The panelists at a seminar on truck parking at the Mid-America Trucking Show last week consisted of representatives from the DOT, law enforcement, owner-operators, and large carriers. These groups don’t generally see eye-to-eye from a policy standpoint, but one thing they do agree on is that “all the money in the world” won’t solve the truck parking issue.
It seems so simple; if there isn’t enough parking, build more parking spots. But according to the experts on the panel, that’s not enough.
“Spaces obviously are good and are needed,” said Scott Grenerth, head of regulatory affairs for the Owner Operator Independent Driver Association. “But it’s going to take more than just spaces. We need them in the right places, and they need to be accessible and safe.”
That “right places” bit may be the hardest. Since freight movement and the industry as a whole changes so rapidly, knowing where to put more parking has been an issue. The greatly anticipated Panama Canal expansion for example has the potential to make a major impact on where freight enters the country. According to the Federal Highway Administration’s Tom Kearney, freight shifts like this make it difficult to know where money needs to be spent.
Smart placement and plentiful spots won’t help though if drivers must still check multiple locations before finding suitable parking. How can a trucker know when to stop when he’s not sure how long it will take to find safe parking for the night? Should he risk parking where he is, or go over his allowable hours of service to find a more suitable area?
To combat this, Will Schaefer of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance says that getting drivers more informed about the real-time availability of spots is key. There are currently pilot programs in some states which let drivers know well ahead of time how many spots are available at upcoming parking areas using signage on highways. States have reported some success with those programs, and they could be expanded nationwide.
But unfortunately, even with all of these proposed solutions put together and with all the money in the world, the panelists don’t think that would be enough to solve the parking problem. An additional solution was proposed which drivers have been touting for a long time: find a way to encourage shippers and receivers to allow truckers to park at their pick-up and drop-off points.
Thankfully, the Federal Highway Administration is looking to get more ideas from truckers during four workshops being held around the country to address the parking problem.
- June 8 – Salt Lake City, Utah at the Utah Trucking Association headquarters
- August 25 – Dallas, Texas at the Great American Truck Show
- October 5 – Grain Valley, Missouri at the OOIDA headquarters
- Date TBD for either July or September
Source: overdrive
Josh says
Drivers already park on on and off ramps. Why not just expand them with a “breakdown lane” like you see in bigger cities, with a barrier between the ramp and the parking, enough to accommodate three or four trucks?
We’ve all had those days where the exit we need is in the middle of nowhere, the customer doesn’t allow overnight parking, and the nearest safe place to park is 30 miles or more away.
Being able to safely and legally park at pretty much any exit would increase productivity. Start checking ramps 10-20 minutes before the end of your shift, and you can utilize your whole shift without worrying about coming up short.
Geo says
I love this idea!
Good one and please send it to Mr Fox who is the transportation secretary in DC.
Rick Hager says
One of the biggest problems from a drivers point of view is every time I pull into a truck stop there are always drivers parking bobtail taking up truck & trailer parking spots then drivers with trailers have no where to park. The second problem is with truck stops trying to charge drivers to park overnight is totally crazy, which no one pays so they just start parking everywhere they are not supposed to park then you wind up on total chaos at the truck stop and the truck stop winds up having several empty parking wholes available that no one pays for. Solution is make dedicated parking at truck stops for bob tails and straight trucks then enforce it for drivers to park there or get a citation. Then make truck stops do away with paid parking. Allow exit ramp parking if needed, and more truck only parking along major highways.
Don says
I would agree that some truck stops have too many spots reserved for paid parking. Eliminating them takes us back to where we were anyway. Too few places to park.
You also exaggerated when you said that no one pays for those spots. I have been glad for those spots when I’m making a late delivery with little time left.
yoda says
Many states have made off/on ramps a profitable venture at a truck drivers expense. The post them no parking and when a fatigued driver parks to get an hour or two nap, they get a driving award also. Great incentive to drive while fatigued.
Grumpy Face says
Parking on a ramp or worse the shoulder of the road makes you a hazard. For instance someone exits at highway speed and clips your dot bumper and crashes. You and your carrier are now liable for all damages. Due the simple fact you were not legally parked. “If that truck and trailer was not there my client would not have crashed therefore they are responsible for all damages. I rest my case your honor”
Max says
We’ve shot ourselves in the foot on this one. It only takes one driver out of 100 to ruin it for all. Look at the bio-hazard waste, the garbage, the trash that some drivers dump out before leaving a truck stop. THAT is what stops parking expansion. While in city parking is never going to grow due to the economics, out lying areas could expand if we could figure out how to cover the constant cleanup costs. Simple parking lots with a nominal parking charge may be the answer, but I don’t know of anyone that’s tried that yet. I’m glad my driving days are past.
A d Enstoss says
The trash and dog waste not to mention human waste is th biggest detract ion .You cannot teach animal pigs.Walmart and many states are stopping truck parking because of garbage
Tim says
“Should he risk parking where he is, or go over his allowable hours of service to find a more suitable area?”
The answer to this question is very cut-and-dried: he should definitely allow himself to go over his “allowable” hours of service to find a more suitable area.
AL DEDMON says
For starters have the FMCSA rule states cannot close entire rest areas on Interstate highways. Many rest areas in AR, MO, LA. are closed, supposedly for repairs. An area can be fixed without the closure of the entire parking lot.
I believe closure of these vital places for truckers to sleep is also another practice of states to generate more income from fines for parking on off ramps. Many states like AR. for example have signs at scales on I 30 that it is against their state law to park on the shoulder on off and on ramps. How many times have we passed closed scales with empty parking spaces available beyond the scale devices which is not being used due to the closure of the entire facility?
