since when did the shoulder become a rest area?

Right here. There's tons of parking all over the place. Just the big outfits are full. Get creative. Stop looking for red and green numbers in the distance, and start looking for a place to park a truck.

 

I rarely find myself running out of clock and unable to find a parking space, mostly because I trip plan lots of alternatives. But when all else fails, I burn some Pilot/Flying J points and call ahead to reserve a space.

 

I suppose maybe I'm just a cynic, but if all the truck stops are full and there are trucks lining the highway before and after a rest area, I think maybe, just maybe, the area could use more truck parking. Seems kind of intuitive to me.

I guess one could decide that the quantity of parking in a given area is somehow irrelevant, but I'm not sure they would be correct.

 

Keep in mind that there are many drivers who prefer parking on an on/off ramp rather than a truck stop or rest area because either they have trouble backing into tight spots, or worry about other trucks hitting them. They're also lazy slobs who like the convenience of dumping their trash along the more remote areas too. Those are the drivers that give us all a bad name with the public.

 

Yes, it would seem so at first glance, and more parking would be helpful. However the problem isn't lack of parking. It's lack of drivers that are willing to find a place to park other than a mega stop, so they hit the shoulder instead.

Edit: And FYI, I'm new at this whole trucking thing, and I don't have problems finding parking. I also go out of my way to never park at mega stops.