's local division leadership, and other U.S. Department of Transportation leaders in attendance.
The FHWA and AASHTO representatives gave a presentation that included an overview of truck parking issues, a summary of Jason's Law, and Federal funding initiatives related to truck parking.
Breakout groups worked collaboratively to develop proposed approaches to truck parking issues for the topics identified at the November 2015 Coalition kickoff meeting.

A synopsis of the key themes from the four meetings is provided in Chapter 5. A summary of the proceedings for each regional meeting is contained in the Appendix of this report.

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Chapter 5. Synopsis of Meetings

Key themes emerged from the four regional meetings, identified by stakeholders as potential solutions in more than one meeting. Some ideas were discussed at only one meeting but were particularly innovative and received support from the attendees. A summary of the top initiatives and ideas is presented below by topic area. The full list of suggested initiatives is included in the meeting summaries contained in the Appendix

Parking Capacity .

This topic covers the overall supply and accommodation of truck parking spaces. Key considerations for this topic include the siting and accessibility of trucking parking facilities, facility design, and the identification of sites not typically available for truck parking (e.g., brownfield sites and weigh stations) for use as potential spaces during periods of peak parking demand. These also include ideas to provide new parking capacity and more efficiently manage existing capacity.

Use public land within highway rights-of-way to develop additional truck parking capacity. Options include the use of carpool lots during overnight hours, truck chain-up areas during summer months, and ports of entry and weigh stations as temporary parking areas. Highway construction areas within the right-of-way that are used temporarily for material storage, equipment staging, and asphalt production can also be converted to parking areas after construction activities are completed. A more complex approach includes the consolidation of various functions into larger sites with complementary truck-related activities such as scales and inspection functions on a site with an area identified for truck parking. The trucking industry and State departments of transportation (DOTs) can work to develop models for low-cost truck parking facilities that do not require provision of all the amenities of a traditional highway rest area.
Update the national standard for parking facilities, considering the needs of oversized trucks, security and lighting, and maximizing the capacity of a rest area within a highway right-of-way. Many public rest areas on the Interstate Highway System are out-of-date and cannot meet the needs of modern tractor-trailer combinations due to small parking spaces and inadequate geometry for access and turning. Rest area and truck parking guides and design standards should also be reviewed for updates. State operating procedures and parking time limits should be reviewed and amended to ensure that they allow sufficient time to accommodate the full duration of federally required rest periods, and ensure that parking reserved for trucks is not occupied by non-commercial vehicles such as recreational vehicles.
Integrate shippers/receivers into the conversation to address truck parking needs at industrial sites. A collaborative relationship between shippers/receivers and the motor carriers that serve them can provide parking capacity at industrial sites where extensive paved surfaces already exist for loading docks and on-site staging of trucks.
Address truck parking needs in the context of improving efficiency of the entire supply chain. Much of the demand for truck parking is tied to staging at industrial sites and port/intermodal terminals – enhancements in terminal operations and loading schedules to make them more responsive to driver availability can help reduce this parking demand. Also, betterments in highway infrastructure and operations to curtail congestion and improve the reliability of trip times would reduce delays that force drivers to need parking at unanticipated locations to comply with hours-of-service.

Individuals gathered together at the announcement of the results of the Jason's Law Truck Parking Survey and Comparative Analysis.

Figure 7. Photo. Salt Lake City, Utah. Regional meeting hosted by American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials through the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) and held at the Utah Trucking Association Headquarters. UDOT Executive Director Carlos Braceras, presenting.

Other Ideas for Parking Capacity Expansion

Promote the redevelopment of brownfield sites to provide truck parking and staging capacity near centers of freight activity.
Promote development of additional truck parking capacity through contractual relationships between private truck stop operators and trucking firms, similar to existing fuel contracts.
Seek opportunities in the Federal surplus land conveyance process to provide truck parking and staging sites near port terminals and major industrial areas.
Analyze freight origins and destinations in various regions to identify separate truck parking needs for short-term rest and staging vs. long-term parking to meet hours-of-service regulations.
Work with State DOTs to identify truck parking and layover needs in unusual situations (e.g., weather disruptions, road closures) that strain the capacity of existing public rest areas and private truck stops.
Work with property owners and public agencies to study the feasibility of using large venues such as stadiums and convention centers for parking capacity during overnight hours or during highway closures, weather events, and other similar disruptions.
Promote business practices in the trucking industry that reduce truck parking demand by reducing inefficiencies that create down time for drivers. These practices could include driver teams, driver relays, and refinements in load scheduling.
Identify unique business practices employed by the specialized carrier segment of the trucking industry to determine if these can be adopted throughout the entire industry to meet parking needs. These practices could include sharing terminal space for parking and reserving parking spaces at predetermined locations along a route in advance.

Technology and Data

This topic includes the use of roadside Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) and in-vehicle technology through smartphone apps or online resources for truck parking. Other items for this topic include leveraging truck parking data, ensuring interoperability of technology applications, and the sharing of information. An important theme is the cost of technology and the benefit that it provides to the trucking industry in promoting the efficient use of parking capacity.

A sign beside a roadway at dusk indicates the availability of truck parking (spaces) at three location ahead.

8. Photo. Truck parking information and management system on I-94 in Michigan.
Source: Michigan Department of Transportation

Disseminate real-time information about parking availability at highway rest areas and private truck stops using technology. Demonstration projects to develop this service was funded through the "Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act – A Legacy for Users" truck parking discretionary program and through other Federal programs, and are in the implementation process. These include the following:
- A parking detection, information, and reservation system (Smartpark) on I-75 northbound in Tennessee demonstrated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
- A parking detection and reservation system on I-5 in California.
- Variable message signs (VMS) and video detection technology on I-94 in Michigan and Minnesota.
- I-95 test sites in Maryland and Virginia.
- A regional Truck Parking Information and Management System (TPIMS) currently being implemented in eight Midwestern States, funded though the U.S. Department of Transportation's Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program.
- A Florida Department of Transportation 2016 grant for a Truck Parking Availability System (TPAS) under the Nationally Significant Freight and Highway Projects program.

A consortium of private industry groups including the National Association of Truck Stop Operators, American Trucking Associations, and the American Transportation Research Institute has developed a free mobile application called "Park My Truck" that provides parking utilization information for truckers that is updated periodically but does not currently provide real-time data. This type of application could be expanded to include public rest areas and improved to provide real-time data through various parking and vehicle detection technologies.

Establish connectivity to existing technology commonly available to drivers, such as smartphones. Drivers could share information (similar to the Waze® model) with real-time data and full compatibility across multiple applications. Incorporating truck parking technology into trip planning and reservation services could also be useful for the industry; such services could link to a parking fee arrangement (described later under Topic Area #3 -- Funding, Finance & Regulations). Parking location and reservation functionality can be added to existing fleet/vehicle management software such as BigRoad®, ClearPathGPS® and Teletrac®.
Use connected vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) technology to guide drivers to available parking. V2I can also alert drivers to weather or other downstream events impacting travel and allow them to adjust their routing and parking plans.

Other Ideas for Technology and Data

Expand use of VMS hardware to provide parking locations and utilization.
Expand the use of low-tech measures such as highway signage to identify parking locations near highway interchanges.
Use ITS technology to study whether expenditures for parking technology are the most effective measures to address parking issues in a particular area, compared to the development of additional parking capacity.

Funding, Finance, and Regulations

This topic includes the funding of facilities and technology to accommodate truck parking. It also includes regulations and policies that affect truck parking utilization and peaking characteristics. Items for discussion include funding under Federal transportation authorization, other potential funding sources such as public-private partnerships, and incentives for new/expanded facilities. Regulatory issues such as hours-of-service requirements and freight industry business practices may also impact parking demand.

A slides being shown on a screen in a meeting room filled with people.

9. Photo. Dallas, Texas. Regional meeting hosted by the ATA through the Texas Trucking Association and held at the 2016 Great American Trucking Show.
Source: VHB

Provide a dedicated funding source for capital and maintenance funds for public rest areas and truck parking facilities on the national highway network. Options for potential new funding sources include dedicating a portion of an existing tax or fee such as Federal non-fuel-based taxes (Truck Tire Tax, Truck & Trailer Sales Taxes, Heavy Vehicle Use Tax) deposited in the Highway Trust Fund. The Environmental Protection Agency's Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) Trust Fund is an existing model for a dedicated fund for a specific purpose. In addition, some States allow municipalities and counties to establish their own sales taxes on top of a defined State sales tax. These could be used to incentivize local and county governments to allow the development of truck stops as sources of new tax revenue.
Promote "industrial park co-operatives" or industrial tax districts for pooled parking in areas with heavy concentrations of terminals, distribution centers and other industrial sites. This would support the demand for parking off the highway system and could reduce parking impacts on local streets. In these scenarios, truck parking capacity is addressed through local zoning requirements or agreements among industrial users and developers to provide off-site parking in a common area that meets the staging needs and zoning requirements for groups of industrial properties. This initiative relates to Topic Area #4 - Coordination with Regional & Local Governments – for zoning and land use considerations
Establish public-private partnerships to develop new or expanded parking facilities. Most of the truck parking spaces in the U.S. are located in private truck stops. There is a recent example of a collaborative venture in Fernley, Nevada that could serve as a model for this type of relationship. In this case, the Nevada Department of Transportation has entered into an agreement to build a new truck parking lot adjacent to a Flying J truck stop off I-80, with the truck stop providing litter control and basic maintenance of the site. This initiative also relates to Topic Area #1 - Parking Capacity.
Implement truck parking fees to provide a source of capital and operating revenue for truck parking facilities. The trucking industry has generally not been supportive of this, but the industry recognizes that this measure could be helpful for funding truck parking in metropolitan areas where parking capacity is limited and demand is high. Parking fees would also relate to the parking reservation initiative described in Topic Area #2 -Technology/Data.

