The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is asking for truckers to complete a survey about truck parking. It is looking to find out where and when drivers are having trouble finding safe and reliable truck parking. If you’ve ever had a problem finding parking, this is your chance to let the Department of Transportation know!
In 2015, the FHWA completed a survey required by the MAP-21 transportation bill concerning Jason’s Law. Jason’s Law was named after Jason Rivenburg, a trucker who – like many others – parked somewhere unsafe because he couldn’t find any safe place to park. It was in that abandoned gas station parking lot that he was shot twice in the head, killed for the $7 he carried at the time.
The story spurred discussion over safe parking, and Jason’s Law was born. Now the FHWA must conduct periodic surveys to gather information which will be used to help improve the truck parking situation nationwide.
According to the FHWA, the new survey will evaluate how states are doing at providing truck parking and rest facilities for interstate truckers. The survey should take between five and seven minutes to complete.
You can fill out the survey here.
Source: FHWA, DOT, overdrive, truckersreport, FHWA, FHWA, freightwaves, wikipedia
Bruce Barbee says
Atlanta ga I 85 north there no where to park was ran off from a qt traffic was horrible and no truck stop around 6 pm through out the night
Koss says
Reading all this and realized how big the gap ….. between us and government and they understanding off the reality…..
Kleg says
As if USDOT, and every state DOT isn’t already well aware of the problem. The real issue is that they don’t give a shit. Rest areas keep closing around the country, adding to an already egregious safety concern. Government is simply holding its collectivist breath for autonomous trucks.
Kevin Chevalier says
I 94 between michigan city into chicago heavy traffic very hard to find parking
unless your there before 5 pm good luck
Tommy Molnar says
What is Jason’s Law? Does it make it illegal to shoot truck drivers? Gee, that’ll help . . .
Thaddeus Smalls says
I experience when your running out of hours, you have to map out where you are on route to your destination to deliver load. If there is no truck rest area with in an hour or 2, you will not find a good parking spot on your route. Abandon place is a no no. If you see a truck stop and you about 2 hours away from your delivery the next day, shut for 10 at rest area and travel plaza where you are more safe then leave out in the morning for on time delivery. You have to use your time wisely on your HOS or you will be stuck.
Andrew H says
The only major thoroughfare highways I’ve found to have ample truck parking 24 hours a day are.
Indiana: I-65 between Indianapolis and Chicago
Iowa: I-80
Virginia: I-81/I-64, the stretch where the highways are shared.
Arizona: Where I-10 splits to I-8
Arkansas: I-30
Ohio: Turnpike
One of the worse places I found outside of the obvious coastal states, is Dallas/Ft Worth.
Drew says
You nailed it Andrew. Coastal states, and Dallas/Ft. Worth are horrible.
Supertrucking says
When I show up to a truck stop at 18:00 and half the spaces are empty. The remaining spaces cost $17 to park in. Does that count as not being able to find safe parking…. because it should . Shame on you TA-Petro
Noble says
Amen super trucking!!
ron bissaillon says
the mass pike rt 2 mass.
moe says
If anyone believes input from drivers matters they are fools. If they dot cared elds would not have gone in to effect. The dot may listen to the ata who in turn is a puppet for the big companies that want to eliminate competition thru regulation but beyond that your comments do not matter
Charles Enterman says
States like Arkansas that ban trucks drm parking on Entrance/Exit Ramps, extremely limited parking in truck stops and rest areas, are only adding even more pressure to “fight the clock”, thus, making it even more dangerous out on the expressways. Im not sure who came up with all these DOT Regs, but Im 100% sure they are “college educated”! No wonder things have gotten so screwed up!
Mike coffee says
The government cannot solve our problems. We must do it ourselves.
PETE says
Baltimore d.c area
Lady Doe says
Truckers all know the problems with parking before the ELD CAME IN TO PLAY. THE GOVERNMENT REGULATED ONLY THE TRUCKERS,BUT THEY DID NOTHING ABOUT HOW WE ARE HELD HOSTAGE AT SHIPPERS AND RECEIVERS KILLING OUR TIME AND HOW THE BROKERS FIX LOADS WHERE YOU CAN’T GET THEM DELIVERED ON TIME. HOW TRAFFIC AND ACCIDENTS HOLDS YOU UP. JUST THE OTHER DAY AN ACCIDENT ON I-81 THE 28TH THAT MORNING. IT TOOK UNTIL THE AFTERNOON TO GET IT CLEARED AROUND 2:OO. NOW WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT DID YOUR TIME. THE GOVERNMENT DONT’T GIVE A ……. BUT THEY WANT YOU TO KEEP PAYING ALL THAT MONEY FOR QUARTER TAXES AND 550 EVERY YEAR. TOLLS AND NONE OF THE ROADS ARE GETTING BETTER. THE GOVERNMENT DONT GIVE A RATS …… AS LONG AS WE KEEP FILLING THEIR POCKETS. TRUCKERS BLOOD IS ON THEIR HANDS. WE ARE KILLING EACH OTHER AND OTHERS ARE KILLING US FOR NOT HAVING SAFE PARKING SPACES WITHOUT BEING ROB BY SOME NUT IN AN UNSAFE PLACE
Lady Doe says
TA AND PETRO IS LIKE THE GOVERNMENT, THEY DON’T CARE AS LONG AS THEY KEEP GETTING YOUR MONEY. MEGA COMPANIES GOT THEM ALL PAID OFF JUST LIKE THE STOCKHOLDS GOT THE GOVERNMENT PAID OFF. TRUCKERS WE ARE ON OUR OWN. WE WE COULD ALL JUST TAKE THE KEYS AND HANG THEM ON THE NAIL FOR JUST WEEK. AND LET THEM SEE JUST HOW IMPORTANT WE ARE TO THE WORLD. UNTIL WE DO WE ARE GOING TO KEEP GETTING STEPPED ON. EVERYBODY ELSE LIKE BALL PLAYERS AND UNION WORKERS STOP TO GET WHAT THEY WANT OR NEED WHY DON’T WE DO THE SAME TRUCKERS. GOVERNMENT CAN’T TELL YOU THAT YOU CAN’T TAKE A VACATION. LETS GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT Y’ALL.
