Truck parking statistics show a persistent U.S. capacity and availability problem across public rest areas, private truck stops and unofficial locations. The evidence below combines historical FHWA and NTSB findings, facility-survey results, state observations and local estimates; these measures are not a single current national shortage count.
Key Truck Parking Statistics
The most broadly useful figures are:
- In the FHWA inventory period, more than 300,000 truck parking spaces were documented nationally in the United States.
- In the FHWA inventory period, 1,908 public rest areas were documented nationally.
- In the FHWA inventory period, 36,222 public truck spaces were documented nationally.
- In the FHWA inventory period, more than 6,376 private truck stops were documented nationally.
- In the FHWA inventory period, more than 272,698 private truck spaces were documented nationally.
- In the state survey period, 37 State DOTs, or 72.5%, reported a truck parking problem.
- In the state survey period, 30 states reported public-rest-area shortages.
- In the state survey period, 16 states reported private-truck-stop shortages.
- In the facility survey period, 51% of 387 responding private facilities had 0–99 truck spaces.
- In the facility survey period, responding facilities averaged 113 truck spaces.
- In the facility survey period, 48% of responding facilities exceeded capacity from midnight to 5 a.m.
- In the facility survey period, 35% of responding facilities exceeded capacity on Wednesday and Thursday.
- In the facility survey period, 30% of responding facilities exceeded capacity in June and July.
- In the NTSB study period, 80% of public rest areas had excess daily demand.
- In the NTSB study period, 53% of private truck stops had excess daily demand.
- In the 1996 FHWA study, 90% of surveyed drivers experienced a significant overnight shortage.
- In the historic grant-program period, $7.2 million funded projects that added 325 spaces.
- In local studies, more than 25,000 spaces of demand were identified across 14 states.
- In the Arkansas study period, parked trucks increased 31% from 2003 to 2006.
Contents
- National truck parking supply and public-private capacity
- Truck parking shortages by facility size and occupancy
- Truck parking availability by time, day and month
- Truck parking shortages by state and unofficial location
- Historic truck parking demand and safety studies
- Truck parking investment, regional demand and modeled trends
National Truck Parking Supply and Public-Private Capacity
The FHWA Jason’s Law material documents a large national inventory, but its measures cover different facility types and a historical or survey-based period. More than 300,000 spaces were documented nationally, including 36,222 public truck spaces and more than 272,698 private truck spaces.
The same inventory documented 1,908 public rest areas and more than 6,376 private truck stops. These figures describe documented supply, not the number of spaces available at every hour or a calculated national deficit. FHWA, Jason’s Law Truck Parking Survey Results and Comparative Analysis: Survey of State Capability to Provide Adequate Truck Parking
| Supply measure | Documented amount | Geography and period |
|---|---|---|
| Total truck parking spaces | More than 300,000 | United States; FHWA inventory period |
| Public rest areas | 1,908 | United States; FHWA inventory period |
| Public truck spaces | 36,222 | United States; FHWA inventory period |
| Private truck stops | More than 6,376 | United States; FHWA inventory period |
| Private truck spaces | More than 272,698 | United States; FHWA inventory period |
State capability reporting shows that supply did not eliminate perceived access problems. Thirty-seven State DOTs, or 72.5%, reported a parking problem, while 30 states reported public-rest-area shortages and 16 reported private-truck-stop shortages.
The state responses also identified shortages in other facility categories: 16 states reported pullout or vista shortages, 18 reported commercial-area shortages and 14 reported weigh-station shortages. These are reported state problems, not a combined count of missing spaces.
Truck Parking Shortages by Facility Size and Occupancy
The private-facility survey included 387 responding facilities. Its size distribution indicates that smaller and mid-sized facilities made up most responses, while facilities with more than 300 truck spaces were less common.
| Private facility size | Share of responding facilities | Period and population |
|---|---|---|
| 0–99 truck spaces | 51% | FHWA facility survey; 387 respondents |
| 100–199 truck spaces | 37% | FHWA facility survey; 387 respondents |
| 200–299 truck spaces | 7% | FHWA facility survey; 387 respondents |
| More than 300 truck spaces | 5% | FHWA facility survey; 387 respondents |
Responding facilities averaged 113 truck spaces and 154 total vehicle spaces. Those averages describe the facilities that responded and should not be treated as a national average for every truck stop or rest area.
