New FHWA chief under pressure to fix truck parking

McMaster confirmation seen as a positive for highway expansion projects

Every hour a sleeper sits running at idle, this pump is billing roughly four and a half dollars for fuel that moved no freight, earned no revenue, and appears nowhere on the rate confirmation. (Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

WASHINGTON — Owner-operators want Sean McMaster to do his part to keep truck parking at the top of the Trump administration’s transportation agenda now that McMaster has been confirmed to lead the Federal Highway Administration.

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“Given his wealth of experience within the Department of Transportation, we believe he is a proven leader, well-suited to oversee our nation’s highway system,” said Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association President Todd Spencer, after the Senate confirmed McMaster as FHA administrator on Thursday.

“We look forward to working with Administrator McMaster and Secretary Duffy to increase truck parking capacity and reduce road congestion in order to improve highway safety and supply chain efficiency.”

McMaster, who served as deputy chief of staff at DOT during the first Trump administration, said after being confirmed he looks forward to “partnering with state and local leaders to accelerate project delivery and get shovels in the ground.”

In a letter sent to Senate lawmakers in support of McMaster’s nomination in May, OOIDA noted that DOT had identified the shortage of truck parking across the country as a “critical safety issue.”

DOT leadership underscored their commitment to truck parking expansion during a meeting of state highway officials at DOT headquarters in July.

“We want to fund truck parking for our truckers in this country – a critical need for safety in the United States,” DOT Deputy Secretary Steve Bradbury stated at the meeting.

Morrison confirmed to head NHTSA

The Senate also voted on Thursday to confirm Jonathan Morrison as administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

“I look forward to enhancing safety on our nation’s roadways, supporting law enforcement, making vehicles more affordable again, and unleashing American innovation.”

While trucking companies – particularly large carriers – are optimistic about Morrison’s commitment to regulatory policy aimed at advancing autonomous technology, some safety advocates are concerned about NHTSA’s priority for other issues, particularly crashes involving trucks and passenger cars.

A long-standing and contentious rulemaking to require trucks to come equipped with side-guard equipment to avoid deaths and injuries in underride crashes was recently delayed until next year.

Click for more FreightWaves articles by John Gallagher.

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John Gallagher

Based in Washington, D.C., John specializes in regulation and legislation affecting all sectors of freight transportation. He has covered rail, trucking and maritime issues since 1993 for a variety of publications based in the U.S. and the U.K. John began business reporting in 1993 at Broadcasting & Cable Magazine. He graduated from Florida State University majoring in English and business.