Trucks and other vehicles at a rest area. In recent years, a lack of available parking for truck operators has ranked high on a list of industry concerns chronicled by the American Transportation Research Institute. (photovs/Getty Images)
February 3, 2026 6:00 PM, EST
Key Takeaways:
- Congress and President Donald Trump approved fiscal 2026 funding on Feb. 3 that provides $200 million to expand truck parking nationwide.
- ATA says the new funding addresses chronic shortages that force drivers to struggle for safe rest locations and create hazards for motorists.
- DOT officials are planning to meet soon to explore additional truck parking improvements as lawmakers continue broader debates over federal funding and policy.
Access to truck parking for the nation’s commercial drivers will increase because of recent legislation Congress and President Donald Trump approved Feb. 3.
As part of fiscal 2026 funding legislation Trump signed late Feb. 3, ending the partial government shutdown, truck parking projects will receive $200 million. The Federal Highway Administration will be tasked with managing the additional funds, which are meant to improve safety and enhance efficiency along freight and commuter corridors.
American Trucking Associations has been among the groups consistently calling for additional federal funding for truck parking programs nationwide. “When truck drivers finish their shift or take their federally mandated rest break, the last thing they should have to worry about is finding a safe place to park. Unfortunately, chronic underinvestment in this essential infrastructure has resulted in severe shortages, making it extremely difficult for truck drivers to do their jobs and creating significant hazards for all motorists,” ATA President Chris Spear said in a statement soon after the bill’s passage.
“This substantial new funding that ATA championed will help us turn a corner on this issue. We thank the members of the House and Senate Appropriations committees for prioritizing truck parking, the first time that Congress has allocated funds specifically for this purpose,” Spear added, pointing to the contributions of Rep. Steve Womack (R-Ark.), chairman of the House transportation appropriations subcommittee.
“Rep. Womack’s commitment to issues such as truck parking demonstrates his understanding that the men and women who deliver America’s freight deserve convenient, safe and readily available places to rest,” Arkansas Trucking Association President Shannon Newton said. “Arkansas is primarily a rural state, where trucking represents 1 in 10 jobs, and it serves as a crossroads for interstate freight on [Interstate] 30, I-40 and I-55.”
In recent years, a lack of available parking for truck operators has ranked high on a list of industry concerns chronicled by the American Transportation Research Institute. At the Department of Transportation, stakeholders plan to meet as early as this month to continue to find ways to further improve access to truck parking. In recent years, the department has awarded grants to state DOTs for commercial parking projects.
The fiscal 2026 legislation’s transportation section also would seek to enhance DOT’s response to cargo theft, further review concerns linked to commercial towing and press for an update on the creation of a national autonomous vehicle regulatory framework. The comprehensive bill’s structure was designed to end the partial government shutdown that commenced Feb. 1. Congress, however, is scheduled to further debate funding and policies associated with the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement.
Transport Topics reporters Eugene Mulero and Keiron Greenhalgh examine the critical trends that will define freight transportation in the year ahead. Tune in above or by going to RoadSigns.ttnews.com.
In a midterm election year, congressional leaders responded to the politics of the moment and sought to prevent an extended shutdown. An impasse on health care benefits prompted last fall’s record-breaking shutdown. “Republicans will be the responsible party, once again, to keep the government open, to reopen this government, and focus on the priorities that the voters elected [President] Donald Trump and House and Senate Republicans to go implement,” House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) said Feb. 3.
“Funding the government is not an optional exercise — it’s the most basic duty we have in Congress,” observed Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), chairman of the influential House Appropriations Committee.
“Two weeks ago,” Cole continued, “the House and Senate struck a bipartisan and bicameral deal to move forward on these remaining appropriations bills for fiscal year 2026. The House acted expeditiously to pass these bills, marking historic progress for our appropriations process and the return to ‘regular order’ that every member of this chamber wants to see.”
