Booted on Hobby Lobby Parking Lot- Newnan, GA

Trip planning is good. Teams is better. Straight to dock. Need truckstop for fuel only. Go bye bye.

My form of parking is pick a mountain 50 to 100 miles from target delivery city. Sleep quietly and peacefully. Maybe find 20 friends parked around me by dawn. But that's ok.

 

Honestly I rarely have problems with parking, yes at times I get creative and I'm lucky my company will pay for reserved parking when I need it, but with planning its not that big a deal and I drive reefer so we have many late night arrivals.

It's like anything else always plan and have a back-up plan for when your primary goes to crap...

 

I remember over and over again in ALL Virginia along 81 after 6PM and until 5AM not a parking space to be had for love of God or Money. And if you did stick a rig somewhere out of spite the Law comes along soon enough to roust you and shoo you out like a vagrant homeless trying to sleep on a downtown steam grate.

 

Don't beat yourself up. I paid $330 for a parking ticket in Compton CA by the Macy's DC or warehouse/shethole by the 91 in willinston or something.. it hurt... Later that same week got woken up by a chp because I parked on an offramp on i10wb... He just told me to move and let me off with verbal whew! Now reason I parked there is I was dozing off a bit.. I was very tired and made what seemed to me the right choice.

Turns out exit had a big ole dirt lot but that night it was full of trucks and didn't want to risk not having a spot.. glad officer gave me a break.. would've work for free that week... Made the ticket money back off of layover/extra pay

 

There are so many rest areas closed now, some in AR, it makes it harder to find any parking in some areas.

 

And then Arkansas has signs all over the ramps of no parking... They're so bright... Can't wait to get out of this industry. So tired of this tyrant government being all over our lives with their stupid laws and regulations...

 

I have done that many times.

 

This is so true.
I wonder just what is going to happen when the ELDs come in. I will bet $100 that places will still require you to leave after loading / unloading. They will keep you there 10 hours or so in a dock - enough to completely foul your 14 - then having pushed you into becoming illegal force you into driving against the rules.
They just don't care!!
I hear so much about how terrible regulation by horrible 'big government' is but this is an area that needs to have the crap regulated out of it.
Either you are allowed to drive beyond the 14 / 11 rule to find a place to shut down safely OR shippers and receivers are FORCED to allow you to park - assuming they have room.

 

Me too,first thing I always looked for was signs.I be always taken signs seriously mainly because I cont wanna get woke up out of a sound sleep.

 

You must be traveling through a different Virginia to me.
I do exactly what you outlined every week and always find legal parking. There is plenty of parking.
If you insist on using big name truck stops then yes I agree but the answer is obvious - don't use them!

Example:- That Petro at Raphine is HUGE but even so it becomes packed.
Typical Solution:- However there is a Kangaroo at Atkins that always has a spot.

Here is what I do.
I have been using Delorme GPS on a dedicated laptop in conjunction with my Rand McNally for years. Delorme isn't anywhere near as good but it does allow you to edit the snot out of it. I have that thing littered with parking and truckstop symbols. I also mark customers that allow parking whether you have a load for them or not.
I also use Lowes and Home Depots.
I NEVER have a problem.
Parking at a Walmart is pretty low down on my list. I will call them though or walk inside and speak to a manager. I note the signs and take them seriously.
I also note WMs on my Delorme (I opted for a green star) I mark the symbol pkg or no pkg.
As the years have gone by I have built up a nationwide library of parking spots such that with some serious trip planning I ALWAYS have a parking sopt.
This stuff about no I81 VA parking is just pure nonsense. Sorry but it is.