Yet another city is preparing to join the ranks of those who try to ban commercial vehicle parking in one way or another. The Pierce County Council, home of Tacoma, WA, will be voting on whether or not to ban trucks from parking in residential areas at night. The council’s Public Safety and Human Services Committee already unanimously voted in June to recommend the proposal.
The Pierce County Council will not be the first council to try to ban trucks on their streets. Last year the council of Warner Robins voted to adopt a city-wide ban on truck parking lasting longer than two hours. Due in no small part to a swift and vocal outcry from the trucking community, the council voted three weeks later to repeal that ban.
Though also voting to limit truck parking, the situation in Pierce County is slightly different. The ban would only place a limit on parking in residential areas, and only at night (from 10pm to 6am). Though that is a less strict ban, it still presents significant difficulties for truckers who live and work in the area.
At a meeting in June, one Councilman said that he’s hoping that the ban would prevent truckers from parking in front of residents’ houses since they are both annoying and pose a danger to locals. He also commented that “there’s a huge group of truckers dumping their trucks all over… I don’t know what the influx is for.”
The councilman’s hope that truckers will just park somewhere else isn’t as easy as simply saying “don’t park here.” According to Jim Tutton, vice president of the Washington Trucking Associations, the overnight truck parking problem is due to a lack of truck parking facilities.
Despite the clear logical and logistical issues with the proposal, some locals are hopeful that instituting fines of $175 for each citation will solve their truck problem.
“It will get them to put their trucks in a terminal or a safer place than parking it on a county street overnight,” said one resident. ““I’m worried about somebody getting hurt.”
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Source: thenewstribune
Scott Coyle says
Another instance of the blind leading the blind. Ok so I am quite sure if it was a proposal where a driver would have to show its within an acceptable range of where they live most drivers wouldnt have an issue seeing as how one of their major complaints is trucks being “dumped” everywhere. Now as for a safety aspect it no different then trying to sue the city over a round a bout a drunk driver hits saying it shouldnt be there. The only difference is as we all know finding a place to park your truck on hometime is near impossible. Look at Iowa for example their believe is to close rest areas or destroy them without replacing them. No one ever decides hey lets work out a compromise. Another example would be if you domt want me to park here even though I pay my taxs then guess what your family parking on the street during the holiday or your birthday is just as dangerous so you will need to bus them in but only in a small car.
bullman says
What are you talking about look at Iowa? Iowa just got finished building 2new rest areas a year ago. One on the east bound and one on the west bound and 2others 3years before that. Also one on east bound and one on west bound sides on each end of the state off of interstate 80 also Iowa has opened up a new TA travel center around the (200) mile marker it is not the exact mile marker but as I was saying they just opened up the TA although it was a shuttered gas station but they still open it also they built the new loves in Davenport Iowa last year and they are building a new Loves in Avoca Iowa just west of the flying J or pilot west of the Avoca scales so get your facts straight please if anything Iowa is trying to help the truckers with parking not take away.
josh says
Another reason why I will never go back to OTR, this is a bunch of nonsense and everyone goes along with it. When they have only steering wheel holders running OTR then they can have something to really cry about.
Joe Skeptical says
If drivers insisted dispatch trip plan loads when assigning them – including parking places – watch how many new parking facilities would appear and how fast.
James C says
Gee, tell the Tocoma alderman to pass approvals for truck stops in the area, then. A lot of areas can’t get truck stops because the host counties won’t approve building permits for them.
Frank says
Truckers are usually perceived as “lowly, unedju-mated” workers/people….many times this may be the case. Driving a truck “in parts unknown” with limited knowledge of geography 24/7 can be “mind challenging” especially for new drivers.
I drove for (6) months; essentially nothing at all. My company,…..not really mentionable, cause’ they’re all the same….paid like shit,….argued about what they owed me….had crappy equipment, etc. Yeah….I know the “new guys” stories with equipment and pay….but I should have made SOME money right?!!
As truckers haven’t had an “effective pay raise in 25 years”,….I suggest to men/women to try and find ANYTHING else other than trucking to do to pay for one’s life……ANYTHING. It’s not a sexy job…when you need to “take a crap under your rig because the doors are closed everywhere at 2am!” Everyone would like to drive a local run….any “HillBilly” can do that…but it takes 3-4 years of running in shit weather and shit paying jobs to even make 40k a year…..yeah….who can live on that?
Maybe we can put the “Senators” kids in behind a wheel for a year and see how they must be forced to live on 20K a year for (2) years; reality for new drivers. Guaranteed change would take place. Some drivers can “balance a chemical equation”….we’re not all high school drop outs.
jerri says
Omg if the truck is parked and not on what damage is the truck gone do. They act like the truck is a person. When a person or car pass by it. The truck comes to life grow arms and hit somebody. Im curious to no how dangerous is a parked truck. All these drivers should just keep on parking their rigs in their yard. I view it like this is my land I paid for it I pay taxes on I control what happens on it. Caz I take my rig home. Im waiting on my neighbors to say just one word to me. These people don’t get it if they make it hard on us they dont realize how the get their food, gas, etc.