.
Jeff A Pearson says
That law about not parking on an on/ off ramp came out of a big lawsuit in Nebraska a few years back.. Where a STOLEN truck on 80 hit a motor home.. Who was pushed off the road at a rest area.. Rear ending a then LEGALLY parked truck killing one and injuring the other occupants.. The legal truck driver was taking his required time off for sleep.. On the off ramp going into the rest area.. So out of that… The states freaked out and passed that law.. Worse come to worse.. Park on an on ramp.. And not the off ramp. WHY? BECAUSE THE VEHICLES ARE EXCELERATING.. Not decelerating and are going slower.
Matthew Grills says
WOW! I thought I was the only one anal enough to think about that. Can’t recall all the ribbing and name calling I’ve heard while I tried to articulate that theory. To me, it’s only common sense.
Dean says
The only problem with the ‘spaces available’ plan is when I’m 15 minutes away and there are 15 spaces available what happens in that 15 minutes. If the spaces are still there you can count on the place (truck stop, rest area, etc) being a dump or lizards haven.
mike says
Ever been to Toledo,Ohio? There’s what, 5 maybe 6 truck stop there now. Lst time I was there I made several trips between the Petro , the T/A, and the Boron truck stops and the “76” . Still couldn’t find a spot so I just waited until one opened an raced for it before another driver saw it . Some times I got beat to it though.
Geo says
Well well, a truly basic issue easy to fix and no one making any strides to implement even 2 ideas to show good faith.
How about all those people getting a check, can’t they be parking attendants at state sites along the hi ways to clean and keep it secure?
We have the people to work new lots 24 hours a day.
There’s at least enough land near industrial busines zones where a portion of the land dedicated to business could be set aside for parking. Oh and if a major business moves out that has a huge lot, guess what, now it’s a parking lot by law if a driver needs to get a break, but only commercial drivers.
Yes, we need to make truck drivers a part of society once and for all and give them all the preferential treatment one can afford since we are the backbone of commerce you know.
Make me a government appointed goon, I’ll tear DC a new ass for drivers.
Just give me the power.
Jeff A Pearson says
We never really had this problem before the washington idiots started screwing up log books.. Go out at night.. To some.. Thats when its dark.. And see how many trucks are on the road.. Not many.. And its going to get worse with Electronic Log Books. We used to be able to split hours between driving and off duty/ sleeper.. So you werent in one spot longer than 4-5 hours.. And had a continuous flow of open parking spots..
EZmule says
Amen, Jeff
Floyd says
They make more parking spaces in the right places to charge the driver to park just like truck stops are doing
A d Enstoss says
The industry has entirely outgrown the infrastructure and parking accomodations and especially 2014 on and with e logs which makes everyone park sooner.From really no parking available places like Tulsa Pa and Jersey to no parking at all ,planning is essential even with dispatchers pushing drivers to extremes.Dispatchers are probably the greatest cause of. Driver fatigue and hence fatalities.
James B says
Remove the no parking signs where the wide streets in industrial areas of towns and cities were originally designed for big trucks to stage and park on.
Bzz says
Speaking of Jersey 20 drivers got parking tickets (I counted, including myself.) We were all parked out of the way, two rows of 10 trucks and no “No Parking” signs where we were. It was Jersey Turnpike (I 95) at one of the service plaza’s. Time on the tickets was 2:00 AM. The cop stuck the tickets on our door handles. No time left on the clock, no where else to park, $80:00 fine. Wanted to fight it and tell the judge if it wasn’t for us you’d be wiping your ass with your bare hand since we are the ones delivering your precious toilet paper.
Dave says
I believe Max was correct about the garbage issue. That is probably one of the biggest reasons in the decision of companies and cities putting up and enforcing no parking areas. You’ve all seen it, on the on/off ramp, back row at the truck stop, basically anywhere a truck is still allowed to park. A lot of the drivers out here are pigs and don’t give a damn. Hell, several years ago I was walking through the parking lot at a San Antonio truck stop and I had to dodge a McDonalds bag that the passenger threw out the window. There was a trash can less than 20 feet from his truck. So you can even supply them with garbage can and they won’t use it.
jetlag says
entities that benifit the most from commerce should be paying more in taxes to / for infrastructure . big box stores and all the multi nationals . they don t pay much in taxes anyway . big trucking companies. big banks could be soaked a little more and it would nt hurt them a bit. all the brokerage houses on wall street need to be chipping in alot more for the good of the country that has provided them the windfall they experience every year . oil companies . the large ones. record profits for the last 15 or so years….those would be a few places to start getting what s needed to put alot of people to work catching up with what needs to be built……
Swohawk says
Parking was always a stress-generator for me because I hated to park “illegally.” But even when I had to park illegally I would often wake up to find myself blocked in by truckers who parked even more illegally.
My goal was to start early and be done for the day by 16:00. I could usually make it work. If I had to run late I was thankful for the paid slots at Petro / TA. As a company driver I could make the reservation and then expense it. I can’t count the times all the paid spots were full when I rolled in.
Another issue at many truck stops are the guys who would leave their empty trucks while they took their 34 (or more) hour breaks at home nearby.
I think in this case the headline is very accurate.
Mark Pain says
First thing is that over the road truck drivers need is a united front with a loud voice. I myself won’t get behind paid or reserved parking and e-logs are a non-starter period. No matter how true it may be truckers need to stop blaming federal politicians and present a united front to local and state governments so that they will have our backs. They are the ones who will more than likely understand the problems and not try to appease some “safety organization” to impress voters.
Richard says
The problem will be solved quickly with driverless trucks that do not need to take 10 hour breaks. Sorry, but we are all screwed.