has parking always been this bad?

Yeah with 10/8 rule, and split sleeper, you drove at night sometimes slept at night sometimes. I liked the flexibility of logging that way, but I like getting my sleep the same time of day.

 

And drivers wonder why the public looks down on us......

I'm sure your eloquent rebuttal enlightened him as to the virtues and necessity of professional drivers.

 

Oh well. I'm tired of being told i can't park.

 

Parking is only bad for you mega fleet guys who live on the interstate. Parking is as plentiful as ever on the back roads

 

You need to be more creative with your parking arrangements. First of all, Walmart will never EVER unload you early. If you think that's true, then Sean Penn is the sweetest man in the universe.

Second, don't bother with the big chain truckstops, especially if it's late in the evening. Drivers flock to these places like seagulls flock to a pizza crust thrown on the ground. Try independent/ mom & pop operations, where there will more than likely be a parking space for you, and a hot meal that isn't a subpar subway sandwich. Only reason to stop at chains is to get fuel and shower. That's it.

Third, if you want to park at a Walmart store, call the store and get permission from the manager. I've parked at my fair share of Walmart stores, and have never once been chased off, because I always ask in advance. Do not park there if it says "no parking"!!!!!!! Drivers seem to disobey this sign all the time, and get shot in the foot for it!

Fourth, utilize reserved parking. Lots of truckers hate this because it takes away the free spaces, and they're too stingy to use this service, but it can save your bacon late at night. I had to do a delivery in Sturtevant, Wisconsin at 0100 last night. I had no pre-plan to drive closer to, so I knew I had to park at the Petro up the street. At that hour, I knew the place would be a zoo. So, I called in advance and reserved a spot for just $11. Here's a fun fact; many companies reimburse the parking fee for you. Mine does.

Fifth, if you really must park at the chain truckstops, ask yourself these questions:

How busy is this highway? Do a lot of trucks pass through? How close is the nearest major city? How many spaces does the truckstop have? What's the weather like tonight?

Use these questions to determine the probability of getting a parking space. But to be honest, mere common sense would dictate the flying J in Spiceland will have far more parking then the flying J in Indianapolis.

Sixth, see if your customer allows overnight parking. Utilize that, but don't be an ungrateful scumbag and litter on their property. Remember, we are professionals. Many truckers have not gotten the memo on this one!

Seventh, rest areas! Everyone always forgets rest areas. Most only have vending machines, but they still offer a clean bathroom (depending on the state) and, more than likely, a parking space. Don't use the shoulders though.

These are a bunch of tips I always use to find parking, and I've only had a handful of times where I could not find a safe haven somewhere. Do I think there's a parking shortage? Yes. But instead of embracing a problem, I embrace solutions. Parking is really not that difficult if you think creatively!

 

Yup.

 

Looks like nothing has changed although it really just depends i've parked at walmart in the middle of the night and never had any issues and i wasn't even unloading there if you have a BOL for Sam's you should be entitled to park there if asked to leave you could always argue that your current hours are up and you can't legally drive surely security has some kind of reasonableness in this day and age. If not your other option would be to stay miles away and just drive in at the designated time.

 

This happens to people that don't plan.

Plan a day ahead or two days ahead or three days ahead for the long hauls.

 

don't accept it till you plan it.
try planning before accepting for a week see how that works for you