Truck Stop New Development Demand by State and What Highway Ateries have Unmet Demand based on per Mile Diesel Consumption Trends: 21 Powerful Insights (2025 Guide)
- Donald Safranek
- Nov 9
- 6 min read
Executive Snapshot: Where New Truck Stops Pencil in 2025
Demand concentrates where diesel sales per interstate mile are high and parking supply is tight. Using FHWA motor-fuel tables for special fuels (diesel), interstate mileage by state, Jason’s Law parking findings, and ATRI’s annual bottleneck maps, the best bets cluster along I-10, I-95, I-40, I-35, I-81, I-5, I-70, I-75, I-80—especially at port, border, and major DC (distribution center) nodes. FHWA Operations+3Federal Highway Administration+3Federal Highway Administration
How We Measure “Unmet Demand”
We triangulate four signals:
Diesel-per-mile proxy (state level):Diesel gallons (special fuels)÷Interstate miles\{Diesel gallons (special fuels)} \div \{Interstate miles}Diesel gallons (special fuels)÷Interstate miles ⇒ traffic-weighted fuel intensity. FHWA’s MF-33SF/MF-21 fuel tables provide diesel volumes; HM-20 details interstate mileage. Federal Highway Administration
Parking scarcity (Jason’s Law):National surveys find widespread shortages, especially nighttime, mid-week; FHWA maintains Jason’s Law resources and metrics. FHWA Operations
Congestion/bottlenecks (ATRI):ATRI’s Top 100 Truck Bottlenecks flag freight-choked interchanges—often where turnpike-adjacent fuel/parking is under-supplied. Trucking Research
Freight flows (FAF5):FAF5 shows tonnage/flows by corridor/metro—useful for backing local gap calls. Bureau of Transportation Statistics
State Demand Ranking (Indicative, 2025)
Important: This list uses the diesel-per-interstate-mile proxy (high = tighter demand per roadway) and overlays parking scarcity & bottleneck signals. For exact numeric ranks, we’d compute from MF-33SF and HM-20 tables; below is the directional 50-state view to prioritize diligence.
Top 15 States (highest diesel-per-mile + parking stress)
New Jersey – Extreme flow density (I-95, I-78, I-80, Turnpike) + #1 ATRI bottleneck at Fort Lee; chronic parking scarcity. TT News
Texas – Massive diesel volumes across I-10/I-35/I-45/I-20; multiple Houston/Dallas bottlenecks; border-driven freight. Houston Chronicle
Georgia – I-75/I-85/I-20 hub; ATL metro bottlenecks; Savannah port hinterland. Trucking Research
Florida – I-95/I-75/I-10 flows + statewide parking pressure (tourism + distribution). FHWA Operations
California – I-5/I-10/I-15/CA-99 + ports LA/LB; pricing/renewable diesel trends affect mix, not flow density. Reuters
Illinois – I-55/I-57/I-80/I-90/I-94; Chicagoland DC nexus; recurrent bottlenecks. Trucking Research
Tennessee – Cross-continental I-40 + I-24/I-65 junctions; mid-South DC growth. FHWA Operations
Pennsylvania – I-80/I-76/I-81; Appalachian ridge corridors; year-round heavy haul. FHWA Operations
Ohio – I-70/I-71/I-75; Midwest-to-East through-traffic; strong FAF flows. Bureau of Transportation Statistics
North Carolina – I-95 spine + I-40/I-85; rising DCs; tight parking. FHWA Operations
South Carolina – I-26/I-95; Charleston/Savannah port arcs; parking gaps. FHWA Operations
Virginia – I-95/I-81; Shenandoah truck river; recurring nighttime shortages. FHWA Operations
Missouri – I-70 cross-country link, KC–St. Louis DC corridor. FHWA Operations
Arizona – I-10/I-40 cross-desert legs; long between-stop spacing. FHWA Operations
Indiana – I-65/I-70/I-69 hub; heavy pass-through tonnage. FHWA Operations
Middle Band (balanced)
AL, AR, CT, CO, KS, KY, LA, MD, MI, MN, MS, NV, NH, NM, OK, OR, RI, UT, WA, WI — demand pockets exist at specific interchanges and long gaps between full-service stops. FHWA Operations
Bottom 10 (lower diesel-per-mile or ample capacity)
AK, HI, ID, IA, ME, MT, NE, ND, SD, WY — long distances and lower flow density mean select sites can work (e.g., tourist/energy corridors), but broad unmet demand is less common. Federal Highway Administration
Method Notes for the Ranking
Diesel proxy: FHWA MF-33SF / MF-21 (special fuels ≈ on-highway diesel) allocate gallons by state; HM-20 gives interstate mileage. Higher gallons per interstate mile ⇒ higher through-traffic intensity. Federal Highway Administration+1
Parking overlay: Jason’s Law confirms nationwide shortages with corridor clustering; we weight states showing persistent nighttime capacity deficits. FHWA Operations
Bottlenecks: ATRI Top 100 identifies recurrent congestion—often correlating with under-supplied parking/fuel near interchanges. Trucking Research
Freight flows: FAF5 tonnage validates corridor choice (ports, border crossings, mega-DC arcs). Bureau of Transportation Statistics
Want a numeric, sortable 50-state table (diesel gallons, interstate miles, gallons/mile, and a “parking stress” flag)? I can generate it on request.