The same survey recorded parking in places not designed for overnight truck storage. Twenty-four states observed parking on interchange ramps, 23 observed it on freeway shoulders, 18 observed it on conventional roadsides and 12 observed it on local streets. FHWA, Jason’s Law Truck Parking Survey Results and Comparative Analysis: Survey of State Capability to Provide Adequate Truck Parking
Truck Parking Availability by Time, Day and Month
Availability varied substantially by time of day in the facility survey. Forty-eight percent of responding facilities exceeded capacity from midnight to 5 a.m., while 37% were 76–100% full from 7 p.m. to midnight.
The daily pattern also differed across the week:
- Wednesday and Thursday each had 35% of facilities exceeding capacity.
- Tuesday had 30% of facilities exceeding capacity.
- Friday had 23% exceeding capacity.
- Monday had 21% exceeding capacity.
- Sunday had 11% exceeding capacity.
- Saturday had 11% exceeding capacity.
The monthly pattern was similarly uneven. Thirty percent of facilities exceeded capacity in June and July, 29% did so in May and August, 26% in April, September and November, and 22% in January and February.
These percentages describe survey-reported facility conditions for the stated time, day or month categories. They do not establish that every facility was measured continuously or that the percentages can be converted into a national shortage total. FHWA, Jason’s Law Truck Parking Survey Results and Comparative Analysis: Survey of State Capability to Provide Adequate Truck Parking
Truck Parking Shortages by State and Unofficial Location
The state survey recorded multiple forms of shortage and overflow. In addition to public-rest-area and private-truck-stop shortages, 16 states reported pullout or vista shortages, 18 reported commercial-area shortages and 14 reported weigh-station shortages.
Unofficial parking observations show where drivers were using space outside designated facilities. The survey found parking on interchange ramps in 24 states, freeway shoulders in 23 states, conventional roadsides in 18 states and local streets in 12 states.
These observations identify states reporting the behavior; they do not quantify the number of trucks at each location.
Historic safety research provides another measure of pressure. The NTSB found excess daily demand at 80% of public rest areas and 53% of private truck stops in its study period.
A 1996 FHWA study reported that 90% of surveyed drivers experienced a significant overnight shortage and estimated $489–$629 million for future needs. FHWA, Jason’s Law Truck Parking Survey Results and Comparative Analysis: Summary and Conclusions
Historic Truck Parking Demand and Safety Studies
The historic studies show demand pressure across broad national and local measures, but their dates and methods differ. The 1996 FHWA driver result concerns surveyed drivers and overnight shortages, whereas the NTSB percentages concern excess daily demand at facility types.
Planning activity was also reported across states. Firm expansion plans existed in 15 states, expansion plans were under consideration in 22 additional states and 16 states planned intelligent transportation systems improvements.
A grant program funded at $7.2 million added 325 spaces. Separately, states proposed projects costing more than $231 million, indicating a pipeline of proposed investment rather than completed national capacity.
Local studies identified demand for more than 25,000 spaces in 14 states. Because this is a collection of local studies, it should not be added to the national inventory or interpreted as a uniform national estimate. FHWA, Commercial Motor Vehicle Parking Shortage
Truck Parking Investment, Regional Demand and Modeled Trends
Regional examples illustrate why truck parking statistics need local definitions. Arkansas recorded a 31% increase in parked trucks from 2003 to 2006; one Arkansas scenario showed a deficit of 38 designated spaces, while an expansion scenario showed a surplus of 78 spaces.
Other reported local measures include the following:
- On California I-5, 78% of respondents reported that stops were too full.
- Maryland recorded 270 trucks at 34 prohibited locations.
- Miami-Dade had 293 spaces versus estimated demand for 12,000 spaces.
- The Miami-Dade estimate indicated that 1,177 acres would be needed.
- New York had about 3,600 corridor spaces, nearly 80% of them private.
- Tennessee had 767 rest-area or pullout spaces versus 1,224 roadside trucks.
| Location or corridor | Reported measure | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | Parked trucks increased 31% | 2003–2006; Arkansas study |
| California I-5 | 78% said stops were too full | Respondents; I-5 study |
| Miami-Dade | 293 spaces versus estimated demand for 12,000 | Local estimate; Miami-Dade |
| New York | About 3,600 corridor spaces; nearly 80% private | Corridor inventory; New York |
| Tennessee | 767 rest-area/pullout spaces versus 1,224 roadside trucks | State study; Tennessee |
The Arkansas deficit and surplus are scenario results, while Miami-Dade’s demand and acreage are estimates. The underlying FHWA report presents these as local or modeled evidence, so they should be read alongside the national inventory, facility survey and historic safety findings rather than combined into one total. FHWA, Commercial Motor Vehicle Parking Shortage