What does the ideal Truck Storage Lot look like?

Go to any truck lot for long term parking, and any truck stop. See how many actually back all the way in when parking. Where I park in PA there is usually at lest 20 feet remaining behind the trailer, often more. I routinely have people parked next to me with the midpoint of their trailer well in front of my hood. Plan on a lot larger lot than you have designed. Also 12 ft wide is for those who know how to, and care how, to park. Typically today's drivers will park 6-8 ft from one another, and at all kinds of angles. Places I frequent you could easily put 20-30% more trucks in if drivers would just park correctly.

Also, plan on a lot of cleaning. Stuff will be thrown onto the ground everywhere, only a few will use the dumpster. Eventually somebody will just drain their oil onto the ground to do an oil change and let you clean it up. If you are open to transient drivers (just passing through) you may have local zoning requirements to have full service restrooms also, not a porta potty.

Your idea is good, and certainly more parking is needed, but unfortunately your clientele will cause you untold headaches no matter how much you try to accommodate them. Not being negative, just realistic.

 

Yeah I get what you are doing but unless you see what doofus driver who can't back in are really like, then you don't get why it is important to go see what truck stops are really like where they create a safety zone to prevent accidents.

 

You have the right idea there. Not trying to be smart assed here, but designing a truck lot without seeing how the average driver parks these days, is like the dispatcher who drives a truck with a pencil that insists you can make that delivery, you could have driven 30 more miles today, it's your fault it took 8 hours to get loaded/unloaded. Easy to make these plans when you don't know how things work in the real world.

I can say that when Werner started filling up the lot I park in here, our troubles doubled. They don't give a #### how they park, how may spots they take, or if they end up blocking in others. There is a huge bobtail only lot. They still park bobtails in the T/T spots, usually in the middle of two available spots, like they do with a trailer.

Best I saw was a guy pulled into a pull through spot --- half way. Like how you would just nose into a spot. Then he dropped his trailer and left, off to another load. Eventually the rest of us got tired of not using the other spot and said F - it and parked there. The time I did it I got a call saying I needed to come in and move so Werner could get their trailer out, since the nose was behind my trailer. I asked the manager to go out and actually look at how the guy parked. Told him it was the only spot available when I returned from a trip. He called Werner back and sent a photo, told them they'd have to wait until I left and hope no one else was there either.

All kinds of idiotic and ignorant behavior can and will be found nowadays anywhere trucks are parked. Not like years gone by where (1) there was some level of respect for others, and oneself, and (2) drivers spoke English.

"Stupid is as stupid does" ... said a famous man's momma ....

 

Good security cameras that have enough quality to identify faces or at least license plates (which may be futile anyway for stolen vehicles) if something goes wrong.
How much dust accumulates on a truck in that area? A pressure washer would be nice.

Jersey barriers between the parking spaces would be nice, but at least good security cameras could catch someone plowing into someones truck...

 

Have you thought of angled pull through parking instead? You'll lose some spaces but might be worth it. Put barriers at front and back corners of the spaces. Keeping side swipies from happening.

 

Yeah, that should be enough room between the parking spaces to pull in/out comfortably, even for a long hood or "long" wheelbase truck with a 53' trailer.

That's about right. More is always better, but that isn't a "tight" parking area.

 

If you make the blindside blue spots 2 spots wide the blindside back will be very easy and that space wont be wasted.