FHWA introduces updated ‘Jason’s Law’ survey on safe truck parking

Washington — The Federal Highway Administration is conducting a second Jason’s Law survey seeking feedback about the availability of safe truck parking from commercial motor vehicle operators, trucking operations managers, and truck stop owners and operators.

Signed by former President Barack Obama in July 2012, Jason’s Law is aimed at increasing the amount of safe parking available for truckers. It is named for New York-based truck driver Jason Rivenburg, who was murdered in 2009 during a robbery after he parked his truck at an abandoned South Carolina gas station.

FHWA considers the lack of available truck parking “a national safety concern,” noting that the shortage may prompt fatigued drivers to continue on the road or seek unsafe parking locations such as the shoulder of the road, exit ramps or vacant lots.

According to FHWA, the survey seeks to update the progress from the initial survey completed in August 2015, as required by the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act. New data will allow the agency to:

• Update the inventory of truck parking and identify improvements to truck parking availability since the previous survey.
• Evaluate truck travel by state for the purposes of evaluating increases in truck parking demand.
• Evaluate the types of technology being used to monitor availability and demand that have resulted from recent advances in truck parking information systems.
• Compile truck parking plans, studies and projects completed by states and metropolitan planning organizations.