This week, city official in Minneapolis will vote on a controversial proposal that would effectively ban drivers from parking a semi truck in city limits under many circumstances.
On June 23, the Minneapolis Transportation and Public Works Committee will vote on a proposed ordinance to forbid trucking parking within city limits, with a few exceptions.
Under the proposed ordinance, “No vehicle or hitched or unhitched combination, with or without load, which weighs more than twenty-six thousand (26,000) pounds or is registered for a gross weight of more than twenty-six thousand (26,000) pounds shall be permitted to stop, stand, or park on any street unless one of the following exceptions is met.“
The city would only allow truck parking under the following circumstances if the ordinance passes:
- During the loading or unloading of passengers.
- When the vehicle is stopped, parked, or standing in compliance with specially posted signals or signs regulating the weight of a vehicle or combination, or at the directions of an authorized traffic control agent or police officer.
The fine for violation of the proposed parking ban would be $150.00 from January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022. After that, the fine would increase to $250.
The Minnesota Trucking Association released a statement outlining the reasons that they oppose the truck parking ban. You can read the statement in full below:
The Minnesota Trucking Association strongly opposes the truck parking ban under consideration by the City of Minneapolis. If approved, this ban would force truck drivers to park outside of the city, which would impede on-time deliveries and disrupt daily commerce.
The city is pursuing this action at a time when there is a serious shortage of safe parking options for trucks in the Twin Cities and across the state. Every day, professional truck drivers deliver essential food, medicine, products, materials and supplies to our communities and local businesses. Throughout the worst days of the pandemic, truck drivers played a critical role in supporting our supply chains that continue to be stretched to their limits.
Many of the trucks parked overnight are owned by independent contractors who live in Minneapolis. These small businesses, many of whom are minority owned, would have no viable alternative for overnight parking. This ban could effectively force many of these hard-working residents to choose between their livelihood and the place they call home. With an existing truck driver shortage we simply cannot afford to have qualified drivers leave the industry.
We should be looking for ways to provide more safe parking for truck drivers, instead of pursuing a policy that would diminish an essential industry and do real economic harm to the city. We call on the Minneapolis City Council to craft a fundamentally fair policy that balances parking management concerns with the essential services truck drivers provide. We would welcome the opportunity to work with Minneapolis leaders to develop a smart solution.
• 96.5% of manufactured tonnage is transported by trucks in Minnesota.
• 21,560 trucking companies are located in Minnesota, primarily small and locally-owned.
• Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers hold 35,150 jobs with an average salary of $50,200.
The MTA is recommending that local drivers sign up to speak out against the ordinance. You can click here for more information on how to do it.