Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Office of Acquisition Management, 400 7th St. SW, Washington, DC, 20590

A -- STUDY OF ADEQUACY OF COMMERCIAL TRUCK PARKING FACILITIES: REQUEST FOR INFORMATION SOL RFI-ST-001 DUE 072399 POC Sarah Tarpgaard, Contract Specialist, Phone (202)366-5750, Fax (202)366-3705, Email sarah.tarpgaard@fhwa.dot.gov -- Rick Murray, Contract Specialist, Phone (202) 366-4250, Fax (202) 366-3705, Email WEB: Visit this URL for the latest information about this, http://www.eps.gov/cgi-bin/WebObjects/EPS?ACode=R&;ProjID=RFI-ST-001&Lo cID=30. E-MAIL: Sarah Tarpgaard, sarah.tarpgaard@fhwa.dot.gov. This is a Request for Information. This is not a solicitation, a request for proposals (RFP), or a request for applications (RFA) of federal assistance. Interested parties are invited to submit comments to Sarah Tarpgaard at the address above. Technical questions should be directed to Robert E. L. Davis, (202) 366-2997, or by electronic mail at Robert.Davis@fhwa.dot.gov. SUMMARY: The Federal Highway Administration_s Office of Motor Carrier & Highway Safety (OMCHS) will conduct research to ascertain where improvements in commercial motor vehicle parking are needed along the National Highway System and identify means to provide more spaces where needed. As part of its planning process for this research, the OMCHS seeks feedback from interested parties about: the appropriate focus of the research study; important tasks to include; information sources to consult; interested participants to contact for input and feedback; etc. PURPOSE: The OMCHS recognizes that the challenge of providing adequate, safe,off-road parking for commercial motor vehicle operators needing rest has been the province of State and local officials, as well as private sector operatives, for many decades. The OMCHS also acknowledges that these sources, along with officials from the motor carrier industry and certain safety organizations, offer the most knowledgeable perspective about both the problem and some potentially effective solutions. For this reason, the OMCHS is soliciting feedback through this Request for Information and the forthcoming Rest Area Forum (described below). OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this Request for Information are to (1) obtain feedback on how best to design, focus, and conduct this Congressionally required research into commercial motor vehicle rest parking needs, and (2) based on the feedback, prepare the Request for Proposal that will seek contractual assistance in conducting the study itself. BACKGROUND: Section 4027 of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA21) requires a study by the Secretary of Transportation to determine the _location and quantity of parking facilities at commercial truck stops and travel plazas and public rest areas that could be use by motor carriers to comply with Federal hours-of-service rules._ Section 4027 calls for three things: a nationwide inventory of rest areas and other parking facilities along the National Highway System; an analysis of shortages, real and projected; and development of a plan to reduce the shortages. The Section also stipulates that this research is to be conducted in cooperation with research organizations that represent the motor carrier industry, the travel plaza industry, and commercial motor vehicle drivers. This is not the first study by the OMCHS to assess commercial vehicle parking needs. In cooperation with the American Trucking Associations_ Trucking Research Institute (TRI), the OMCHS undertook a study, completed in 1996, that assessed the availability and demand for public rest area and privately owned truck stop parking along the Interstate highway system (not the larger National Highway System called for in the TEA21 study). The Interstate system was chosen for this review, due to(1)its predominant use by commercial vehicle operators engaged in long-haul operations, and(2)indications from earlier reports that the Interstate system was the area in greatest need, especially at night, of safe off-road parking of commercial vehicles. The 1996 study: catalogued information about 1,487 public rest areas along Interstate highways in the Continental U.S.; surveyed drivers, motor carriers, and truck stop operators about parking issues; and projected, based on statistical modeling, some significant shortages in public parking availability. The 1996 research also sought to generate a weighted sample of available parking at privately owned truck stops across the U.S. While results of the truck stop sample were not conclusive, it projected that privately owned spaces, too, were frequently at a premium. It also noted that planned expansions by many of the truck stop operators did offer the potential for greater parking opportunities. Yet, substitution of private spaces for public, and vice versa, was not a viable option. A critical survey finding revealed that commercial drivers tend to choose public and private parking for different reasons, and that the two were not necessarily interchangeable. The OMCHS hopes that the work that went into the 1996 study, within reason, could be appropriately applied to the design of the TEA21 study, so that needless duplication of effort may be avoided. Also, the OMCHS believes that the significant findings from the former study should not be lost in considering the focus of the latter. Therefore, respondents may wish to consider the achievements, and the omissions, of the 1996 study in offering their recommendations for the design and focus of the subject TEA21 study.(Copies of the final report may be obtained electronically at www.eps.gov (Select _EPS for Vendors_ option, then select the _Posted Dates_ link that is to the right of the _DOT_,look for the report as a related document to this RFI posted 5/21/99 entitled _Study of Adequacy of Commercial Truck Parking Facilities: Request for Information_) or from the National Technical Information Service by calling (703) 605-6000. Ask for final report PB97-124705.) In addition to asking for public feedback on the TEA21 study requirements, the OMCHS has determined that another appropriate step in formulating a study design would be to convene a public meeting of persons actively engaged in solving the parking problem for commercial vehicle operators. Accordingly, on June 29 and 30,1999, in Atlanta, Georgia, the OMCHS will host a Rest Area Forum for State enforcement and department of transportation officials, motor carriers, private truck stop operators, commercial drivers, safety advocates, and other interested parties. During the Forum, attendees will be asked to:(1)review, with their peers from the public and private sectors, various issues surrounding the current provision of parking, by both public and private parties, for commercial drivers to use for resting, particularly at night; (2)describe and document _success stories_ and _best practices_ being employed to alleviate shortages of parking spaces and enhance their safety during day and nighttime hours;(3)consider effective means to provide _real-time_ information to commercial drivers in need of rest about available parking spaces at privately owned truck stops or public rest areas;(4)identify appropriate actions, initiatives, and pilot efforts that could be undertaken by both public and private sources to expand the number of safe, accessible parking spaces across the United States; and(5)identify any needed legislative initiatives, including the provision of resources, that would be helpful in facilitating the improvement of commercial vehicle parking. Feedback obtained from this Forum will be included with information obtained from respondents to this Request for Information in formulating the future Request for Proposal for the TEA21 research study. For further information of the Forum in Atlanta, contact Dr. Pat Hamilton at (703) 818-7070 or email DrPatHamilton@Erols.com. EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST: Interested parties are invited to contribute their feedback by including the following in their submissions:(1)Name of organization, address, phone number(s), facsimile number, point(s) of contact, title, and email address;(2)A brief description of the submitting organization; and(3)Any innovative ideas, recommendations, points for consideration, and experiences that the OMCHS should consider in developing the final Request for Proposal for the TEA21 parking study. TIME LINE: Respondents are asked to submit their recommendations for conduct of this important research effort to Sarah Tarpgaard at the above mailing or email address by July 23, 1999. Posted 05/21/99 (D-SN334485). (0141)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0007 19990525\A-0007.SOL)