BOONE COUNTY, Ind. — Truckers are a vital piece of the United States supply chain but when they are on the road, they need somewhere to stop and rest.
The new truck rest areas in Boone County are part of an investment INDOT is making in the state to increase the number of spots that truckers can park in.
This investment comes as the Indiana Motor Truck Association says for every 11 trucks on the road, there is only one parking spot, a shortage drivers face nationwide.
"You can only pull up on the side of the road off exits in a lot of cases. Because you know a lot of truck stops are full because there is a lot of truckers out now, so there is not a lot of parking or rest stops for us," said Sean Lynn, a truck driver.
This week was the first time Lynn stopped at the newly opened truck rest area in Boone County, one of two on I‑65.
"It's spacious and I had no problem last night at about 1 in the morning finding a spot, you know, and I needed it. I had passed, I don't know how many, looking for a stop and found this one,” Lynn said.
The stop is part of INDOT’s $600 million, 10‑year plan to expand truck parking in the state.
"In Boone County, you have I-65 that runs between Indianapolis and Chicago, so you have a highly-traveled area like that, it is always important that we take care of folks traveling through that area, especially our truckers,” Blake Dollier with INDOT West Central said.
While the Indiana Motor Truck Association says the new parking is helpful, the group says federal involvement is needed to make a nationwide change and that the shortage of spots affects the supply chain. They want to see federal dollars dedicated to truck parking in the budget.
"If they are about our out-of-hours of service, which are vital, they have to find a place to park,” Gary Langston, the president of the Indiana Motor Truck Association, said. “They often have to stop when they know there is a parking spot even though they might be able to go another hour down the road. That does impact service. "
INDOT says the effort will grow in the years ahead. The agency’s 10‑year plan is expected to fund improvements to 21 rest areas, welcome centers and truck parking facilities across the state, with the goal of modernizing facilities to provide a more relaxing and informative area for drivers.
The next rest area scheduled to open is the Clear Creek Welcome Center, also on I-65, which INDOT says will likely open later this year.