Lady Doe says
THEY WANT YOU TO GET YOUR REST, SO ACCIDENT WILL STOP EVEN THOUGH MOST ARE COSTED BY FOURWHEELERS AND THEY KNOW IT. ALL THE O/O GO ON VACATION AND LETS SEE HOW ALL THE MEGA COMPANIES HANDLE THE SUPPLY CHAIN LOL.
Andrew says
The bottom line is trucker to do at lease a 3 to five days just shut your truck down Company drivers & owner operator the will not fire you couldn’t afford just shut down organize
Andrew says
The bottom line is trucker to do at lease a 3 to five days just shut your truck down Company drivers & owner operator the will not fire you couldn’t afford just organize
Kurt J Huber says
I run West of the Mississippi excluding Commiefornia and I’m still on paper logs.
No issue finding parking at all.
Carry on.
Chuck Raab says
I don’t think that the TA/Petros should be able to go 80/20 for reserved parking
Rufus says
Parking problem was solved by the workplace safety act of 1972. We need only file suit and all the mega-carriers would have to provide parking for every truck they have. The real solution though is file suit against FMCSA/DOT for creating and maintaining an unsafe work environment. They are just as much a part of our industry as we are. If they are conducting themselves in an unsafe manner, then they should be issued an out of service order. We will never solve our problems punishing ourselves or simply complaining. We should band together and show the public in a court of law the issues that drag us down every day.
Vubao Hoang says
Shipping and receiving require truck stationary to be in business
Vubao Hoang says
Keep reserve parking receipt.. submit to dot to get reimbursed.. dot charge that to shipper and receiver..
GARY Nixon says
All over East coast parking has always is bad California very unfriendly to trucks oil field country another bad spot all those driver’s fuel an can’t even get parking in West Texas.
Tom says
Hello my friends, honest, hardworking truck drivers my name is Tom I am 28 and we are going to change the trucking business because we are being killed and we kill ourselves by not taking any action. The way I am going to accomplish our goal is to create a our own platform. Right now I am doing long haul to make some money for my Web development school and once I have enough money to start my school I will quit driving truck. In about a year I will do mu best an application for truckers where we can communicate, become one block of force that will fight against gov, dot, shippers and receivers, brokers, carriers, police and four wheelers. The only help from you would be support and support, we are the owners of this industry, we turn the wheels and deliver food to their tables. PLEASE SUPPORT, RESPECT COMMUNUCATE WITH EACH OTHER, WE CAN CHANGE THE WAY WE DO IN THIS FIELD.
GARY Nixon says
Yes that is a great point those reserved parking that is a bunch of crap one truck stop started it the rest followed them before 4pm 12.00 after 4pm 17.00. They even charge for a bobtail an oversized is even more Those truck stops forgot who made them ,not the tourist either truck stop are all a rip off an there mark up prices are sad trucking used to be fun out here now it’s just a job You all wonder why you have a driver shortage why cause it’s all B’s anymore everything goes up and our rates wages all stay the same Ask yourselves when the last time the trucking industry got a raise just like the new price of truck 180,000. Unreal all made from fiberglass only metal is the frame. There the same truck just added electronics
Joseph Miller says
I 70 in Illinois hardly any place to park other than Effingham area.
Jude says
Interesting that this survey should come out now. The Rest Area on I-275 northbound in Michigan (burbs east of Detroit) was just closed with a notice on a sign board that says, “Permanently closed”. This rest area was full or nearly full every night. Good planning job, DoT!
Michael Miles says
Generally after 5p.m. in/around any major city you can’t find parking. I usually run the Midwest. I’m glad I don’t run the Northeast anymore. There’s no parking up there anytime. They need to put in more rest areas just for trucks only. No cars and RV’s. Shippers need to let us park and and let us take our 10 hour breaks. Especially if they keep us past our time.
Jay says
The electronic log (I just hate all these abbreviations for everything) is not the issue. It’s the way we are forced to use them that causes problems. They should allow more flexibility and ambiguity when needed. I know we can put in remarks as long as we attend court martial hearings the next day, right?
Kevin Chevalier says
or 4 days later Lol
Jalil Shabazz says
I am sick and tired of all the truck stops are filled by 6:00 p.m.. Thee rest stops also if you park on the side of the rest stops you are given tickets. It is not enough safe parkin for truckers. If you pull into a close shopping center someone is banging on your door to move. Therefore you are up more than 24 hours because you have no where to park safe on your ten hour break. DOT needs to recognize this problem and send a result immediately. Truckers being killed because of no safe parking. The shippers and warehouse should be find for holding the truckers up for hours , and when they are out of time making them move the truck. They should be allowed to rest their and made to pay the truckers for holding them their for hours.
Mike says
Here’s and idea if you have dock doors you must provide the same amount of parking in your lot or in the industrial park your located in.
Drew says
Everyone I know dreads going into, and can’t wait to get out of New Jersey, because of their parking (or lack of) situation.