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Congress is considering a new infrastructure bill. It’s called the Build America 250 Bill, and at $500 billion, it doesn’t promise as much money as the $1.2 trillion Biden Administration Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that it will effectively serve as follow-up to. What it does promise are two massive lifestyle wins for truckers.
The bill specifically mentions “supporting our nation’s truck drivers” with a “Trucker Dignity” Package of provisions. One would mandate that shippers and other trucking customers must give drivers access to their restrooms while they are waiting to load or unload. It’s the kind of thing one would think shouldn’t need to be written into law, but as one trucker pointed out in a Facebook post, some customers will indeed deny use of their restrooms to drivers. This rule would also require ports to provide restrooms for their drayage drivers.
Peterbilt
The other big potential win for truckers is a proposed $150 million in annual competitive grants through 2031 (or $750 million total) for increased truck parking. The bill prohibits charging fees to drivers who use parking built with these grants. This is an update of Jason’s Law, a federal initiative to increase truck parking that goes back to 2012, and is named after Jason Rivenburg, a driver who was murdered while parked at an abandoned gas station after failing to find a safer spot.
In addition to these quality-of-life provisions, the bill also directs the federal Department of Transportation to crack down on predatory “rent-to-own” agreements in which carriers manipulate a driver’s work and debt to keep them in a financial hole.
Freightliner
The rules around trucks themselves may also soon change. In line with a broader deregulation effort, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has pushed to eliminate forced engine derating and shutdown due to low diesel exhaust fluid. That’s the stuff that breaks down nitrogen oxides in exhaust gases to further reduce emissions. A bill was introduced in Congress in November 2025 to be more lenient in freezing temperatures specifically, with supporters noting that diesel exhaust fluid freezes at 12 degrees Fahrenheit.
Whether emissions rollbacks are worth the long-term consequences of dirtier air remains to be seen, but more guaranteed free parking and bathroom access seem like no-brainers for helping hard-working truckers.
Got a tip about improving the life for those that support everyone? Send us a line at tips@thedrive.com
Stephen has always been passionate about cars, and managed to turn that passion into a career as a freelance automotive journalist. When he’s not handling weekend coverage for The Drive, you can find him looking for a new book to read.
