Focus on Trucker Rest Areas

As the federal government begins developing a plan to increase the availability and safety of nighttime parking for long-haul truckers, truck stop operators are saying it's a non-issue.

"We don't know if there is a shortage of public rest areas," said Lisa Mullins, vice president of communications at Natso Inc., the trade association representing 1,100 truck stops and travel plazas.

A 1996 Federal Highway Administration study conducted by the ATA Foundation found a national shortfall of 28,400 truck parking spaces in public rest areas. That figure is projected to increase to 36,264 by 2000.

Spurred in part by that study, Congress last year ordered the highway agency to determine the location and number of parking slots at truck stops and public rest areas on the 165,000-mile National Highway System, analyze where current and projected shortages exist and propose a plan to reduce the deficiencies.

The first step toward meeting the congressional mandate is a forum on commercial truck driver rest areas planned for June 29 and 30 in Atlanta, said Julie Cirillo, program manager of the FHWA's Office of Motor Carrier and Highway Safety.

State and federal transportation and law enforcement officials will meet with drivers, carriers, truck stop operators and safety groups in a series of small group sessions to develop a list of best practices to:

li>Alleviate shortages and enhance safety.

li>Consider ways of providing "real-time" information to drivers on available spaces at truck stops or public rest areas.

li>Develop suggested legislative and regulatory remedies for the problem.

I>For the full story, see the June 7 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.