Corridor Hot List: Highway Arteries With Likely Unmet Demand
East–West trunks:
I-10 (CA–AZ–NM–TX–LA–MS–AL–FL): Long legs, desert gaps (AZ/NM), Houston–Beaumont congestion, and Florida Panhandle spacing. FHWA Operations+1
I-40 (CA–AZ–NM–TX–OK–AR–TN–NC): High through trucks; Knoxville–Nashville–Memphis nodes; long rural gaps west of OKC/Amarillo. FHWA Operations
I-70 (UT–CO–KS–MO–IL–IN–OH–PA–MD): St. Louis–Columbus–Pittsburgh arc; mountain grades (CO) stretch range. FHWA Operations
I-80 (CA–NV–UT–WY–NE–IA–IL–IN–OH–PA–NJ): Bay Area to Newark port/rail gateways; wide-gap rural segments (NV/WY). FHWA Operations
North–South spines:
I-95 (FL–ME): Nation’s densest corridor; chronic NJ/NY/CT choke points and parking scarcity. TT News
I-35 (TX–OK–KS–MO–IA–MN): Laredo border flows; DFW–Austin–San Antonio growth; Kansas City handoff to I-70/I-29. Houston Chronicle
I-81 (TN–NY): Appalachian truck river with limited safe, legal parking in segments; strong overnight demand. FHWA Operations
I-5 (CA–OR–WA): Ports LA/LB, Oakland, Tacoma/Seattle; renewable diesel share up, but flow density remains high. Reuters
I-75 (FL–GA–TN–KY–OH–MI): Tourist + Midwest freight; Atlanta and Cincinnati–Dayton arcs. Trucking Research
I-20 (TX–LA–MS–AL–GA–SC spur): Dallas–Shreveport–Birmingham–ATL; fewer full-service stops west of Shreveport. FHWA Operations
Port & border pressure points:LA/LB, Savannah/Charleston, Houston, Jacksonville/Tampa, Newark/NYC, Laredo, El Paso, Detroit–Windsor—all show sustained freight surges and parking shortfalls. Bureau of Transportation Statistics
Parking Scarcity: Where Spaces Are Tightest
FHWA’s Jason’s Law materials reaffirm nationwide truck parking shortages, with the worst conditions mid-week nights and at urban interchanges. This aligns with ATRI’s bottleneck clusters and explains why reserve/paid parking near chokepoints monetizes quickly. FHWA Operations+1
Diesel & Price Trends That Shift Spend
Macro diesel demand softened in 2024–2025 (manufacturing flat; renewable diesel penetration), but corridor-level flow density along major interstates remains resilient—your location and capture rate matter more than national averages. Reuters+1
Site Selection Playbook (State + Corridor)
Favor interchanges where ATRI shows recurring congestion and Jason’s Law notes parking gaps. Trucking Research
Target 30–50 trailer stalls per fuel lane (scale to demand), separate car/truck traffic, and design easy in–out for doubles.
Within ½–1 mile of the ramp, with dedicated right-in/right-out and room for queuing.
Footprint & Throughput Math
Fuel: 8–12 diesel lanes w/ high-flow + DEF, canopy clear heights.
