REST AREAS * USA - Industry Support of 'Jason's Law'

With Rest areas closing across the nation, a law to make sure more are opened?

Northern Illinois,ILL,USA -CleanMPG, by Wayne Gerdes -Mar. 16, 2010: -- The American Trucking Associations encourages Congress to pass "Jason's Law" to address shortages in safe parking for commercial motor vehicles on the National Highway System, said ATA Senior Vice President, Dave Osiecki, today during a press conference on Capitol Hill. The legislation allows the Secretary of Transportation, in cooperation with appropriate State, regional, and local governments, to allocate funds for new safety rest areas and the expansion and improvement of existing safety rest areas that serve the highway system... ATA is disturbed by the recent efforts of some states to balance their budgets by cutting funds for safety rest areas. Not only are safety rest area closings an inconvenience for all motorists, but they also jeopardize highway safety... The creation of more long-term truck parking has been a longstanding issue within the trucking industry. By 2020 the trucking industry will need to put over 1.8 million additional trucks on the road to meet our nation's freight demand... (Photo: New Market Rest area in VA was closed but may be reopened if it has not been already?)