Maryland Truckers Seek Solution to Truck Parking Shortage
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CUMBERLAND, Md. — A nationwide shortage of parking spaces for truckers went local June 22 as Maryland’s Allegany County Board of Commissioners heard from an advocate asking for support in remedying the problem.
Carrie Wolford of Westernport, Md., whose husband drives for Dollar General, spoke at the regular meeting of the commissioners at the county office complex.
“One of my husband’s biggest challenges is finding a place to park,” Wolford said. “They have a number of hours that they’re allowed to drive in a day. When it’s close to the time they are getting to the end of their work clock they need to find a place to park.”
According to a recent survey conducted by the Federal Highway Administration, approximately 313,000 truck parking spaces exist nationwide. However, with well over 3 million trucks on the road on any given day, Transport Topics reported that American Trucking Associations and the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association estimate there is one parking spot for every 11 drivers.
Wolford said that problem has reached the federal level.
“There is a bill on the table in Washington, D.C., HR 2187, on this very topic to provide money to states to provide truck stops for truckers,” Wolford said.
The bipartisan Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act, if passed, would approve funding to assist agencies with expanding parking capacity. The bill also would support improvements to existing parking areas for commercial vehicles. The legislation would authorize approximately $755 million in competitive grants over the next few years.
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“Literally everything we have here got here because of a trucker,” Wolford told the commissioners.
“We need to do something about it and help to provide more parking places for our truckers. If there would be some way to get business owners in the area to allow their parking area, after their business day is done, to allow a truck to park on their lot until they start in the morning.”
Wolford said expanded truck parking would bring more business to the area with truckers spending money.
“If we could bring a truck stop on Route 36 off of (Interstate) 68 where it would be easily accessible ... I know we have Love’s (Travel Stop) in Cumberland, but there is not enough spaces there for truckers.”
According to Transport Topics, Love’s Travel Stop offers 43,650 parking spaces across its more than 600 locations on a first-come, first-served basis at no charge. Last year, Love’s opened 25 locations across the country and added 2,134 truck parking spaces.
Commissioner Creade Brodie thanked Wolford for speaking on the issue.
“I do agree with you on this,” Brodie said. “I thank you for bringing it to our attention. They have the electronic logs now. Me as a CDL holder, they are held at a much higher standard than the general public.
“The cost of school ... now you have to go to school. It used to be a sought after profession. People need to realize this country moves on trucks, period. These guys are against the clock and if they don’t stop when they’re supposed to they will be fined.”
Jason Bennett, county administrator, said he would reach out to the county economic development office to research the issue.
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