The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is considering funding projects using commercially-available technologies to provide real-time parking availability to truck drivers on the road.

Last week, the FMCSA published a solicitation from vendors for a project it called SmartPark The agency said $2 million in funding is available for one or more projects, which will be announced in the fall.
According to a recent issue of the National Association of Truck Stop Operators, (NATSO) newsletter, a funded project would involve a team of three entities, which include a truckstop owner or operator, a government transportation agency with jurisdiction over a highway and signage and an organization with experience and expertise in parking management technology, including Intelligent Transportation Systems.
The FMCSA appears to expect a 50-mile radius of operation, with a three-truckstop involvement and an ability to notify drivers at 50-mile and one-mile points regarding available parking. All proposals are due Sept. 16.
For more information, go to www.fmcsa.dot.gov.