Truck Parking

After some time you'll just be happy you found a spot . Cameras and lawyers are your friend . Watch it with on ramps some cops get bored and decide to have you move .

 

There's only a handful of truck stops I sleep at anymore. Way too many idiots flock to them. I have the same issue you do, then if I finally fall asleep some egghead with straight pipes comes into the lot at 2,500 rpms and lets the Jake rip...I prefer to sleep at the shipper, receiver, or at one of my known mom & pop truck stops nobody really knows about.

 

I slept on a ramp once, never again. Rest stops were ok in a pinch but I like to be able to take a shower. I tried to stop at gas stations that had room for maybe 6-10 trucks, depending on who was doing the backing. I have nothing against the bigger stops except for what you mentioned, too many idiots.

 

You can pick your spots better, try getting straight back spots next to you. No guarantees but it will help, over time you will learn what's places are the best to stop at, I generally won't park in a sardine can place not due to myself but the other people.

 

Yes, I can second this. My favorite spots are the ones facing aisles or pumps. Be mindful of creative parkers, often times if you’re facing the end of a row, trks will continue to park in line making the end aisle tighter.

I mostly go to megas for fueling and free showers; but I prefer to park at independents and give them my c-store business.

 

I just keep my curtain cracked until someone backs in beside me on both sides of me. When I see them set up the truck to get ready to back in beside me, I'll immediately hop to the front seat while standing up and lean my head down towards the steering wheel and my hand on the steering wheel, so that they clearly see that I am watching them back in their spot.

And for the record yes, I've probably prevented about 5 - 10 backing incidents with me just being up there to watch them back in where they were about to hit me so I blew the air horn and held the air horn until their truck stopped. Sorry if other drivers were sleeping but it's a truck stop, it is what it is. And yeah it sucks having to keep an eye out for the drivers about to back into the parking spaces on both sides of you when night time is coming and you're supposed to be off duty, but that's trucking I guess.

Knock on wood I haven't been hit yet in a parking lot so I think it helps. I think it helps when they see that you are watching them back into their spot beside you, I think it makes drivers more cautious and more willing to get out and look.

 

Try to park in between 2 other trucks. Its not an exact science as sometimes 1 of them will leave. Find a good spot to nose in. Better to get the trailer hit then the truck if thats what it comes to

 

I had just gotten to sleep one night when someone hit my truck.
Their trailer impacted the sleeper of my ProStar, smashing the window and smooshing everything in by about 8 inches.
That was on the side my head was, and luckily I wasn't injured.
By the time I got my wits back the truck was gone, and the Pilot had no video cameras on that area.
No witnesses either.

Well, stuff happens.
It did not stop me from parking at truck stops, and it did not make me paranoid enough to jump into the drivers seat every time someone backed in next to me.
It has happened once on nearly 11 years out here.

And this happened after I had gone to sleep.
One can not stay up all night if there is an empty space next to them, just on the off chance of missing the great event unfold.

 

Parking on ramps is a terrible idea. Don't do it.

With more experience you'll learn the nuances of strategic parking.

If you're a good backer upper, fill the holes, and you have someone besides you already ( at least until they leave ).

If there's multiple spots open, try to park with someone at least on your driver side. Most people hit the guy on their blind side. So leave you're passenger side with the open spot.

I'll move one, maybe even two times at a truck stop if I think there's a better spot.

And once you become a good backer upper, at high risk truck stops, nose in.