The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded $200 million (yaani about $20 crore) in federal funding to expand truck parking across 12 states, in an announcement made by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on October 14, 2026, through the Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight and Highway Projects (INFRA) program, according to USDOT reporting carried by The Truckers Report and TruckDriverNews. The funding supports 14 projects along major freight corridors, near ports and at highway rest areas.

Highlighted projects include $24.5 million for six I-80 rest areas in Iowa and $15 million to add about 106 spaces at two I-41 rest areas in Wisconsin. In Texas, Fort Worth receives $5 million for about 100 spaces along I-35, and Cameron County receives more than $9.18 million for road access to a commercial vehicle parking facility near the Los Indios Port of Entry with about 305 truck spaces, an automated weigh station and driver amenities, Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino Jr. said in the county's announcement. Georgia receives $11.95 million for about 275 spaces near Savannah, and the Port of Wilmington in North Carolina receives $6 million for about 140 truck spaces and 50 container staging positions.

The American Trucking Associations welcomed the investment. ATA Chief Advocacy and Public Affairs Officer Henry Hanscom described parking as a safety and supply-chain issue, not simply a convenience, saying added capacity would help drivers rest when necessary and move freight more efficiently. The association said further work remains necessary to address the nationwide shortage. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration figures cited in coverage of the awards, 40% of truckers spend more than an hour a day searching for parking.

The awards do not mean the new spaces are already open. Construction schedules and opening dates depend on each individual project, and drivers on corridors such as I-80, I-35 and I-41 should not expect the added capacity until the projects are completed. For Punjabi and other long-haul truckers who regularly cross these states, the program is the largest recent federal step aimed at the parking shortage that forces many drivers to stop on ramps and shoulders when their hours run out. Sources: U.S. Department of Transportation INFRA announcement, October 14, 2026, reported by The Truckers Report and TruckDriverNews; American Trucking Associations statement, October 14, 2026; Cameron County, Texas, announcement, October 14, 2026.