Minneapolis moves forward with controversial semi truck parking ban

Minneapolis city officials are moving forward with a sweeping plan to ban truck parking within city limits.

The Minneapolis City Council’s Transportation and Public Works Committee voted 4-0 in favor of a proposed ordinance that would forbid truck parking within the city.

Following the vote in favor, the proposal will move on to the full City Council within the next few weeks. If the proposal passes, the truck parking ban would go into effect in 2022.

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:

1. During the loading or unloading of passengers. 
2. 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 strongly opposes the measure and points out that “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.”