British Columbia New Truck Stop Rest Areas now open.

Alot of smaller communities depend on jobs created by truck stops, and it's often all they have for employment and a gathering place. Here in BC an Esso burned down awhile back just East of Sicamous, BC. They were doing well, serving food like buffalo burgers, salads, etc. and had a large lot. Many a driver would make a point to reset there and patron the place for their halfway-point break. They had a large lot which could hold about 20 trucks.

A truck driver with a great meal in his/her belly, and a good sleep, is a happier driver who is better able to focus on the job at hand. I believe the government should make it a part of its infrastructure budget to subsidize the cost of the truck stops in Canada, making them tax-free, providing interest-free loans, and disaster relief funding grants if they suffer some sort of disaster.

Recently in 2016 in Delta, BC our provincial government announced the opening of a new truck parking area funded by the government, located next to the Nordel Scale. They also opened up new truck stop rest areas throughout the province.

Here's an excerpt of the article:

Our 170 BC Rest Areas are the perfect spot to refresh and recharge before heading out on the highway, and they are about to get a whole lot better.

Since the beginning of 2016, we’ve been working closely with the BC Trucking Association on the BC Highway Rest Area Survey and report. We wanted to get the voice of the trucking industry – what they like and what they don’t like – about rest areas in the province. Their input is important to improving rest areas for everyone.

In total, 835 people took part in the survey. Of those, 72% were long-haul drivers, 19% were short haul drivers, and 9% were local delivery drivers.

Truckers Told Us What They Really, Really Want

Truck drivers were loud and clear about the improvements they want us to make, to create safer, cleaner and more convenient rest areas. These include:

• Upgrading restrooms to flush toilets, creating more truck parking and installing improved lighting.
• Adding new rest areas.
• Offering commercial services at rest areas, like service stations, shower facilities, convenience stores, restaurants/diners, fast food restaurants and other amenities.

How We’re Responding to Truckers’ Needs

Rest areas are essential, particularly to long haul truckers who have mandatory hours of rest, to stay safe on our roads. These improvements are coming over the next three years:

• Enhancing existing rest areas by upgrading washrooms to flush toilets, improving lighting, adding more picnic tables, and increasing accessibility and capacity.
• Building a new Class A rest area at the Loon Lake Interchange on Highway 97C (Okanagan Connector) between Merritt and Kelowna. This rest area has heated restrooms with running water and flush toilets, separated parking areas for buses, commercial trucks and recreational vehicles, and lots of parking for commercial trucks.
• Looking into commercial services at rest areas, by issuing a request for information on BC Bid, to gauge industry interest in providing goods and services at BC rest areas.
• We will be offering free WIFI at select rest areas across the province. In total, 25 rest areas throughout the province will have Wi-Fi installed.
• The following rest areas had Wi-Fi installed in 2017:
  • Britton Creek Highway 5 – 67 kilometres south of Merritt
  • Mt Terry Fox Highway 16 – 6km east of Tete Jaune
  • Galena Bay Highway 23 – 49km north of Nakusp
  • Glacier View Highway 16 – 7km north of Smithers
  • Taylor River Highway 4 – 37km west of Port Alberni
• The rest areas listed below are scheduled to receive Wi-Fi in 2018:
  • Hunter Creek on Highway 1 – 11 kilometres west of Hope
  • Bradner on Highway 1 – 53 kilometres east of Vancouver
  • Cole Road on Highway 1 – 73 kilometres east of Vancouver
  • The Last Spike on Highway 1 – 24 kilometres east of Sicamous
  • Slim Creek on Highway 16 – 120 kilometres east of Prince George
  • Mount Terry Fox on Highway 16 – six kilometres east of Tête Jaune
  • Boulder Creek on Highway 16 – 53 kilometres west of Hazelton
  • Loon Lake on Highway 97C – 40 kilometres southeast of Merritt

Garbage and Recycling Gobblers wait patiently for you outside the new Loon Lake Rest Area.

BC’s mountains, rivers, oceans and deserts make road trips here a wonderful thing. The province’s awesome size also means highway travellers of all kinds need places to take a break, to help them stay alert on their journey.

Do you have a question about BC Rest Areas that we haven’t answered here, or any other transportation related question? Let us know in the comments below.

 

I don't know about that. My favorite place to stop for lunch on the way to/from Edmonton is still that Chinese Food joint (burger joint just next door) at Clearwater, BC. And there is a $6 shower/tub at the hotel next door that is much better than a truck stop shower. I just park off to the side of the road, or in their lot if there's enough space.

The fact is trucks are getting quieter every year, and so you're going to see less issues with people not liking trucks. Many highway eateries depend on a regular source of income that is provided by truckers.

As long as truckers don't park like a ####### or idle their trucks near residential areas there is little reason for people to resent the trucks stopping near them.

 

It would be nice if the Zopkios brake check was expanded to allow more trucks to park there overnight for a nap. Britton Creek is the nearest truck rest area for that purpose, and it's very quiet. It has flush toilets, No competing noises from rail or other noisy road traffic, and free wifi.

If the same maintenance workers who clean the washrooms also stocked the vending machines at brake checks and rest areas it would be much easier on all motorists to grab a quick bite to eat before heading out again.

Merritt is a good layover spot as well for those who's day started out long before Calgary or Edmonton (especially the flatdeck people). There is a starbucks in town which is accessible by bobtail, sleeping there is equally quiet. Sad to see the restaurant at the Husky truck stop shut down. The breakfasts were decent.

 

I had no idea the Husky in Merritt finally mushed it's last mush. There is street parking to stop in Merritt which would be next to Canadian Tire which would put you within walking distance of $tarbucks and McDonalds. You may need to chain up to get back up the hill and back onto the highway if it's snowing. There's room for one or two truck/trailers. Very quiet.