The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on May 23, 2023, passed an amended version of the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act by a vote of 60-4. The bill was considered as a part of a broader Committee markup of legislation aimed at addressing ongoing supply chain challenges.
H.R. 2367, bipartisan legislation that NATSO has publicly endorsed, would provide nearly $800 million over three years in federal grants to expand truck parking capacity.
Under the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act, grant recipients, which include state transportation departments, may partner with the private sector to expand truck parking adjacent to existing private sector locations. Priority also will be given to grant applications that show consultation with private providers of truck parking.
Importantly, the legislation does not call for the commercialization of rest areas, which would decrease rather than increase truck parking.
NATSO supported the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act introduced by Representatives Mike Bost (R-Ill.) and Angie Craig (D-Minn.), which would allow grant recipients to harness the collective expertise that private travel centers can provide affords an opportunity to maximize federal funds and increase truck parking capacity along those freight corridors where it may be needed. Senators Mark Kelly (R-AZ) and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.
Three amendments were added to the bill during the House T&I Committee markup. Specifically, Congresswoman Sykes (D-Ohio) introduced an amendment requiring businesses that utilize federal dollars to implement truck parking, including truck stops, to post notices with hotline information to report suspected human trafficking. Additional amendments would require posting information about the suicide prevention hotline and prohibit the use of eminent domain.
In advance of the markup, NATSO sent a letter to the Committee in support of both the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act and the DRIVE Safe Integrity Act, which would provide support for the Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program (SDAP). NATSO has previously supported SDAP, which would enable some 18- to 20-year-old drivers to drive in interstate commerce after receiving rigorous training and certification.
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