Parking for 34 hour reset

I'm having the same issue with my husband being able to get close to home! Have you guys found anything good?

 

Oh hell. Ive spent a WEEK in some of the truckstops. NJ off exist 7 I-78 comes to mind. They teased me about that. (In a good way.)

Other times I burned with fever a number of days then spent one or two hydrating and eating while resting some more from that ordeal.

Believe me, no one really cares how long a truck takes a spot in a truckstop (Free spot... not for money reserved etc) unless it begins to smell of decomposing body which is one of my fears, dying back there and not be discovered until covered in green and black decomposing with flesh falling off the bones and stinking up the place. That's not something I want on anyone.

 

You know, if you really think about it, that's a very realistic scenario. No one would really notice you've been there an extended period of time, unless they've been parked there themselves for an equal duration, and we all know how observant truck stop staff is (sarcasm.)

I pay attention to trucks coming and going and those that are trying to park next to me, but I never look around and think "I wonder how long THAT guy/gal has been here, better go check on em." Never thought of this scenario until you mentioned it, but it's definitely possible to go unnoticed if you kick the bucket in the sleeper. Although I guess if you truly went MIA in this day and age, and you don't run for a O/O or a smaller company running paper logs with no GPS, they'd probably be able to zero in on you pretty easily, if there were to be any suspicion. But back in the day, it's certainly possible.

 

We use a mom and pop little truck stop in our town for the truck on home time. Just park in the back of their lot far away from the fuel lines and store area. We drive by and check on the truck in the morning and evening while he's home and never had any issues. It's well lit and the Sheriff's dept is next door as well.

We do make a point to buy gas for our personal vehicles at the same place even when he's not using their parking lot for the truck. Seems like the right thing to do.

 

I park at the truck stop when I go home. At least a week, sometimes 2. Every 3 or 4 days I go start the truck. Depending on the time of day I sometimes move it into a different spot.

 

Do not park at any stores too risky. I do it sometimes at places where they do not bother truckers and I stay with the truck in the south but only for a short time. Up North and east someone may have a panic attack if they see a truck and need to run to their crying room. Parking was a challenge for me when I was new but the more deliveries I made the more hiding spots I found out of sight back roads that no one travels on.

 

Just park at the TA and close the curtains. You also have the Pilot further south too. Have him park in the back though. At least he would be out of the way. But there is no reason why he can’t park at a truck stop. There is no need to go inside and explain to truck stop you are doing a 34. Just park close curtains lock and go.

 

I've been basically living at the TA in OKC for three years, home away from home. I also frequently visit the same truck stops in the region on my runs.

EVERY truck stop has folks parking for extended periods of time. Some run locally and even park their POV in the same spot as they park their truck, to reserve the spot when they finish their shift. Some small outfits even cone off a series of spots, like it's their terminal, in exchange for purchasing all their fuel from the establishment. I've seen broke down trucks in various stages of repair occupy the same spot for weeks, even months.

Nobody will bat an eye if you take two or three days off while your truck is in the truck stop. Only in cities like Atlanta or LA might you have to pay for parking. If you are REALLY concerned about it, then pay for a reserved spot at the TA. The reserved spots are closer to the store and more likely to have attention from the Rent-A-Guard.