Other Ideas for Funding, Finance & Regulations

Explore the use of tax incentives for the private sector to build new parking capacity and maintain existing facilities.
Conduct research to identify best practices used by DOTs and other public agencies to generate revenue for maintenance/operations of rest areas, including sponsorships and the use of outside groups to provide funding and/or maintenance services similar to an "Adopt A Highway" model.
Conduct pilot studies to determine the feasibility of engaging commercial property management firms for truck parking in industrial areas.
Develop a guidebook on management best practices to minimize the cost of building and maintaining truck parking, both for public facilities and private truck stops.

State, Regional, and Local Government Coordination

This topic covers coordination efforts among various levels of government, along with community outreach to highlight the importance of truck parking in the nation's commerce. On the State and regional levels, this would involve incorporating truck parking issues into State and metropolitan planning organization (MPO) freight plans. An important issue at the local level involves the needs and benefits of accommodating truck parking through land use controls.

Figure 10. Photo. Grain Valley, Missouri regional meeting hosted by Owner-Operator Independent Driver Association at their headquarters.
Source: VHB

Conduct outreach through MPOs, regional councils, economic development authorities, and national industry organizations to educate the public and elected officials, and promote creative solutions to meet truck parking and staging needs. Bringing the trucking and truck stop industries to the table with shippers/receivers would improve the effectiveness and relevance of the engagement among governments and stakeholders. This item relates to the potential shipper/receiver collaboration in truck parking discussed in Topic Area #1 -- Parking Capacity. National and State associations of counties and municipalities could offer venues for educating local officials about this issue, along with the Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations, the National Association of Development Organizations, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Involve trucking and truck stop industries in State and MPO advisory committees to addressing truck parking needs.
Encourage States and MPOs to address truck parking and similar issues in State and regional freight plans.
Educate the public and elected officials about the importance of truck parking in freight transportation and industrial development. Various companies and groups tied to the trucking industry already have a public relations campaign in place called "Trucking Moves America Forward." Truck parking issues should be incorporated in this campaign, and could also be addressed through industry-oriented events modeled after a "Port Day" or the "Iowa 80 Truckers Jamboree." These efforts can also inform local land use, zoning and tax policies, in conjunction with the capacity and funding ideas presented in Topic Areas #1 and #3.

Other Ideas for Regional & Local Government Coordination

Conduct case studies for municipal parking projects, using recent developments such as Elmira, NY and Weed, CA as examples of successful implementation of truck parking solutions.
Conduct research to identify revenue sources to make truck parking facilities attractive land uses for local governments, including issues described in Topic Area #3 related to special tax districts and pooled truck parking/staging sites in industrial areas.
Consider truck parking and staging requirements as part of local planning and zoning in industrial districts.

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Chapter 6. Project Summary and Next Steps

The second meeting of the National Coalition on Truck Parking was convened at the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) on December 12, 2016. The purpose of this meeting was to provide the broader Coalition with an update on the work that had been conducted over the prior year, with a focus on the results of the four regional meetings. In addition, the meeting provided members of the Coalition the opportunity to discuss strategies and initiatives to be implemented through the collaborative work of the member organizations.

The December 2016 meeting was led by the Director of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Freight Management & Operations. Reports from the core Coalition member organizations and their affiliates were provided by the following:

FHWA Administrator.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Administrator.
Maritime Administration Administrator.
American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials.
American Trucking Association.
Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance.
National Association of Truck Stop Operators.
Owner-Operator Independent Driver Association.

The FHWA Office of Freight Management & Operations provided a summary of the truck parking response from USDOT, including a review of Federal funding eligibility for truck parking projects, the analysis derived from the Jason's Law survey and report that was released in August 2015, and the Coalition's regional meetings in 2016. FHWA then facilitated a discussion of the key themes and recommended initiatives from the regional meetings.

Figure 11. Photo. Meeting of the National Coalition on Truck Parking at U.S. Department of Transportation on December 12, 2016.
Source: Federal Highway Administration

A key point highlighted during this discussion was that nearly all of the proposed initiatives to address truck parking needs can only be implemented through a collaborative effort among various Coalition member organizations. While Federal funding eligibility for truck parking projects has expanded considerably in successive Federal transportation authorization laws over the years, the USDOT is not an implementing agency for transportation projects and truck parking projects compete for highway funding with other transportation needs such as pavement and bridge maintenance, other safety improvements, and capacity enhancements. The initiatives discussed by the Coalition and raised in the regional meetings will require ongoing collaboration among State Departments of Transportation, the trucking and truck stop industries, law enforcement and highway safety officials, the shippers whose business activities drive the operations of the nation's trucking industry, and the various public agencies that implement land use regulations at the local level.

The Coalition's member organizations identified the following near-term activities:

The Coalition will convene working groups for each of the four major topic areas (Parking Capacity, Technology & Data, Funding/Finance & Regulation, and State/Regional/Local Government Coordination) in 2017. Work will focus on developing implementation strategies for various initiatives that came out of the regional meetings.
Industry involvement in State and metropolitan planning organization (MPO) freight planning processes can begin immediately and be ongoing, as public agencies develop and update their freight plans.
The FHWA intends to conduct a second round of the Jason's Law Survey, as mandated by Section 1401 of MAP-21. The survey is estimated to be administered in 2018.

Members should seek to educate public officials and the public on particular issues and planning efforts related to truck parking, and on the importance of truck parking in various supply chains.

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7. Acknowledgment of Supporting Organizations

The regional meetings of the National Coalition on Truck Parking were an important element of a national dialogue on truck parking needs and related driver safety issues. This effort could not have been done without the invaluable help of individuals who are too numerous to list. The U.S. Department of Transportation would like to thank the following organizations for their support in helping to schedule, organize, and facilitate the 2016 regional meetings of the Coalition.

Hope Rivenburg and Family.
American Bus Association.
American Transportation Research Institute.
American Trucking Associations.
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance.
I-95 Corridor Coalition.
Maryland Department of Transportation / State Highway Administration.
National Association of Truck Stop Operators.
Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association.
Real Women in Trucking.
Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association (SC&RA).
Texas Trucking Association.
Utah Department of Transportation.
Utah Trucking Association.

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Appendix. Regional Meeting Summaries

Regional Meeting #1 – Salt Lake City, Utah

The first Regional Meeting of the National Coalition on Truck Parking was held in greater Salt Lake City on June 8, 2016. The Utah Department of Transportation sponsored the meeting and assisted in organizing it, and the Utah Trucking Association hosted the meeting at their headquarters building in West Valley City, Utah.

Attendees

The Regional Meeting was attended by a group of attendees who covered a broad cross-section of the public and private sector interests that deal with truck parking issues on an ongoing basis, and who have potential roles in implementing measures to address problems that were identified in the 2015 Jason's Law survey. The attendees and their affiliations, including U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) staff, are as follows (shown in alphabetical order):

Jason Beloso, Washington Department of Transportation.
Caroline Boris, American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI).
Steve Call, FHWA.
Tretha Chromey, USDOT.
Rick Clasby, Utah Trucking Association.
Ned Hacker, Wasatch Front Regional Council (a metropolitan planning organization, or MPO).
Val John Halford, Wasatch Front Regional Council (an MPO).
Joyce Hibma, REAL Women in Trucking.
Tom Kearney, FHWA.
Vern Keeslar, Parametrix (Consultant to the Utah Department of Transportation).
Daniel Kuhn, Utah Department of Transportation.
Kelly Lund, FHWA.
Ivan Marrero, FHWA.
Don Miller, Intermountain Rigging & HeavyHaul (Operations Manager).
Lisa Mullings, National Association of Truck Stop Operators (NATSO).
Carl Rundell, Truck Smart Parking Services.
Walt Steinvorth, Utah Department of Transportation (Planning Office).
Rick Torgerson, Utah Department of Transportation (Region 4).
Jason Wallis, Colorado Department of Transportation.
Tiffany Wlazlowski Neuman, NATSO.
Desiree Wood, REAL Women in Trucking.

