Study reveals 56% of Americans unaware of critical trucker parking shortage

It’s now reaching crisis proportions with only a single parking space available for every 11 trucks on the road – leading to drowsy drivers and decreased productivity

CloudTrucks recently polled 1,000 U.S. adults for the 2023 Truck Parking Shortage Survey to gather their level of awareness surrounding the current trucker parking crisis and to gain an understanding of their perceptions of truck drivers.

The shortage of parking for truck drivers has been a recurring issue in the trucking industry for decades, but the problem has reached crisis proportions in recent years. According to the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), there is only one parking spot available for every 11 trucks on the road, and a nationwide shortage of more than 40,000 parking spaces. The lack of parking can easily lead to safety issues. When drivers near their driving maximums, they can get drowsy while searching for parking or be forced to park  along the side of the road or near exit ramps.

As driver advocacy organizations lobby in Washington, D.C. for new legislation to tackle the parking issue, we sought to learn the current state of public awareness of the parking shortage and how Americans feel about solving the crisis.

Last month, we conducted our 2023 Truck Parking Shortage Survey. We surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults about their general perceptions of truck drivers and whether they had heard of the truck parking shortage. We then informed respondents about the truck driving shortage and asked about their opinions on possible solutions. 

Key findings include:

• Americans believe truckers are overworked and underpaid – respondents reported they feel truck drivers are overworked (82%) and underpaid (56%) for their crucial role.
• Truckers aren’t seen as a threat on the roadway – when asked whether truck drivers were safer or less-safe drivers than the general public, 50% said truckers were “safer drivers than the general public.”
• Most U.S. adults are in favor of more parking – after receiving more information on the parking shortage throughout the survey, 86% of respondents called the parking shortage a “significant” or “critical” problem, and 90% said increased public awareness of the issue is necessary.

Review the complete CloudTrucks 2023 Truck Parking Shortage Survey for more insights into this issue.

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