In May 2020, with the Covid-19 pandemic raging a coalition of 10 metropolitan planning organizations and councils of government in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut, the NJ Department of Transportation, the NYC Economic Development Corporation (EDC), and the NYC Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) wanted to know what makes a good truck stop. NYC EDC and DOT were able to open two emergency truck stops at the height of the pandemic and the hope is that these groups will be able to pool data and best practices (and hopefully Federal support) to help alleviate the lack of available safe overnight truck parking.
As a follow up, the coalition is launching a survey of truck drivers to help determine the best means for communicating important information to them. Effective communication has always been crucial, with the importance highlighted throughout the Pandemic.
From the coalition, “Drivers are essential to the movement of goods. We recognize that the job can be tough and that having good information is important. To help provide you with the information and services that you need to pick up and deliver the goods, please take two minutes, and complete this short survey. All responses are anonymous.”
Please complete the Communicating Effectively with Truck Drivers Survey by April 16.
Back to the issue of truck parking. A bi-partisan group of lawmakers are once again attempting to provide a legislative solution to the worsening truck parking shortage and have reintroduced the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act (H.R.2187). This bill calls for setting aside $755 million of US Department of Transportation (USDOT) funds over a five year period dedicated to add truck parking capacity to the federal-aid highway system. The USDOT would grants to state and local governments for projects providing free truck parking on federal-aid highways or at a facility with reasonable access to a federal-aid highway or freight facility. To bolster the legislation, there is now language to provide public-private partnerships. Truck stop operators pushed back on the initial bill over concerns that it would undercut their business.
Once, again please complete the Communicating Effectively with Truck Drivers Survey by April 16.
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