How do they measure these spots

they don't, they never do, they just laugh at truckers

 

Where are you? He was just checking to see exactly where he knew you were! There are some spaces that are pretty short! Good Luck.

 

I think the spaces are ok most of the time

 

I think a lot of these older truck stops were designed when the length laws were still in effect, you know a 48 ft trailer and a cabover. Modern trucks are about 10 ft longer and it just screws everything up.

 

Some places just have tight spots, especially when facing nose to nose across a drive thru lane. Makes it real tough when trying to park at night, and some jackhole drive that just fueled up comes flying around a corner with his lights right in your face, blinding you. Makes it real fun to back in that way.....

 

you will find some tight areas for sure and you might come across some places where once one line fills up with trucks it makes it difficult to back into the spot right across. I try not to hit a truck stop late at night for a couple reasons, 1) harder to find a spot 2) the spot you find might be free just because of its difficulty and people just skip it. 3) if im really tired I dont like to chance backing into a tight spot with other trucks close. Now there has been times where I just had to take what I could find but I try to plan my trips where I can shut down at the best easiest location rather its a truck stop with lots of spots or a rest area. These days 99% of the time I am bobtailed at the end of my day so its much easier, only occasionally I have to stay out like tonight but I crashed behind the Target I delivered to since I only had a hour left and wasnt going to go hunt down parking this late at night, plus free wifi at the targets

 

Money, money, money.... It's all about the money. More trucks in the parking lot means more sales. 100 trucks means one thing. If you re-design the parking lot making the parking spots at only 3/4 of a normal parking spot you can toss more trucks in there.More trucks=more drivers=more sales. It's simple math.

 

Also about the available real estate. Most truck stops today where built with 70 foot trucks being the norm, however, you have to work with the size of the lot that was available and often compromises are required. In high dollar land areas, you will notice parking is more confined then in areas where land costs and availability are relatively low.