Opening Remarks / Background of Jason's Law

The meeting began with a series of opening remarks from the following individuals who were instrumental in getting this Regional Meeting organized in Salt Lake City. These included the following:

Rick Clasby, Executive Director of the Utah Trucking Association.
Carlos Braceras, Executive Director of the Utah Department of Transportation.
Ivan Marrero, Utah Division Administration of the FHWA.
Tretha Chromey, Senior Policy Advisor for the USDOT.

Tom Kearney then provided an overview of Jason's Law and the USDOT's work in implementing its requirements, including a background of the legislation and various funding opportunities for truck parking projects under current and previous Federal transportation legislation.

The attendees were organized into two breakout groups and were led through a series of discussion topics by the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials contractor. The highlights of these discussions and the documentation of key points are summarized below.

Topic Area A – Parking Capacity Expansion

The creative use of public land within highway rights-of-way was identified as a feasible approach to developing additional truck parking capacity. Simple ideas included the use of carpool lots, truck chain-up areas, ports of entry and weigh stations as temporary parking areas, while a more complex approach included an idea to consolidate various functions into larger sites with complementary truck-related activities that include additional parking capacity.
The pursuit of public-private partnerships between State DOTs and private truck stop operators was acknowledged as an approach that would likely yield additional capacity without substantial public expenditures.

Collaboration between different industries related to trucking was suggested, to yield some good results. The contractual agreements between the trucking industry and truck stop chains for bulk fuel sales were cited as an example of this. The observation was made that there is no reason why trucking firms and private truck stops could not incorporate parking availability requirements into these negotiations.
There are several creative business practices employed by specialized carriers that move heavy/oversized loads to deal with parking and staging needs. These include temporary truck parking to meet regulations for hours of operation that may vary from State to State, along with the collaboration between companies in the industry to allow competitors to use their terminals and parking areas for oversized trucks that cannot fit into typical truck stops and highway rest areas. With the right cooperation between companies in the trucking industry, these practices could be employed more broadly to address parking needs beyond the specialized hauling subsector of the industry. This was described by one attendee as an "Airbnb model for truck parking."

The use of vacant or underutilized properties along highway rights-of-way or adjacent to interchanges for truck parking lots was also suggested. These could include brownfield sites, DOT-owned properties that are not currently used, and other privately-owned parcels not currently being used. To the extent that the pavement design, access and local zoning ordinances would allow it, the parking lots of big-box stores located near highway interchanges were also cited as possible locations for overnight truck parking.

Topic Area B – Funding/Finance

This discussion included funding sources for facilities and technology to accommodate trucking parking. Creative funding mechanisms were discussed, along with regulations and policies that affect truck parking. Creative funding sources such as public‐private partnerships and incentives for new and expanded facilities were also included in this topic area. Highlights of the discussions among the attendees include the following:

New, innovative funding mechanisms that allow for the use of public funds to construct and/or maintain additional parking capacity on private property: This mechanism would be a critical element of the public-private partnerships described previously for Topic Area #1. It could include lease agreements, operating agreements, direct capital funds for new capacity, etc.
A model for paid parking arrangements at private facilities: While this has been met with resistance among various players in the trucking industry in the past, it was acknowledged that it might be a worthwhile consideration if it can help facilitate the development of additional parking capacity in areas of high demand.
In conjunction with a fee-for-parking model described above, trucking companies with large terminal facilities around the country could potentially generate revenue by offering the use of their facilities to competitors under a fee-based arrangement.
Sponsorships and advertising at existing public rest areas might help generate revenue to cover operating and maintenance expenses at these facilities.
One idea that received a lot of interest was a dedicated portion of the Federal fuel tax for truck parking, similar to the Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) Trust Fund implemented by Congress in the 1980s.
One funding mechanism that would appeal to the private truck stop industry is a tax incentive of some kind for adding truck parking capacity. Parking expansion is a costly undertaking that does not necessarily correlate with increased revenues for a private business establishment, so a tax incentive such as accelerated depreciation schedule for new truck parking spaces would help offset some of the up-front costs of these improvements.

Topic Area C – Technology/Data

This topic area included the use of roadside ITS and in‐vehicle technology through smartphone apps or online resources for truck parking. Other items for this topic included leveraging truck parking data, ensuring interoperability, and the sharing of information. Most of the discussion revolved around implementation of existing technologies at public and private facilities, along with potential enhancements that would promote improved efficiency of use at parking lots and information-sharing with the trucking industry to identify available parking capacity on a real-time basis. Key themes from this discussion included the following:

The truck parking availability mobile application ("app") that NATSO is developing in collaboration with some of its members was seen to be a good step in technology implementation because it will be applied on a national level. It does not incorporate real-time parking availability yet because it relies on information provided periodically by truck stop operators every few hours but it is likely to be enhanced over time to include more timely and accurate information.
The expanded use of variable message signs with parking availability information was cited as an improvement on the existing system where this type of messaging is used in certain States and locations.

The increased use of electronic logs over time could provide trucking firms and government agencies with data to support efforts to identify locations on an ongoing basis where parking demand exceeds existing supply.
The combination of existing onboard vehicle technology and widely available driver apps could potentially be used to support the development of a large-scale truck parking reservation and payment system. This idea was described as "Ticketmaster for truck parking" by one participant who is familiar with ongoing work in this area by private technology vendors.

Topic Area D – Coordination with Regional and Local Governments

This topic area covered coordination with regional and local governments to address truck parking issues that involve truck transportation on a national scale but have impacts and solutions on a local level. Integrating truck parking into the transportation planning process and communicating needs and benefits at the local level were the primary areas of focus. Key points from this discussion included the following:

The coordination among State DOTs and between State and municipal governments on permitting and operations for over-sized trucks was cited as a good example of collaboration that works for the benefit of all involved (including the public sector as well as the trucking industry). Data-sharing and coordination of highway operations and enforcement seemed to be far more extensive in this area of DOT operations than any other, and this might serve as a model to be used for truck parking expansion and coordination between different government agencies and the private sector.
Several of the participants noted that having MPOs and regional transportation planning organizations host DOT meetings for freight projects has been a successful way to improve collaboration between different levels of government in general freight issues.
The truck stop industry was cited as an example of an industry that is heavily involved in government relations on a national level but may have a strong interest in growing its involvement at the State and local levels.
Getting county governments involved in State and regional freight committees is a good way to facilitate close coordination in the public sector on trucking issues in general. Colorado has been successful at coordinating the conversation on freight matters among the States' MPOs, counties, and major municipalities. Utah has begun an outreach effort to the Utah League of Cities and Towns to help educate local officials and facilitate cooperation on freight issues.
Active involvement in public-sector transportation issues by State trucking associations was identified as an effective strategy for highlighting the importance of issues such as truck parking. Some jurisdictions have promoted collaboration between the public and private sectors by including their State trucking associations in their long-term transportation planning efforts.
Law enforcement involvement in any discussions about truck parking issues would be helpful and productive.

Topic Area E – Creative Models, Approaches and Solutions

This topic area was aimed at capturing potential innovative solutions outside of the other four topic areas. The intent was to capture any unique approaches to truck parking issues that were not discussed previously in the meeting. Many of the items that came up in this discussion were more applicable to the other topic areas and have been included in this summary accordingly. Specific new ideas that did not fit into the four other topic areas included the following:

C.R. England, a major U.S. trucking firm headquartered in the Salt Lake City area, was noted for its extensive driver amenities at its major terminals. In addition to truck parking, these facilities include amenities that are typically found at large modern truck stops across the nation, including driver lounges, medical facilities, hotel rooms, laundry and shower facilities, and fitness centers.
Labor management practices aimed at minimizing inefficient operations for trucks were cited as a method that effectively reduces truck parking demand by keeping trucks moving as much as possible. Two such practices are the use of driver teams (pairs of drivers who drive a truck nearly continuously, with one driver sleeping in the sleeper berth while the other drives) and relays (a driver taking a truck 4-5 hours out from a terminal on a long-distance trip, then turning the truck over to another driver for the next leg of the trip and taking a different truck making the reverse trip back to the starting terminal).

Time-of-day optimization for truck operations (i.e., driving during off-peak hours to minimize congestion and shift parking demand from overnight to daytime hours) has the potential to reduce overnight parking demand at truck stops and highway rest areas, though the attendees recognized the challenges of employing this practice when transporting loads between shippers and receivers that may not be open for 24 hours.
The development of connected and autonomous trucks will have enormous impact on truck parking in the future, though it is difficult to measure these impacts or the time line of these technological developments.

Regional Meeting #2 – Hanover, Maryland

The second Regional Meeting of the National Coalition on Truck Parking was held in the greater Baltimore metropolitan area on July 12, 2016. The I-95 Corridor Coalition hosted the meeting at the Maryland Department of Transportation headquarters in Hanover, Maryland.

