A Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration advisory committee met for five hours Dec. 17 to recommend best practices to increase safe parking for truck drivers seeking rest.

The group’s sixth annual “Call on Washington” this September featured visits with lawmakers, their federal legislative staff and industry experts.

Ensuring that professional drivers have access to ample truck parking is not merely a matter of convenience – it’s both a safety issue and a productivity issue. Lisa Mullings, president and CEO of NATSO, joins Seth Clevenger to discuss the truck parking issue, the future of truck stops and her takeaways from a recent ride-along with a professional truck driver.

Nighttime parking availability continues to be a challenge for truck drivers. There are options to avoid having to park along dangerous highway ramps, but that safety can come with a price.