About truck parking
Trucks move an estimated 85 percent of all manufactured goods in Minnesota, including household items. Truck parking is an important resource because truck drivers need a safe place to rest as well as to meet trucking requirements.
MnDOT operates and maintains rest areas with truck parking across the state for safety. However, over 82 percent of all truck parking in Minnesota is owned and operated by private companies, such as truck stops, shippers and carriers.
2026 Truck Parking Study
The 2026 Statewide Truck Parking Study identifies existing parking trends and an inventory of public and private spaces, identifies where the areas of highest need are in the State, and describes solutions that can be pursued to address the truck parking shortage in Minnesota. The study was completed during the federal Jason’s Law Survey, capturing updated data to respond to the survey.
Throughout the study, various industry stakeholders were engaged through various channels. From private truck stop operators, to trucking companies, academia, local governments, and truck drivers themselves, input from those who are connected to trucking played an important role in guiding the Study.
MnDOT will use the Truck Parking Study to help inform decision-making around truck parking solutions, such as parking at our state public rest areas and solutions in tandem with the truck parking industry.
Study findings show:
- There are 4,620 truck parking spaces in Minnesota across 205 locations.
- 18% of the parking spaces are located at public rest areas and wayside rest Areas.
- Minnesota’s existing supply of parking is not sufficient to accommodate truck parking demand.
- The study determined a 1,602-space statewide truck parking deficit.
- 700 spaces of the truck parking shortage are in the Twin Cities metro area.
Key recommendations of the study are:
- MnDOT will propose future public-private partnership programs to support initiatives that increase truck parking capacity.
- The study recommended development of a new regional truck parking facility to help address severe overcapacity in the Twin Cities region.
- Truck Parking demand at the St. Croix Rest Area needs to be reevaluated. An initial field survey of the Rest Area found overcapacity conditions of over 190% of paved parking capacity on an average night.