Parking: Begin 100–150 tractor-trailer stalls in high-pressure states; reserve parking (dynamic priced) for night peaks.
Amenities: 10–20 showers, laundry, 24/7 food (QSR + hot case), strong Wi-Fi, lounge, secure pet area.
Future-proofing: Battery-electric truck layover power, reefer plug-ins, micro-DC lockers.
Unit Economics & Sensitivities
Fuel: Margin per gallon is thin; the play is throughput + attachment (DEF, oils, add-ons).
Inside sales: Hot food, coffee, c-store basket, showers, laundry, paid parking → >50% of profit in many sites.
Sensitivities: Competing builds within 20–30 miles, access management limits, turn lane/storage length, utility costs, and local restrictions on idling/overnight parking.
Amenity Must-Haves vs. Overbuild
Must-haves (2025): Reserve parking, plentiful/clean showers, fast hot food, secure/well-lit lot, tire/maintenance partner bay, pet relief, DEF at the pump, Wi-Fi that works.Think twice: Oversized sit-down dining rooms (low turns), underused boutique retail, amenities that slow ingress/egress.
Regulatory & Funding Angles
Track FHWA/FMCSA memos and parking-grant pathways; several programs emphasize truck parking safety and allow Title 23/49 funds for projects that add capacity or information systems. FMCSA
Risk Map
Community resistance (noise, lighting, idling).
Overbuild risk if two chains announce within the same exit pair.
Utility upgrades (3-phase power for high-flow, kitchen, EV/reefer plugs).
Right-of-way and access (turn restrictions, medians).
10-Step Diligence Checklist
Pull MF-33SF diesel gallons (12 months) and HM-20 interstate miles; compute gallons/mile. Federal Highway Administration
Overlay ATRI bottlenecks and Jason’s Law corridor notes. Trucking Research
Validate with FAF5 freight flows and nearby ports/borders/DCs. Bureau of Transportation Statistics
Count competing stops within 30 miles; score stall inventory and paid/reserve options.
Conduct night counts (Tue–Thu) at 11pm and 3am.
Check access geometry and truck turning (WB-67 template).
Confirm utility capacity (gas, water, 3-phase electric).
Price paid parking and shower comps; test dynamic pricing.
Engage DOT access early (turn lanes, signals).
Pre-lease QSR/coffee/burger and maintenance partner.
FAQs
Q1. How do I get a numeric state-by-state diesel-per-mile list?Use FHWA MF-33SF/MF-21 for diesel volumes and HM-20 for interstate miles. Divide and sort; then overlay parking/bottleneck layers for final prioritization. Federal Highway Administration+2Federal Highway Administration
Q2. Which single corridor has the most consistent unmet parking?I-95 (NJ/NY/CT)—ATRI’s top bottlenecks center here, and Jason’s Law highlights persistent night shortages. TT News
Q3. Are diesel demand dips in 2024–2025 a red flag?Nationally softer, yes—but corridor flows on major interstates remain strong. Location selection beats macro averages. Reuters
Q4. How do renewable diesel trends affect this plan?They shift fuel mix, not corridor truck counts. West Coast sees higher renewable shares; build DEF + add-ons regardless. Reuters
Q5. What parking count should I start with?In top-pressure states/corridors, 100–150 stalls with reserve capability and room to expand.
Q6. Best early revenue levers?Reserve parking, showers, hot food, coffee, DEF, and maintenance partner bays.
Conclusion & Next Steps
If your goal is Truck Stop New Development Demand by State and What Highway Ateries have Unmet Demand based on per Mile Diesel Consumption Trends, start where diesel-per-interstate-mile is highest, ATRI bottlenecks recur, and Jason’s Law flags persistent shortages—namely NJ, TX, GA, FL, CA, IL, TN, PA, OH, NC/SC/VA and the big corridors I-10, I-95, I-40, I-35, I-81, I-5, I-70, I-75, I-80, I-20. Then narrow to specific exits with proven night overflow and poor amenities.
External resource (bookmark): FHWA Highway Statistics (fuel & mileage tables) → “MF” and “HM” series.
1968 South Coast Highway
Suite 2382
Laguna Beach CA 92651
Comments