Congress Finally taking a step into providing more truck parking for us!

Socialism, great!

 

It won't get passed. The big lie is that there isn't enough parking for trucks. The reason drivers think that is because just about all of them want to park at PFJ, Love's, TA/Petro. Also, everyone wants start at 5 am and shut down at 5 pm. Sometimes you may not can park at a truck stop or rest area. Sometimes you gotta have hideouts. Sometimes you park at the customer. If you have one dimensional thinking when it comes to parking, then you'll think there is no parking. If you are resourceful, then parking will never be an issue. Sometimes you gotta park where it may not be your 1st or 2nd choice. Sometimes you gotta get out the comfort zone and work a different schedule. They can come up with all these measures, but I can't imagine a scenario where there will ever be enough parking for 5 million trucks or how ever many there are out here.

 

I prefer not to get woken up by a knock on the door because my "hideout" is somebody's private property. I also like to have a shower available, which isn't really a thing at customers, or dark alleys. People also are more likely to be at the large stops because they build them on heavily trafficked routes. They're heavily trafficked because they're major freight lanes, which also means that if too many decide to follow your plan you'll have even less places because your hole in the wall will get posted no trucks/tow away zone.

 

Who doesn't prefer all that?

 

Just take a page outta the Ohio turnpike operation and implement those types of service plazas on heavy transport lanes across the country. That'd help a ton, but then I'd just be worried then that Pilot/Flying J/TA/Petros would make 100% of their parking paid only, because of course they would.

 

In the 7 years I’ve been OTR I never once had to shut down in an “unsafe” spot. All I equate the ones parking on shoulders, get off ramps etc are lazy unskilled drivers. The same ones who don’t have any problem craping in their trucks.

This country can’t even maintain the interstate highways and they’re going to fix the “truck parking problems?

Leave the parking problems to the private sector.. Like Love’s building new truck stops all over the place.

 

I resent some of this lol......I'm 14 years OTR, and I have no problem parking on the ramps, particularly the entrance ramps. Some are ok to sleep on. Me personally, I'm a very skilled driver, but I'd like to think I'm resourceful as well. Just because a driver parks on the ramp or shoulder, does mean he's unskilled or craps in his truck. Sometimes you just make an error in trip planning. Just about everywhere I've parked is safe and nobody bothers me. Very rare I get a lot lizard or the police asking me to move. It ain't always the best places, but for a spot to sleep, it'll do.

 

Get on ramps I don’t have any problem with, I’ve used a few for a Power Nap. Problem is some just keep parking beyond that and I’ve seen it go on for a half mile or so.

I also run mostly nights but it’s a sacrifice I chose in not having to roll with the herd. Problem I have is just trying to find the right spot for me in an empty truck stop.

I also see it all the time where trucks are parked on the on and off ramps where there’s a truck stop with plenty of parking.

 

I've am guilty of parking on the ramps as opposed to truck stops. I really don't like sleeping there unless it's half full of empty, or its large enough to where getting hit isn't a fear. I do a lot of night driving too so I definitely sympathize with you. The sounds of the highway lull me to sleep. One of my favorite spots to sleep is the tollbooth in Big Cabin, OK. I always go past the booth and on the side right before you get to the Love's there if you're going westbound. It's so peaceful at night to me.