HARRISBURG, PA — The Shapiro Administration announced Monday that Pennsylvania will add more than 1,200 new truck parking spaces across 133 locations by the end of 2026, marking the Commonwealth’s first major statewide expansion of truck parking in decades. The initiative aims to improve safety for commercial drivers and support the state’s growing freight network.
The effort, led by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, and the Pennsylvania State Police, will utilize existing state-owned properties to create new designated parking areas. An additional 600 parking spaces are being evaluated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike as part of ongoing infrastructure improvements.
“Truck parking is a nationwide issue, and with the high volume of freight traffic coming through Pennsylvania, the Shapiro Administration knew that we needed to tackle this problem,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “By adding these spots — and looking at ways to add even more — we’re giving truckers many more options to safely park and meet their rest requirements.”
The new parking spaces will be located along interstate on-ramps deemed safe for truck use, at weigh stations, and in other areas within highway rights-of-way. Signs designating the spaces will be installed by PennDOT. The initiative is designed to help truckers comply with federal hours-of-service regulations and reduce fatigue-related crashes.
“This initiative directly supports our mission to ensure motor carrier safety by reducing driver fatigue and improving the overall safety of our highways,” said Major Robert Krol, Director of the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Patrol.
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission is also exploring opportunities to expand truck parking along its system, including at emergency pull-offs and service plaza on-ramps. The Turnpike has already invested more than $30 million over the past two decades to expand parking at several service plazas, including Sideling Hill, Lawn, Highspire, North Somerset, and Stanton.
“The trucking community is essential to our mission of supporting national commerce,” said PA Turnpike CEO Mark Compton. “We are dedicated to finding innovative solutions that address the increasing truck parking shortages along our system.”
To help drivers locate available spaces, PennDOT has introduced a new “Public Truck Parking” feature on 511PA.com and the 511PA mobile app. The interactive map displays current truck parking options, with new locations to be added as they open.
The initiative follows recommendations from a 2023 study by the Pennsylvania State Transportation Advisory Committee, which urged the state to repurpose surplus properties for truck parking. It also aligns with the work of PennDOT’s Truck Parking Task Force, a collaborative effort with regional and municipal partners focused on improving freight mobility.
“Truck drivers are essential to keeping our economy moving, goods on our shelves, and food in our pantries — but they need safe places to stop and rest,” said Rebecca Oyler, President and CEO of the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association. “Every new space added to our highway network means one more trucker who has a safe and secure place to stop tonight.”
PennDOT and its partners expect the expansion to significantly improve safety conditions for truckers and other motorists while strengthening Pennsylvania’s position as a critical hub for interstate freight movement.
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