DOT awards $200 million for truck parking: 14 projects, 12 states, 2,400+ spaces

The U.S. Department of Transportation is putting $200 million into truck parking, its largest single push on the problem so far. Secretary Sean Duffy announced the awards on Oct. 14 during a stop in Savannah, Georgia, according to WTOC, and Trucking Dive reported on Oct. 15 that the money comes from the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) program.

Land Line reported on Oct. 16 that the money covers 14 projects in 12 states: Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin. Its tally of the project list comes to more than 2,400 new spaces.

Where the spaces are going

The biggest single award by space count is in Tennessee. Trucking Dive says the project adds about 500 spaces at five Pilot Travel Center locations near Nashville and Knoxville, open around the clock at no charge. Land Line lists the cost at $23.95 million.

Several awards sit at ports, where trucks queue for gates and have few places to wait:

- Georgia Ports Authority: $11.95 million for a lot in Garden City near the Port of Savannah, per WTOC.
- Port of Wilmington, North Carolina: $6 million for 140 spaces, per Land Line's project list.
- Los Indios, Texas: $9.18 million for 305 spaces, per Land Line's list.

Others are along interstate corridors. Land Line lists 260 spaces in Enfield, Connecticut, 150 spaces on I-80 in Iowa, and 106 spaces at I-41 rest areas in Wisconsin.

Duffy said drivers "shouldn't have to spend over an hour looking for a safe place," as quoted by Land Line. He also said the funding will cut freight costs, according to Trucking Dive. The American Trucking Associations called parking a critical safety and supply chain issue, per the same report.

What it means for carriers

Don't expect a quick change on the road. Most of these are construction projects, and the sources give no opening dates. At roughly 2,400 spaces across 12 states, the awards are small against a national network of interstates. Still, the port and Interstate 40 and 75 corridor sites matter for drivers who run those lanes, because hours-of-service clocks make a missed parking spot a real cost.

Land Line also noted that the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association worked with Rep. Mike Bost (R-Ill.) on the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act, which would dedicate $755 million over five years to new spaces. Land Line reports it has 54 co-sponsors and is folded into the House highway bill. The $200 million is a first step by comparison.

What shippers and brokers should watch

Port-adjacent parking is the piece most likely to touch your dwell times. More staging room near Savannah and Wilmington could ease gate congestion over time, but only once the lots are built. In the meantime, build realistic appointment windows into plans on lanes where drivers routinely run short of safe parking, since a driver who can't find a space may shut down early.