FMCSA Launches Study on Truck Parking Shortage

Agency seeks public comments on methods to increase parking capacity and effectiveness of parking management systems.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 7:50pm

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A high-end, photorealistic studio still-life photograph featuring a stack of truck parking permits, a set of truck keys, and a truck driver's logbook arranged elegantly on a clean, monochromatic background, conceptually representing the abstract challenges of the truck parking crisis.A conceptual still life highlighting the complex logistics and regulatory challenges behind the ongoing truck parking shortage in the United States.Staten Island Today

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has launched a new study to quantify the benefits of creating more truck parking spaces. The study aims to collect survey responses from 1,000 truck drivers about their experiences finding parking, in order to estimate the monetary value of expanding parking capacity. FMCSA is seeking public comments on the most cost-effective ways to increase parking, the most effective parking management systems, and the usage of paid parking and reservation services.

Why it matters

The lack of available truck parking has long been a major issue for the trucking industry, leading drivers to park in unauthorized areas and incur fines or safety risks. This FMCSA study is an important step towards understanding the scale of the problem and identifying solutions to expand parking capacity and improve parking management.

The details

The FMCSA study will focus on four key questions: how many trucks are parked in authorized and unauthorized areas per day, what are the most cost-effective methods for increasing parking capacity, which parking information management systems are most effective, and what percentage of drivers use paid parking or reservation services. While the study will not assess the advantages and disadvantages of paid versus free parking, it will provide valuable data to help address the nationwide truck parking shortage.

  • FMCSA first signaled the study in a November 2025 notice to the Federal Register.
  • The current public comment period will close on May 6, 2026.

The players

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)

The U.S. government agency responsible for regulating the trucking industry and ensuring highway safety.

American Trucking Associations (ATA)

The largest national trade association for the trucking industry, representing over 30,000 motor carriers.

Truckload Carriers Association

A trade association representing truckload motor carriers in the United States and Canada.

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What they’re saying

“Seven of the eight commenters were supportive of the study, while one commenter (an anonymous truck driver) was skeptical of government involvement in truck parking and preferred to let private truck stop companies solve the truck parking shortage entirely.”

— FMCSA

“The ATA and one individual commenter noted in those comments that there had been growth in paid parking, 'and the frustration truck drivers often feel when their only options are paid spaces and unauthorized spaces.'”

— FMCSA

What’s next

The FMCSA will review the public comments received by the May 6th deadline and use that feedback to finalize the study design and submit the full Information Collection Request to the Office of Management and Budget.

The takeaway

This FMCSA study represents an important step towards addressing the nationwide shortage of truck parking, which has long been a major challenge for the trucking industry. By quantifying the benefits of expanding parking capacity and identifying the most effective parking management solutions, the agency aims to provide data-driven recommendations to improve parking availability and reduce the safety risks and operational disruptions caused by the lack of adequate truck parking.