NATSO urged the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to include a holistic evaluation of the market dynamics that drive private sector truck parking investments as the agency seeks to quantify the benefits of truck parking capacity expansion.
NATSO in public comments urged the agency to ensure its upcoming truck parking cost-benefit analysis identifies location-specific shortages, captures the cost structure and constraints facing private providers, and evaluates how industry practices across the transportation sector affect parking availability.
NATSO outlined recommendations to ensure information collected in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) upcoming truck parking study yields actionable and relevant insights as it pursues policy solutions to truck parking concerns.
FMCSA plans to conduct a study titled, “Quantifying the Benefits of Creating New Truck Parking Spaces,” and closed its preliminary comment period May 6.
In the Federal Register notice, FMCSA said the research study will collect approximately 1,000 survey responses from truck drivers about their experiences with finding truck parking spaces to estimate the monetary benefits of creating new truck parking spaces.
In comments filed with the Agency May 6, NATSO underscored that truck stops and travel centers provide the majority of the nation’s truck parking. The best way to ensure truck parking availability continues to grow is to ensure that private truck stops remain profitable.
Under the current market paradigm, truck parking is not a direct profit center but rather is supported by revenues generated from other profit centers (including fuel sales, food service, convenience and other in-store purchases, and maintenance operations). The business environment for the broader operation must be healthy and stable for private operators to invest in additional parking capacity.
NATSO recommended FMCSA:
- Target analysis and investment toward high-need corridors and metropolitan regions where persistent truck parking challenges exist, rather than assuming a uniform national shortage;
- Incorporate private-sector cost data and operational realities into its analysis, including the capital, regulatory, and ongoing operational expenses associated with constructing and maintaining truck parking;
- Evaluate the role of fleet practices in shaping parking demand, including the extent to which motor carriers reimburse drivers for parking or incorporate parking into operational planning;
- Avoid policy approaches that undermine private-sector investment, including proposals that would divert customer traffic or revenue away from existing truck stops and travel centers;
- Encourage public-private partnerships that leverage the efficiency and expertise of private operators, particularly in high-cost or high-demand areas where targeted support can unlock new capacity.
In its Federal Register Notice, FMCSA said it planned to focus on four key questions: 1) How many trucks are parked in authorized and unauthorized areas per day on average? 2) What are the most cost-effective methods for increasing truck parking capacity? 3) Which truck parking information management systems are used most often and are most effective? 4) What percentage of drivers routinely make reservations, pay for parking or use various other truck parking services?
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