The United States Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced new truck parking at rest areas during a visit to South Dakota.
The announcement came as a way to celebrate national truck driver appreciation week.
One location is the Salem rest stop on Interstate-90 where the U.S. DOT will add eleven new truck parking spaces.
Buttigieg said additional parking spots allow truckers to avoid dangerous alternative rest areas.
“Most highway shoulders aren’t designed for heavy vehicles to be parked there for hours at a time, meaning that they take damage, and it makes the whole roadway less safe for anyone who uses it,” said Buttigieg.
Buttigieg said having more secure parking locations for truckers can bring more people into the industry.
“Women, in particular, who are already underrepresented in the industry, who deserve our support, and who I believe are a big part of the solution of how we call more people into the next generation of drivers,” said Buttigieg.
Buttigieg also announced an additional $80 million dollars in grants to improve highway safety and to continue improving truck parking across the nation.