Crown Royal says
A lot of the parking issues truck drivers face are due in part to supposedly “professionals” behaving like children. Not cleaning up after themselves. Most will discard mounds of trash right where they park. Old blown out tires. Not to mention piss bottles strewn everywhere. Plus they run over landscaping and anything else in their way. It’s comical. Somebody has to pay to have the property repaired, litter cleaned up, etc. I been behind the wheel of a truck for 13 yrs. This industry is a complete joke.
Big Ugly says
And the idiocy knows no bounds with today’s stories.
Truckers in the area have a simple solution. Park your trucks at home anyway. They get a ticket book out tear it up & dare then to write another. And no town or city is going to try & impound dozens of trucks. It just won’t happen. Civil disobedience, when done peacefully, is effective. If they go to the next level threatening violent repercussions, which would be ridiculous of the city’s so called ‘Peace Officers’ to try, it would not turn out good for them in the internet age. The proverbial smart phone camera & YouTube can keep the most corrupt of politicians & cops trying to enforce blatantly stupid ordinances in check.
Tim says
The city of Sumner which has one of the biggest warehouse areas in Pierce County already banned truck parking on city streets over a decade ago – partly I think, to help provide some additional revenue for its lone truck stop on WA 167.
Joel says
You mean the truck stop with the lunar landscape for a parking lot that charges $13 for 12 hrs parking?
Sam says
It would make sense that if the community bans truck parking and they are serviced by trucks then they should be required to provide safe secure parking elsewhere but close enough that the drivers can make their dock times and take their mandated breaks. If not I’d ban deliveries to these communities or double maybe triple the price of deliveries to these ares. That should get their attention.
Dave says
They don’t want to give truckers parking, stop delivering to that area. Once the residents don’t have food, clothes, etc., only then will they realize that truckers move America and need night parking. If I get a load going there, I’ll refuse to take it. My company will have to get another driver.
Ryan Komlo says
Would be funny lol, they would understand that without truckers they would have nothing not even a job, including the politicians. Everything comes on a truck even the paper they wipe their ### with.
Joe Skeptical says
They will. They can. They do.
Wistenr71 says
Stick together as fellow drivers and do not deliver to theses arrogant Aholes !!!
Let’s see them cry for goods !!
Bill says
I say we stop deliveries there! See how they like that.
Larry says
Many cities disallow parking and we all found that out quickly once we became O/O’s, even in a 6 wheeler in my case. If you thought that would change you must have been dreaming. Even in Detroit’s burbs you could not park close to home usually. However, if you can’t park anywhere that’s a big problem! Boycotts never work for many reasons but pressure from your carriers might carry some weight. If I were still driving out here in California it would be o.k. in many areas but that may be due to the complete lack of facilities anywhere in the Bay area, including any rest areas. Unbelievable!
Macgyver says
Funny how these guys want all the help they can get for information on other crimes, I.E. human traffiking and hijacking, but they act like sharks and bite anything that moves.
Cop: “Did you see anything?”
Driver: “Saw the whole thing.”
Cop: “Want to tell me about it?”
Driver: “No, your on your own.”
Fireball says
Everyone bitches and moans about these places on the Left coast and the Northeast yet you continue to go there. Use to go out there regularly until I just said enough was enough. I have only been west of I-35 once in the last 4 years nor north of Fredericksburg, Va. in a long while with no loss of miles or income. They’re liberals and are not going to change so either stop delivering their stuff or stop complaining.
Gregg G. says
Christ!!! Figure it out! Talking about parking in home state around the house? Do like I done, rent a spot. Be surprise if you look, most places are other truck companies, dump truck yards, some malls, they are around and most are fenced in. I never paid over $75 a month per space. Forget that wakeing up and finding a ticket or intent to tow or some cop banging on my door 11pm telling me to move my truck. FYI. one thing to find out though, If you can prove that your trucks has been parking (in front of your house etc.) for x amount of years (your INC. address) you can get grandfathered. Few my buddies got that, their fathers parked the truck there in front of the house, same copany address and now they do, but it’s just the tractor not the whole rig.
Beside’s who woudn’t bitch seeing a 53′ rig on the street
jeff beyer says
I own the house next door. I didn’t buy it to hear and smell a large truck coming and going at all hours of the day or night. I own a metal stamping company. I don’t expect my neighbors to listen to that either. I rent property in a commercially zoned area and conduct my business tbere. Truck owners and drivers should do the same.
Joe Skeptical says
Will this town also prohibit products delivered by trucks? That would be fair and consistent, just like preventing construction of power stations AND banning use of electricity.
HLeeming says
So I guess they don’t need human services, in the way of commercial services. Unfortunately truck driving is they only occupation you will take on that you could sit for hours or even days with no compensation for the hours you work. You would be better off to own any other piece of equipment and hire yourself out by the hour.
snowlauncher says
No matter how hard it makes it on drivers not having a place to park legally. No matter how many smart drivers refuse to pickup or deliver in these areas that are unwelcoming to drivers. No matter. No matter. No matter…they will ALWAYS get the products they need delivered because there are too many naive, new, and desperate drivers that will bring the freight. The truck hating public and politicians will be unnafected and continue to place more restrictions. Drivers will just have to deal with it as they always have because they need to feed the family.