DOT Opens Its Wallet for Parking Projects, More Charging Stations

The Transportation Department wants to see states and municipalities install more truck parking and more charging stations for electric trucks, and it’s prepared to shell out big money to make it happen.

The Transportation Department’s Federal Highway Administration announced April 21 a new Carbon Reduction Program (CRP) to unlock $6.4 billion in grant money to state and local governments over the next five years to address climate change.

One of the eligible projects cited in a release on the program involves installing infrastructure to support the electrification of freight vehicles. A Transportation Department memo issued the same day noted that CRP funds can also go toward increasing truck parking; the dearth of available parking spots for truckers has long been a cause for concern, as Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg noted in his March 2 testimony to Congress.

“CRP funds may be obligated for a project on an eligible facility that reduces transportation emissions,” the memo states.

States should consider working with private sector truck stop operators and the trucking community when developing plans for truck parking, according to the memo. The document also encourages states to offer opportunities for input from commercial motor vehicle drivers and truck stop operators through their State Freight Advisory Committees.