The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is launching an extensive national study to better understand how the ongoing truck-parking shortage is impacting commercial drivers, highway safety, and the broader flow of freight. Through this effort, the agency plans to survey several thousand drivers and ultimately collect around a thousand complete responses, using a detailed online questionnaire that digs into the day-to-day challenges drivers face when searching for a safe and legal place to rest. The survey will explore how frequently drivers are forced to park on highway shoulders, exit ramps, or private lots without authorization, highlighting the safety hazards and liability concerns created by inadequate parking infrastructure. It will also measure how often drivers feel compelled to shut down earlier than necessary just to secure a spot, how many miles they detour off their planned routes in search of parking, and whether the shortage pressures them into violating hours-of-service rules simply to find a place to stop.
These real-world insights are critical because parking shortages don’t just inconvenience drivers — they directly contribute to wasted fuel, lost productivity, higher stress, and increased roadway risk. By collecting this data, the FMCSA aims to quantify the economic and safety benefits of expanding truck-parking capacity nationwide, providing a stronger evidence base for federal, state, and local investment decisions. The findings are expected to guide transportation planners in identifying the most severely affected freight corridors, determining the types of parking facilities that would offer the greatest impact, and shaping long-term infrastructure strategies. For owner-operators, the study represents a potential turning point, as it could help secure funding and policy support for solutions that improve rest options, reduce operational inefficiencies, and ultimately make long-haul trucking safer and more sustainable.
