TIA Calls on Congress: Safe Truck Parking Can’t Wait
The Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA) is calling on Congress to prioritize dedicated funding for truck parking – both through immediate support of the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act (H.R. 1659) and in the upcoming Surface Transportation Reauthorization. TIA supports a safe, efficient freight network that allows drivers to rest legally and safely while keeping goods moving across the country.
This call to action follows a sobering investigation from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which found that a lack of safe truck parking contributed to the deadly Greyhound crash in Highland, Illinois, in July 2023. The crash killed three people and injured 12 when a Greyhound bus veered off I-70 and struck three tractor-trailers parked on the shoulder of an overcrowded rest area exit ramp.
While driver fatigue was identified as the primary cause, the NTSB confirmed that the chronic shortage of safe parking was a contributing factor. “We found that the combination of vehicles routinely parked in the Silver Lake Rest Area exit ramp shoulder because of limited truck parking increased the risk of a collision from an errant vehicle,” said Dan Walsh, engineer with the NTSB’s Office of Highway Safety. In a rare public statement, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy urged Congress to act: “The NTSB doesn’t usually weigh in on the need for Congressional funding… but I do think this is a big deal and I do think it is much needed.”
Despite a 300% increase in truck traffic since the 1970s, facilities like Silver Lake have not kept pace. A 2018 study showed it operating at 100–150% capacity, with the nearest alternative 76 miles away, forcing drivers to risk non-compliance with hours-of-service rules or park unsafely. The American Transportation Research Institute reports a national average public-to-private truck parking ratio of 1 to 4. In Illinois, it’s 1 to 6.7.
In response to this growing safety concern, Rep. Mike Bost (R-IL) had already reintroduced H.R. 1659 in this Congressional session, proposing $755 million in competitive grants to expand truck parking nationwide.
TIA continues to work with lawmakers, industry partners like the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) Truck Parking Coalition, and safety advocates to ensure truck parking is a core component of the next federal transportation bill. As Congress begins shaping the next Surface Transportation Reauthorization, TIA urges the inclusion of dedicated truck parking funding to improve safety for drivers and all road users.