Attendees

The Regional Meeting was attended by a group of attendees who covered a broad cross-section of the public and private sector interests that deal with truck parking issues on an ongoing basis, and who have potential roles in implementing measures to address problems that were identified in the 2015 Jason's Law survey. The attendees and their affiliations, including USDOT and FHWA staff, are as follows (shown in alphabetical order):

Bala Akundi, Baltimore Metropolitan Council (MPO).
Dan Alsaker, Broadway Flying J (Truck Stop Industry).
Tyler Andreasen, TA/Petro (Truck Stop Industry).
Dennis Bailey, USDOT.
Steve Bixler, Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA).
Dan Blevins, Wilmington Area Planning Council (MPO).
Steve Clinger, FHWA.
Johanne Couture, OOIDA.
David Fialkov, NATSO.
Scott Grenerth, OOIDA.
Jay Grimes, OOIDA.
Idella Hansen, REAL Women in Trucking.
Patricia Hendren, I-95 Corridor Coalition.
Erik Johnson, Virginia Department of Transportation.
Nicole Katsikides, Maryland Department of Transportation / State Highway Authority.
Tom Kearney, FHWA.
Quon Kwan, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
Rocky Long, Keen Transport (Trucking Industry).
L'Kiesha Markley, Maryland Department of Transportation / State Highway Authority.
Tom McQueen, Georgia Department of Transportation.
Shannon Meade, National Association of Truck Stop Operators.
Ross Miller, Daily Express (Trucking Industry).
Nicole Minutoli, NATSO.
Doug Morris, OOIDA.
Joe O'Reilly, Unilever (Shipper).
Marygrace Parker, I-95 Corridor Coalition.
William Pugh, Bum Steer Trucking & OOIDA.
Darrin Roth, American Trucking Associations.
John Rotz, Maryland State Highway Authority / Motor Carrier Division.
Ivan Rucker, USDOT.
Carl Rundell, Truck Smart Parking Services.
Will Schaefer, Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance.
Seneca Sok, Maritime Administration.
Pete Trimble, Keen Transport (Trucking Industry).
Paul Truban, New Jersey Department of Transportation.
Jim Ward, D.M. Bowman (Trucking Industry).
Richard Wilson, REAL Women in Trucking.
Tiffany Wlazlowski Neuman, NATSO.
Desiree Wood, REAL Women in Trucking.

Opening Remarks / Background of Jason's Law
The meeting began with a series of opening remarks from the following individuals:

Steve Clinger, Acting Team Leader in the FHWA Office of Freight Management & Operations
Nicole Katsikides, Deputy Director of the Office of Planning and Preliminary Engineering, Maryland Dept. of Transportation
Dr. Trish Hendren, Executive Director of the I-95 Corridor Coalition

Tom Kearney of FHWA provided the welcoming remarks for USDOT. He gave an overview of Jason's Law and the USDOT's work in implementing its requirements, including a background of the legislation and various funding opportunities for truck parking projects under current and previous Federal transportation legislation.

The attendees were organized into four breakout groups and led through a series of discussion topics by the AASHTO contractor. The highlights of these discussions and the documentation of key points are summarized below.

Topic Area A – Parking Capacity Expansion

Joe O'Reilly of Unilever gave a brief presentation about his company's "Safe Haven" parking initiative. The company has worked with their primary third-party carrier (Kriska Transportation Group) to implement a parking and reservation system to accommodate drivers who make deliveries at Unilever distribution centers. Drivers who arrive at a Unilever facility at the end of their hours-of-service in areas where truck parking capacity is constrained can arrange to reserve a spot on the property where they can park their cab and rest after dropping the trailer at the loading dock.
Several drivers identified a challenge with truck parking facilities that are out of date and cannot meet the needs of modern tractor-trailer combinations due to small parking spaces and inadequate geometry for access, turning, etc. One simple solution for this problem would be an updated national standard for parking facilities that considers the needs of oversized trucks, security and lighting, and maximizing the capacity of a rest area within a highway right-of-way.

Related to the prior point, one of the issues frequently observed in the Northeast is the inefficient use of existing truck parking capacity due to: (1) trucks occupying more than one space, and (2) other vehicles such as private recreational vehicles (RVs) using truck parking spaces.
As with the Salt Lake City meeting, there were several ideas involving the creative use of public land within highway rights-of-way as a feasible approach to developing additional truck parking capacity. The groups focused heavily on the use of weigh stations for truck parking but several of the ideas discussed in Salt Lake City also came up. These included the use of carpool lots and unused space along the right-of-way (including areas with a wide center median) and at interchanges.
In addition to the use of the highway right-of-way for additional truck parking capacity, many participants suggested that major facilities near highways with parking lots that are unused for long stretches of time could provide short-term truck parking capacity. These would include sports venues, convention centers, and similar facilities designed for special events.

Many of the attendees addressed how parking needs vary at different parts of a supply chain. While long-term parking for drivers to meet Federal hours-of-service regulations is a major focus of this issue on a national level, one of the key issues in the eastern U.S. (especially in major metro areas) is the need for short-term parking related to staging. This was described as "parking between the interstate system and the loading dock door" by one participant, and was one of the issues that catalyzed Unilever's efforts to accommodate the drivers who serve their facilities. Some of the ideas discussed below in Topic Area #3 were proposed as measures to help meet this need.
Cross-industry collaboration across the supply chain could be an effective way to address capacity constraints. The Unilever case is just one example of how this might work. The contractual agreements between the trucking industry and truck stop chains for bulk fuel sales were cited as another example (both at Hanover and at Salt Lake City). The drivers and trucking industry representatives at this meeting indicated that this is already happening with large trucking firms and the major truck stop chains. Similar collaboration between trucking firms to provide access to terminals for short-term parking could also develop over time.

In conjunction with the "creative uses of the right-of-way" idea described above, several attendees raised the possibility of changing the model for highway rest areas to address the needs of auto travelers and trucks separately (and in separate facilities).

Topic Area B – Funding/Finance

This discussion included funding sources for facilities and technology to accommodate trucking parking. Creative funding mechanisms were discussed, along with regulations and policies that affect truck parking. Funding sources such as public‐private partnerships and incentives for new and expanded facilities were also included in this topic area. Highlights of the discussions among the attendees include the following:

Tax incentives and low-interest loans were identified as funding sources for private truck parking facilities. Variations of this idea were discussed in most of the breakout groups, as well as at the Salt Lake City meeting. Related to this idea, many attendees liked the concept of public private partnership (P3) arrangements where a public entity could pay the cost of acquiring and improving property adjacent to existing privately-owned truck stops for additional parking capacity. An alternative arrangement could include a low-cost property lease from a highway authority to an owner of a private truck stop adjacent to the roadway.
Rest area commercialization was identified as a possible mechanism for generating revenue to cover the cost of new and/or expanded public rest areas. There are a number of toll roads in the U.S. where retail services are permitted because they existed before the Federal statute prohibiting these services was adopted. The Ontario Highway Service Centres, which are located on Highways 400 and 401 in Canada, were cited as a successful model for expanded capacity and services for highway travelers. A concern was noted that commercializing rest areas might be counterproductive to encouraging nearby truckstops to invest in expanding their truck parking.

Another P3 option that was discussed involved the potential sponsorship of public rest areas to provide dedicated revenues for the maintenance and upkeep of existing rest areas. This would help offset the cost of maintaining these facilities and help address the ongoing problem in many States where DOTs are closing facilities to reduce maintenance costs.
A number of participants raised the possibility of dedicating a portion of motor fuel taxes to truck parking projects. (This suggestion was also popular at the Salt Lake City meeting.) The Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) fee was identified as a revenue source that could be tapped for dedicated funding for truck parking.

In conjunction with local zoning regulations, special industrial tax districts could be established in areas with heavy truck traffic generators such as manufacturing facilities and distribution centers. A portion of the local taxes paid by property owners and/or users in these areas could be dedicated to funding off-site improvements such as truck parking and staging areas. A variation of this idea is an "industrial park co-operative," through which owners of industrial parcels near each other would pool their resources to construct a centrally located parking facility to serve all the sites.
A number of industry representatives noted that any programs allocating public funding for truck parking would have to be carefully crafted so they do not serve as disincentives for private investment in nearby locations.

The FMCSA's Commercial Vehicle Information Systems and Networks (CVISN) program provides funding for any number of different areas related to motor carrier safety and operating efficiency. These funds could be tapped to develop applications related to truck parking and staging.
A model for paid parking arrangements at private facilities was discussed in most of the breakout groups. While this has been met with resistance among various players in the trucking industry in the past, it was acknowledged that paying for parking would be effective if it meant that more spaces were available in areas of high demand.

Topic Area C – Technology/Data

This topic area included the use of roadside intelligent transportation system (ITS) and in‐vehicle technology through smartphone apps or online resources for truck parking. Other items for this topic included leveraging truck parking data, ensuring interoperability, and the sharing of information. Most of the discussion revolved around implementation of existing technologies at public and private facilities, along with potential enhancements that would promote improved efficiency of use at parking lots and information-sharing with the trucking industry to identify available parking capacity on a real-time basis. Key themes from this discussion included the following:

A number of attendees who work for public agencies highlighted the value of data that are already being collected and used for other purposes. This would include information used in various smartphone apps as well as ATRI's vehicle probe data of truck locations and movements. The data behind these applications would be very useful for planning and operations at the State and local level.
While this discussion focused mainly on modern technology and communications, there was also recognition that traditional methods of communicating information about parking locations availability such as terrestrial and satellite radio reports should not be overlooked.

The expanded use of electronic logging devices (ELDs) provides an opportunity to collect, pool, and disseminate data about truck parking needs, locations, trends, time-of-day peaking characteristics, etc. This information should be used in future studies about new and expanded facilities as well as addressing ongoing changes in parking activity at public rest areas and private truck stops.
There was some discussion about how advances in vehicle-to-infrastructure and vehicle-to-vehicle technology will help provide data to support parking capacity expansion projects and improvements in efficiency across the trucking industry. The Federal Smart Roadside Initiative is aimed at sharing data across multiple public and private interests to "improve motor carrier safety, security, operational efficiency, and freight mobility." Truck parking demand, capacity and related operational issues can be one of many useful applications of this data-sharing.

There was a lot of interest in the general idea of integrating truck parking information into broad technological applications that incorporate traffic information, weather, routing, incident management, etc.
As in Utah, it was suggested that a potential application of technology would be to collect payments and reservations for drivers seeking truck parking.

Topic Area D – Coordination with Regional and Local Governments

Education of elected officials and the general public about the importance of the trucking industry, the role of rest areas and truck stops in the supply chain, and the economic benefits of truck facilities were common themes discussed at this meeting.
A number of participants pointed out local zoning codes should incorporate on-site or off-site staging requirements (separate from on-site parking and loading/unloading areas) for industrial sites. This could be done through a parking system similar to what Unilever has adopted, or through financial contributions to construct pooled off-site parking facilities in area with multiple industrial parcels. This could be done in conjunction with the "special industrial tax district" item listed in Topic Area #2.

One item that did not fit specifically into this topic area but was emphasized by several drivers at the meeting is the need for Federal inter-agency coordination when regulatory changes are implemented. Coordination between the FMCSA and FHWA about implications of changing hours-of-service regulations is particularly critical.
Incorporating truck parking issues, facilities and needs into the planning process, along with an effective outreach process with the trucking industry and related industries, could help State and local governments plan for truck parking needs effectively. It was suggested that truck parking and staging needs should be included in State freight plans as a matter of course, and regulations governing freight plans should reflect this. Performance measures and standards for truck parking should be included in the planning process.

The recent story of the truck parking facility constructed by the municipal government of Elmira, New York was discussed at the Hanover meeting. It was recommended that follow-up work be done to use this facility (as well as others, such as the similar site in Weed, California) as a case study for similar application across the nation.
The trucking industry has established a public-relations campaign called "Trucking Moves America Forward" to enhance the industry's public image and provide public officials and members of the general public with information about the role of the trucking industry in the nation's economy. Adding a parking-specific initiative to this existing campaign was suggested as a simple measure to help highlight the issues and potential solutions for policy makers and the public. Similarly, Washington State has implemented a "Keep Trucking Safe" program aimed at reducing workplace injuries and fatalities in the trucking industry. A truck parking and driver safety/security element can be added to a program like this.
Outreach through regional councils, economic development authorities, and national industry organizations could be an effective way to educate the public and promote creative solutions to meet truck parking and staging needs.

Active involvement in transportation issues on the public-sector side by State trucking associations and other industry organizations can help highlight the importance of issues such as truck parking. Active, engaged (and positive) involvement is critical. The "Port Day" events hosted by various port authorities and the "Truckers Jamboree" at the Iowa 80 truck stop are examples of industry-oriented events that allow the public to see how an industry works and get a better understanding of the importance of freight transportation in the economy.

Topic Area E – Creative Models, Approaches and Solutions

One idea that cuts across several of the other topic areas is the potential opportunity for commercial property management companies to get involved in operational issues related to truck parking outside of traditional truck stops. There may be a business model that would attract the interest of these companies in providing truck parking/reservation and property management services at public rest areas and industrial parks. The Unilever/Kriska model, if expanded to include a wide range of companies over large geographic areas, might be ideal for an outside vendor who specializes in property management and maintenance services for commercial properties.
The development of connected and autonomous trucks and "self-driving vehicles" will have major implications for truck parking in the future, though it is difficult to predict when these technologies will become widely available (and widely used) in the U.S.

Regional Meeting #3 – Dallas, Texas

The third Regional Meeting of the National Coalition on Truck Parking was held at the Great American Trucking Show (GATS) in Dallas, Texas on August 26, 2016. The event was hosted by the American Trucking Associations through their Texas Trucking Association affiliate.

Attendees

The Regional Meeting was attended by a group of attendees who covered a broad cross-section of the public and private sector interests that deal with truck parking issues on an ongoing basis, and who have potential roles in implementing measures to address problems that were identified in the 2015 Jason's Law Survey. The attendees and their affiliations, including USDOT and FHWA staff, are as follows (shown in alphabetical order):

Mark Aboso, Texas Department of Transportation.
Rick Ash, OOIDA.
Tretha Chromey, USDOT.
Steve Davenport, OOIDA.
Sean Denniston, FMCSA.
Kale Driemeier, Texas Department of Transportation.
Katelyn Dwyer, AASHTO.
John Esparza, Texas Trucking Association.
Eric Flick, American Trucking Associations.
Irena Goloschokin, T2 Systems.
Scott Grenerth, OOIDA.
Idella Hansen, REAL Women in Trucking.
Loren Hatfield, Arkansas Trucking Association / ABF Freight.
Jeff Hathcock, North Central Texas Council of Governments (MPO).
Patrick Hockaday, Independent Driver Representative.
Georgi Jasenovec, FHWA.
Clarence Jenkins, American Trucking Associations (ATA).
Mike Johnson, North Central Texas Council of Governments (MPO).
Tom Kearney, FHWA.
Andy Keith, Texas Department of Transportation.
Steve Linhart, Texas Department of Transportation.
Mike Matousek, OOIDA.
Chris McKenney, Arkansas State Highway & Transportation Department.
Ray Morgan, Perkins Specialized Transportation (Trucking Industry).
Dan Murray, ATRI.
Shannon Newton, Arkansas Trucking Association.
Richard Pingell, OOIDA.
Jeff Purdy, FHWA.
Eric Ramsdell, ATA.
Darrin Roth, ATA.
Carl Rundell, Truck Smart Parking Services.
Lance Shillingburg, Texas Trucking Association.
Michael Stephens, Clark Freight Lines (Trucking Industry).
Nelson Underwood, Texas Department of Transportation.
Shelley Uvanile-Hesch, Women's Trucking Federation of Canada.
Tiffany Wlazlowski Neuman, NATSO.
Don Wolford, OOIDA.
Desiree Wood, REAL Women in Trucking.
John Ziolkowski, Independent Driver Representative.

Opening Remarks / Background of Jason's Law

The meeting began with a series of opening remarks from the following individuals:

T.F. Scott Darling, FMCSA, Administrator.
John Esparza, President & CEO, Texas Trucking Association.
Tretha Chromey, U.S. Department of Transportation.

Jeff Purdy of the FHWA provided an overview of Jason's Law and the USDOT's work in implementing its requirements, including a background of the legislation and various funding opportunities for truck parking projects under current and previous Federal transportation legislation.

The attendees were organized into four breakout groups and were led through a series of discussion topics by the AASHTO contractor and Tom Kearney of the FHWA. The highlights of these discussions and the documentation of key points are summarized below.

Topic Area A – Parking Capacity Expansion

One of the common themes heard at the meeting was a call to encourage customers of the trucking industry to providing parking at shipper/receiver locations, distribution centers, etc. This relates to the Unilever presentation that was given at the previous meeting in Hanover, Maryland. A new approach discussed here was the potential for having multiple shippers/receivers near each other work collaboratively to develop "pooled" parking sites nearby.
The use of highway rights-of-way to provide additional parking capacity (at new rest areas, at weigh stations, etc.) was discussed at length in Dallas. This was one of the most common responses in this topic area discussion. Several attendees cited examples of construction staging locations that could be repurposed for truck parking after the projects are done. One aspect of truck facilities within a highway right-of-way that got some attention in Dallas was the challenge the trucking industry faces when rest areas are used by State enforcement officials for inspections. There was a consensus among drivers that these activities should not include trucks that are already parked at the facility when the inspection process begins in the morning, since this is a disincentive for truckers to use appropriate rest areas for overnight parking.

Community opposition and financial constraints aside, a number of attendees recognized that the expansion of existing private truck stops might be the most feasible approach for addressing parking capacity needs.
A general theme presented at this meeting was a desire to support State and local governments in encouraging the development of new truck parking capacity, but to keep the responsibility off the Federal government. It was observed that local governments would be best suited to facilitate the development of parking areas in urban areas, with Federal and State involvement mainly focused on funding.

Brownfield redevelopment offers some potential in this regard, either on a temporary or permanent basis.
The redevelopment of industrial sites was identified as a good opportunity for new parking capacity, particularly in urban areas. The ongoing changes in the retail sector that have resulted in the abandonment or underutilization of large retail sites might also present an opportunity for new industrial uses including truck parking facilities.

Highway signage to identify off-highway truck stops at interchanges was identified as a low-cost measure to ensure that drivers are aware of where parking facilities are located, thereby ensuring that existing capacity is used as efficiently as possible.
Several drivers identified a challenge with truck parking facilities that are out of date and cannot meet the needs of modern tractor-trailer combinations due to small parking spaces and inadequate geometry for access, turning, etc. Texas uses a WB-62 design vehicle for its new rest areas, for example. This had been identified as an issue previously at the Hanover, Maryland meeting. A new, updated set of standards for rest area planning and design would be valuable. This could also be expanded to include basic truck parking facilities ("pop-up parking" was a term that was used in one of the groups) that do not include all the facilities and amenities typically found at a highway rest area.

As with the two previous meetings, there were a number of ideas discussed involving the creative use of public land within highway rights-of-way as a feasible approach to developing additional truck parking capacity. The issue of government entities exercising eminent domain authority to provide parking adjacent to highway rights-of-way came up in this discussion.
One group discussed a variation of the prior discussion in Hanover about using major off-highway sites like sports venues and convention centers for short-term/temporary truck parking. In this meeting, a more general approach was proposed involving the use of smaller sites such as RV parks, gas stations, and retail centers that are closed overnight.

Drivers expressed ideas related to expanding truck parking capacity at existing facilities simply by addressing capacity needs separately for oversized "non-truck" vehicles that usually park in truck spaces. These include recreational vehicles, buses and cars towing trailers. On a broader level, there was some discussion of the idea that truck parking needs might be best addressed in facilities separate from traditional rest areas.
Conveyance of property from government agencies such as the U.S. Department of Defense was suggested as a possible mechanism for securing property for new parking facilities, especially in areas near port terminals.

A specific capacity challenge mentioned in one of the breakout groups was the temporary closure of highway rest areas for maintenance. In these cases, it is important for the DOT to communicate information to the trucking industry concerning the duration of closure and alternative parking locations.
Some of the Dallas participants identified a need to develop a broad understanding of parking needs at different parts of a supply chain. While long-term parking for drivers to meet Federal hours-of-service regulations is a major focus of this issue on a national level, one of the key issues in the eastern U.S. (especially in major metro areas) is the need for short-term parking related to staging.

Some attendees suggested that working with law enforcement to identify and promote areas where truck parking is both safe and legal would be helpful in addressing the problem in some areas.
There was a strong message from many of the drivers about time limits on parking at public facilities. In light of the FMCSA rest requirements, it was suggested that States should be prohibited from imposing time limits of fewer than ten hours in public rest areas.

Topic Area B – Funding/Finance

This discussion included funding sources for facilities and technology to accommodate trucking parking. Creative funding mechanisms were discussed, along with regulations and policies that affect truck parking. Funding sources such as public‐private partnerships and incentives for new and expanded facilities were also included in this topic area. Highlights of the discussions among the attendees include the following:

Tax incentives and low-interest loans were identified as funding sources for private truck parking facilities. Variations of this idea were discussed in most of the breakout groups, as well as at the prior meetings in Salt Lake City and Hanover.
The use of dedicated funds from fuel taxes or State/local taxes was discussed. There were several variations of this idea presented in the various breakout groups. At the Dallas meeting, the top ideas included a cargo handling fee (this is a general funding idea for freight transportation projects) and a dedicated portion of State and/or Federal fuel taxes. There is an initiative in Arkansas involving the Arkansas Trucking Association and the Arkansas State Highway & Transportation Department to use a portion of truck registration fees as a dedicated source of revenues for projects that could include parking facilities.

A general idea that came up in this discussion involved the development of a white paper or guidebook to document the financial costs of building and maintaining truck parking – for both public facilities and private truck stops – in detail. Identifying all the financial considerations related to the "return on investment" for parking spaces would be helpful in addressing funding issues. The Federal government should also be involved in educating States on funding eligibility for truck parking projects and initiatives.
One new idea at the Dallas meeting that didn't come up previously was the possibility of establishing a national entity of some kind (public, private or P3) whose sole purpose was to oversee the construction and maintenance of new parking facilities.

A public-private option to support the maintenance of new and existing truck parking involved the potential sponsorship of public rest areas to provide dedicated revenues for maintenance and upkeep. This would help offset the cost of maintaining these facilities and help address the ongoing problem in many States where DOTs are closing facilities to reduce maintenance costs. These arrangements could potentially involve private truck stop operators (to construct facilities) and non-profit organizations (for maintenance). In some areas of the country, tribal governments could be good partners for this type of arrangement.
One of the trucking industry representatives cited a case in Fernley, Nevada where the State DOT has entered into an agreement to build a new truck parking lot adjacent to a Flying J truck stop, with the truck stop providing litter control and basic maintenance of the site.

In conjunction with local zoning regulations, special industrial tax districts could be established in areas with heavy truck traffic generators such as manufacturing facilities and distribution centers. A portion of the local taxes paid by property owners and/or users in these areas could be dedicated to funding off-site improvements such as truck parking and staging areas. A variation of this idea is an "industrial park co-operative," through which owners of industrial parcels near each other pool their resources to construct a centrally located parking facility that would serve all the sites. This idea was previously discussed at length at the Hanover meeting.
State incentives for municipal governments would be helpful, to offset the lower property tax revenue for truck stops relative to many alternative land uses. This could involve direct grants or shared sales tax agreements, for example.
A model for paid parking arrangements at private facilities was discussed in some of the breakout groups. While this has been met with resistance among various players in the trucking industry in the past, it was acknowledged that paying for parking would be effective if it meant that more spaces were available in areas of high demand. The details of parking arrangements were not discussed at length but a consensus in one group was that $15 per night would probably be the upper limit of what the industry would bear.

One variation of the previous item was the potential for including a payment-for-parking option in transactions where the trucking industry is already making payments to State governments, such as overweight/oversize permits.
A suggestion to sever truck parking from other infrastructure needs was made, to eliminate the challenges of having truck parking projects compete with pavement, bridges, etc. for public funds.

The USDOT's Build America Bureau was identified as a potential partner for securing funding and streamlining the funding application and development process for truck parking projects.

Topic Area C – Technology/Data

This topic area included the use of roadside ITS and in‐vehicle technology through smartphone apps or online resources for truck parking. Other items for this topic included leveraging truck parking data, ensuring interoperability, and the sharing of information. Most of the discussion revolved around implementation of existing technologies at public and private facilities, along with potential enhancements that would promote improved efficiency of use at parking lots and information-sharing with the trucking industry to identify available parking capacity on a real-time basis. Tiffany Wlazlowski Neuman of the NATSO provided the attendees with a description of the new "Park My Truck" mobile app that is under development through a collaborative effort involving NATSO, the ATA, and ATRI.

Key themes from this discussion included the following:

A number of attendees highlighted the value of data that are already being collected and used for other purposes. This would include information used in various smartphone apps as well as ATRI's vehicle probe data of truck locations and movements. The data behind these applications would be very useful for planning and operations at the State and local level. Real-time data to support various aspects of truck operations (including parking) would be ideal. Drivers tended to be more skeptical about the value of technology in monitoring and tracking parking capacity; many of them were satisfied with their own, direct experience regarding parking locations and use by time of day.
It was expressed that technology must be reliable, accurate, and built on existing architecture. In addition, technology should be designed for safe use by drivers. In addition, users must have some level of comfort that the technology they buy will not rapidly become obsolete.

Several attendees indicated that technology for truck parking should be incorporated into broader applications for other parts of the supply chain, including gate operations at terminals, scheduling at loading docks, etc.
Predictive capability for technology will be important in selling the value to users.

For truckers who are traveling in an area where they are not familiar with the parking facilities and their utilization characteristics, audio notifications such as phone messages or satellite radio transmissions were identified as potentially helpful for notifying drivers of parking availability. Adding a two-way communication aspect to satellite radio communications could provide notifications of parking availability among drivers.
Many attendees suggested that tying existing and developing technology for truck parking availability to a reservation system for drivers and dispatchers would be ideal.

While this discussion focused mainly on modern technology and communications, it was also recognized that traditional methods of communicating information about parking locations availability such as terrestrial and satellite radio reports should not be overlooked. In addition, there was a strong indication from many drivers that investment in technology may not be an effective use of public funds to address a problem that is better addressed through new or improved infrastructure.
The expanded use of electronic logging devices (ELDs) provides an opportunity to collect, pool, and disseminate data about truck parking needs, locations, trends, time-of-day peaking characteristics, etc. This information should be used in future studies about new and expanded facilities as well as addressing ongoing changes in parking activity at public rest areas and private truck stops. "Make ELDs work for us," said one driver. Linking ELDs to an app such as "Park My Truck" was mentioned as a possible near-term technological advancement.

There was a lot of interest in the general idea of integrating truck parking information into broad technological applications that incorporate traffic information, weather, routing, incident management, etc. Tying technology to applications that drivers already use – including GPS devices, ELDs, etc. – would make it easy for drivers to use it.
While not related directly to financing the construction or maintenance of truck parking facilities, the use of technology to eliminate idling was discussed. The potential use of solar power for rest areas in general has attracted a lot of interest in Texas and across the Southwest.

The most effective use of parking space monitoring and driver notification technology would incorporate parking space reservation capability. "Pokémon Parking" was presented as a hypothetical model to provide drivers with the locations and availability or parking, and reservation capabilities.

Topic Area D – Coordination with Regional and Local Governments

Education of elected officials and the general public about the importance of the trucking industry, the role of rest areas and truck stops in the supply chain, and the economic benefits of truck facilities was one of the common themes discussed at this meeting. Adapting industrial zoning codes to meet parking and staging needs is critical.
Local police departments should be a focus of outreach efforts for the trucking and truck stop industries. Much of the focus for this issue has been on highway patrols and State police, but local public perception of truck parking as an issue (and/or a problem) largely involves fears of criminal activity at parking facilities. Local police would also be a good point of contact for highlighting issues related to driver safety and cargo theft.

Many participants pointed out local zoning codes should incorporate on-site or off-site staging requirements (separate from on-site parking and loading/unloading areas) for industrial sites. Educating local officials about the parking and staging needs for industrial sites is important. An industrial area with no on-street parking is seen as a symptom of a complete disconnect between local governments and industry needs.
One breakout group identified the FMCSA as the Federal agency that might be best suited to lead a public education campaign related to truck parking and its relationship to the safety of truck drivers and other motorists.

The Texas Department of Transportation makes a concerted effort to get local communities involved when decisions are made about building new rest areas or closing old/obsolete ones. "Don't muscle your way in" is the suggestion they brought to the discussion.
Good relationships between drivers, shippers and freight brokers can help address local community concerns in areas where freight-intensive industries are already an important presence in the community.

The trucking industry's "Trucking Moves America Forward" campaign, which was mentioned at the Hanover meeting, was identified as a potential model for education and outreach that can be expanded to incorporate truck parking issues and industry needs. One of the primary needs identified by trucking industry representatives in Dallas was the need for government officials and the general public to understand all the issues associated with hours-of-service rules for the industry.
Outreach through MPOs, regional councils, economic development authorities, and national industry organizations could be an effective way to educate the public and elected officials, and promote creative solutions to meet truck parking and staging needs.

State support of local efforts to plan new parking facilities (including privately-owned truck stops) would be valuable.
Active involvement in transportation issues on the public sector side by State trucking associations and other industry organizations can help highlight the importance of issues such as truck parking. The "Port Day" events hosted by various port authorities and the "Truckers Jamboree" at the Iowa 80 truck stop are examples of industry-oriented events that allow the public to see how an industry works and get a better understanding of the importance of freight transportation in the economy.

Regional Meeting #4 – Grain Valley, Missouri

The last regional meeting was held at the headquarters of the OOIDA in Grain Valley, Missouri on October 5, 2016.

Attendees

The Regional Meeting was attended by a group of attendees who covered a broad cross-section of the public and private sector interests that deal with truck parking issues on an ongoing basis, and who have potential roles in implementing measures to address problems that were identified in the 2015 Jason's Law Survey. The attendees and their affiliations, including USDOT and FHWA staff, are as follows (shown in alphabetical order):

Steve Bixler, OOIDA.
Terry Button, OOIDA.
Woody Chambers, OOIDA.
Johanne Couture, OOIDA.
Tilden Curl, OOIDA.
T.F. Scott Darling, FMCSA.
Steve Davenport, OOIDA.
Sean Denniston, FMCSA.
Louis Esposito, OOIDA.
David Fialkov, NATSO.
Richard Flanigan, Independent Driver Representative.
Gary Green, OOIDA.
Scott Grenerth, OOIDA.
Patrick Hockaday, REAL Women in Trucking.
David Jungeblut, OOIDA.
Kathy Jungeblut, Independent Driver Representative.
Tom Kearney, FHWA.
John Koglman, OOIDA.
Julie Lane, FMCSA (Missouri Division Office).
Scott Marion, Missouri Department of Transportation, Motor Carrier Service.
Brad McMahon, FHWA Missouri Division.
Lisa Mullings, National Association of Truck Stop Operators.
Richard Pingel, OOIDA.
Jeff Purdy, FHWA.
Dave Raco, TA/Petro (Truck Stop Industry).
Hope Rivenburg & Family.
Carl Rundell, Truck Smart Parking Services.
Sandi Soendker, OOIDA.
Bryan Spoon, Spoon Trucking.
Max Strathman, FMCSA (Kansas Division Office).
Jill Thorne, OOIDA.
Miles Verhoef, OOIDA.
Shelley Uvanile-Hesch, Women's Trucking Federation of Canada.
Kevin Ward, FHWA Missouri Division.
Monte Wiederhold, OOIDA.
Bob Wollenman, Deluxe Truck Stop.
Desiree Wood, REAL Women in Trucking.

The list of attendees above includes all the individuals whose names were recorded on the sign-in sheets for the event. The event was held in a large meeting space at OOIDA's headquarters building, and was scheduled on the morning before the start of OOIDA's biannual board meeting. As such, there were several attendees who participated for portions of the Regional Meeting but not the entire meeting. Their input is included in the meeting summary outlined below, but their names may not be included in the list of attendees above.

Opening Remarks / Background of Jason's Law

The meeting began with a series of opening remarks from the following:

Todd Spencer, OOIDA, Executive Vice President
T.F. Scott Darling, FMCSA Administrator
- Max Strathman, FMCSA Division Administrator, Kansas Division Office
- Julie Lane, FMCSA Division Administrator, Missouri Division Office
Kevin Ward, FHWA, Missouri Division Administrator

The attendees were organized into four breakout groups and were led through a series of discussion topics by the AASHTO contractor and Tom Kearney and Jeff Purdy of the FHWA. The highlights of these discussions and the documentation of key points are summarized below.

Topic Area A – Parking Capacity Expansion

This discussion covered the overall supply and accommodation of truck parking spaces. Key issues for this topic include the siting and accessibility of trucking parking facilities, facility design, and use of sites not typically used for truck parking (such as brownfield sites, weight stations, etc.) as alternative parking locations. Scott Marion of the Missouri Department of Transportation provided a summary of the State's efforts to expand parking capacity along some of Missouri's major interstate corridors. Highlights of the discussions among the attendees include the following:

Shipper/receiver locations were identified as a potential untapped source of parking in places that are safer and more convenient for truckers than many traditional truck parking facilities ("There's lots of pavement at those places."). This relates to the Unilever presentation that was given at the previous meeting in Hanover, Maryland. A collaborative relationship between shippers/receivers and the motor carriers that serve them was identified as critical to the successful implementation of this kind of measure.
A recurring theme from the Dallas meeting was the potential for having multiple shippers/receivers located near each other work collaboratively to develop "pooled" parking sites nearby. This can be done in the context of industrial zoning requirements and/or industrial development fees at the municipal level.
Several drivers suggested that a "dispersed" model for truck parking might work better than a "concentrated" model – i.e., it would be better to provide blocks of 40 spaces at ten different locations in a region than 400 spaces in a single facility.
Brownfield redevelopment was cited at this meeting (as at others) as a potential low-cost option for constructing new truck parking capacity.
The drivers indicated that a "no-frills" approach to constructing parking would work fine for them in many cases. A rest area with full amenities isn't critical to their comfort when they run out of hours and need to rest. Bathrooms (or a scaled-down equivalent) are essential.
A truck stop industry representative indicated that tying reserved parking at private truck stops to fleet fuel contracts could help address this problem. Truck fleets (and drivers) need to treat parking as an important issue in their dealings with truck stop chains.
A consistent standard for mapping parking locations across the country – similar to that in the 2015 Jason's Law report – would be helpful for the trucking industry.
The use of rest areas for functions other than parking and travel amenities was discouraged. Truck inspections at rest areas were identified by drivers as an activity that conflicts with their parking needs.
Large fleets often use their terminals for parking capacity to help drivers meet their rest requirements. This is an option that is not available to independent drivers and small fleets, but could serve as a model for a similar application.
The issue of old/outdated parking facilities with insufficient space for modern tractor-trailer combinations came up again in Grain Valley, as it had in Hanover and Dallas previously. Many drivers expressed that existing rest areas could be laid out more efficiently to maximize the use of available space in the right-of-way.

Topic Area B – Funding/Finance

This discussion included funding sources for facilities and technology to accommodate truck parking. Funding mechanisms were discussed, along with regulations and policies that affect truck parking. Funding sources such as public‐private partnerships and incentives for new and expanded facilities were also included in this topic area. Highlights of the discussions among the attendees include the following:

The attendees recognized that ongoing maintenance costs are one of the biggest challenges States face in keeping rest areas open. Several suggestions for creative ways to finance these costs were made, including sponsorships, staffing with non-profit groups, and the use of inmate labor.
Low-cost construction options, such as gravel or military-style pavement techniques used for runways in desert climates of Asia, were suggested as a method to reduce costs.
Public-private partnerships, tax incentives and low-interest loans were identified as funding sources for private truck parking facilities. Variations of this idea were discussed in most of the breakout groups, as well as at the prior meetings in Salt Lake City, Hanover and Dallas. The Fernley, Nevada case discussed in Dallas was well-regarded by all the industry groups and public agencies involved. Financial incentives for additional parking capacity can be directed to truck stop operators, industrial developers, industrial users, or local governments.
A "P2" concept was also proposed, with the public sector seen as an unnecessary partner if two different private-sector industries could work collaboratively to fund truck parking infrastructure. The example cited involved an agreement between industrial real estate developers and a truck stop operator to incorporate truck parking into a master plan for a large industrial development. The "industrial park co-operative" discussed previously in Hanover also came up in the Grain Valley meeting.
The use of dedicated funds from fuel taxes or State/local taxes was discussed. Variations of this theme arose at all the Regional Meetings. The Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) fee was one option identified at the Grain Valley meeting. Some States allow municipalities and counties to establish their own sales taxes on top of a defined State sales tax. These could be used to incentivize local and county governments to allow the development of truck stops as major tax revenue generators.
A variation of the "delivery charge" or "waybill tax" presented at the Dallas meeting was also discussed. This revenue could be used for freight infrastructure improvements in general, with a dedicated portion of it allocated to cover capital and operating costs of parking facilities.
A number of drivers insisted that adjusting the Federal hours-of-service rules would be a more effective measure for dealing with parking capacity problems than any of the capital-intensive ideas that have been discussed at these meetings or implemented to date. "Just go back to 2004," was a comment heard from several drivers.
A model for paid parking arrangements at private facilities was discussed in some of the breakout groups. This has come up in all four of the Regional Meetings. This could be implemented through a standard parking fee, or in conjunction with a fuel contract between a trucking firm and a truck stop chain. An "E-ZPass for truck parking" concept based on electronic tolling technology ties to the Technology/Data discussion in Topic Area #3. Even if truck parking fees are not something the trucking industry would embrace, it was recognized that this model could be valuable in metropolitan areas where demand for parking and staging is high and capacity is scarce.
The USDOT's Build America Bureau was identified as a potential partner for securing funding and streamlining the funding application and development process for truck parking projects. This had previously been mentioned at the Dallas meeting.

Topic Area C – Technology/Data

This topic area included the use of roadside ITS and in‐vehicle technology through smartphone apps or online resources for truck parking. Other items for this topic included leveraging truck parking data, ensuring interoperability, and the sharing of information. Most of the discussion revolved around implementation of existing technologies at public and private facilities, along with potential enhancements that would promote improved efficiency of use at parking lots and information-sharing with the trucking industry to identify available parking capacity on a real-time basis. Lisa Mullings of NATSO provided the attendees with a description of the new "Park My Truck" mobile app that is under development through a collaborative effort involving NATSO, the ATA, and ATRI.

Key themes from this discussion included the following:

Connectivity to existing technology (smartphones) would be critical to the success of any new technology. Peer-to-peer information sharing (similar to the Waze® model) would be ideal. Incorporating truck parking technology into trip planning and reservation services would also be very useful for the industry.
Real-time data and full compatibility across multiple applications would be ideal.
Several attendees highlighted the value of data that are already being collected and used for other purposes, and software developed for other industry purposes. This would include information used in various smartphone apps as well as ATRI's vehicle probe data of truck locations and movements. The BigRoad® fleet management software package was cited as an example of a good platform for truck parking technology.
Relatively simple technology such as fixed or variable message signs identifying locations and parking capacity (even without real-time utilization capability) is still very useful for the trucking industry. However, real-time data through on-site sensors or even satellite surveillance would be ideal.
Satellite radio broadcasts would be a low-cost method of disseminating truck parking availability to a wide audience of drivers who need it. "Amber alerts" and "silver alerts" could serve as a model for broadcasting information.
There was a general question among some of the drivers about whether the capital cost of ITS applications for truck parking detection and information dissemination is the best investment of taxpayer dollars to deal with this issue.
Many drivers suggested that technology is most useful for unusual conditions such as road closures, delays, and weather-related incidents. For normal operations, they will tend to use their experience and conventional wisdom to determine where they should park and when these facilities fill up.
Several attendees indicated that technology for truck parking should be incorporated into broader applications for other parts of the supply chain, including gate operations at terminals, scheduling at loading docks, etc. They also indicated that sharing real-time information across multiple users (drivers, parking facilities, and terminals) would make technology very effective. This builds on a point that had previously been raised at the Dallas meeting. One of the Grain Valley attendees was an OOIDA member whose business operations include roles as both a shipper and a carrier; he indicated that managing shipper operations better would go a long way toward addressing parking issues related to staging.
The expanded use of electronic logging devices (ELDs) provides an opportunity to collect, pool, and disseminate data about truck parking needs, locations, trends, time-of-day peaking characteristics, etc. This information should be used in future studies about new and expanded facilities as well as addressing ongoing changes in parking activity at public rest areas and private truck stops. This item was first mentioned in Dallas, and was of interest to drivers, as compared to any other group represented at the meetings. One quote from a driver stood out: "If you're going to monitor my hours, then tell me where I can park!"

Topic Area D – Coordination with Regional and Local Governments

Education of elected officials and the general public about the importance of the trucking industry, the role of rest areas and truck stops in the supply chain, and the economic benefits of truck facilities was one of the common themes discussed at this meeting. Adapting industrial zoning codes to meet parking and staging needs is critical. These have been recurring themes at all the Regional Meetings.
Direct grants to local governments can offset lost property tax revenues from truck parking development (i.e., in areas where truck parking is never a "highest and best use" for tax assessment purposes).
Federal grants under the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) should be tied to local cooperation in addressing truck parking needs.
One participant suggested that the Federal Aviation Administration may have documentation for public outreach efforts related to airport projects that might be a useful model for truck parking projects.
Many participants pointed out local zoning codes should incorporate on-site or off-site staging requirements (separate from on-site parking and loading/unloading areas) for industrial sites. Flexible on-street parking regulations in industrial zones can be a big help to drivers who are staging before picking up or delivering a load.
The trucking industry's "Trucking Moves America Forward" campaign, which was mentioned previously at the Hanover and Dallas meetings, was identified as a potential model for education and outreach that can be expanded to incorporate truck parking issues and industry needs.
Outreach through MPOs, regional councils, economic development authorities, and national industry organizations could be an effective way to educate the public and elected officials, and promote creative solutions to meet truck parking and staging needs. Addressing truck parking in statewide freight plans is also critical. These have been recurring themes at multiple Regional Meetings. Quote: "We need to be a louder voice at the State and regional levels." Missouri has its statewide efforts tied to freight planning initiatives, as well as three regional freight committees in St. Louis, Kansas City and Springfield.
Related to the previous point, bringing the trucking and truck stop industries to the table with shippers/receivers will make the government/stakeholder involvement even more effective.
Quote: "Current Federal policy is intermodally focused. That makes it harder to address narrow but important issues like this."
National or State associations of counties and municipalities could be ideal venues for educating local officials about this issue. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce could also be a valuable player.

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U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
Office of Freight Management and Operations
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE
Washington, D.C. 20590
ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight
202-366-9210

June 2017 | FHWA-HOP-17-026

National Coalition on Truck Parking

Table of Contents

List of Figures

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Chapter 1. Introduction

Chapter 2. Background on Jason's Law

3. National Coalition on Truck Parking

Chapter 4. 2016 Regional Meetings

Chapter 5. Synopsis of Meetings

Other Ideas for Parking Capacity Expansion

Other Ideas for Technology and Data

Other Ideas for Funding, Finance & Regulations

Other Ideas for Regional & Local Government Coordination

Chapter 6. Project Summary and Next Steps

7. Acknowledgment of Supporting Organizations

Appendix. Regional Meeting Summaries