What's up with T/A and their "Parking Reservations" ?!?!?

Was it Roanoke? You can't find parking there no matter what time of day you go.

 

I love the idea and am even more thrilled I've never had to use it.

 

For my curiosity sake, how does it work at TA (reserved parking). Do they have an "app" or do you have to reserve over the phone? How do you gain access to a reserved spot once you get there? