$200 million for truck parking sounds big — but it barely scratches the surface

by TRUCKERS VA
(UNITED STATES)

Every few months, Washington drops a headline that sounds like it finally gets trucking.

This time, it’s $200 million for truck parking, tucked inside a massive House spending bill that covers everything from highways to safety programs.

At first glance, it feels like progress.

But if you’ve ever circled a rest area at 2 a.m. with your ELD screaming at you, you already know the truth:

This problem is way bigger than $200 million.

What’s actually in the bill

The House spending package includes roughly $200 million dedicated to truck parking projects, aimed at expanding capacity at rest areas, public facilities, and certain freight corridors.

The funding would flow largely through the U.S. Department of Transportation, supporting states that apply for grants to add or expand parking.

Sounds good on paper -
But here’s the catch - It’s spread across the entire country.

Why truck parking is still a crisis

Truck parking has been “on the list” for years — and yet the shortage keeps getting worse.

Demand keeps growing - Freight volume and truck counts are up
Parking hasn’t kept pace - Many rest areas are decades old
Urban land is expensive - Nobody wants trucks, but everyone wants deliveries
Local resistance is real - Communities fight new parking every step of the way

The result? Drivers park where they can, not where they should — ramps, shoulders, abandoned lots, you name it.

Let’s talk real numbers

Here’s the part lawmakers never say out loud.

Industry studies estimate tens of thousands of truck parking spaces are needed nationwide. Depending on location, one safe, legal truck parking spot can cost $70,000 to $150,000+ to build when you factor in land, paving, lighting, security, and utilities.

Do the math.

$200 million might build:

A few thousand spaces at best

Or modest expansions in a handful of states

That’s not a solution — that’s a down payment.

Why the timing matters right now

This funding push isn’t random.

ELD enforcement isn’t going

away -
Hours-of-service pressure is real -
Safety groups are watching closely -

Lawmakers know drivers are running out of legal options, and states are getting hammered with complaints, crashes, and violations tied directly to parking shortages.

This money is less about generosity and more about damage control.

What drivers are saying (and not being asked)

Ask drivers what they want, and the answers are pretty consistent:

• More parking where freight actually moves
• Safer, well-lit locations
• Bathrooms that don’t look like crime scenes
• Parking that doesn’t require an app, a code, and a prayer

What drivers don’t want is more press releases celebrating funding that won’t reach them for years — if it reaches them at all.

The overlooked angle: private vs. public parking

One reason $200 million doesn’t go far is because public parking alone can’t solve this.

Private truck stops already carry much of the load, but:

Land costs are rising

Insurance is expensive

Cities fight expansion

Without incentives that actually make private investment worthwhile, public money ends up patching holes instead of fixing the system.

The bottom line

Yes — $200 million for truck parking is better than zero.
No — it does not “solve” the truck parking crisis.

This funding:
• Acknowledges the problem
• Helps a few states
• Buys lawmakers time

But until parking is treated as critical freight infrastructure, not a side issue, drivers will keep paying the price in stress, violations, and lost sleep.

Call to action

If you’re in trucking, headlines like this are a reminder of one thing:
You can’t rely on the system to move at your speed.

That’s why more drivers are learning how to:

Think long-term

Build options outside the driver’s seat

Create income that isn’t tied to parking availability or ELD clocks

👉 If you want to explore ways to make money while off duty and still trucking, check out offdutymoney.com.

Because in trucking — just like parking —
having options is everything. 🚛💡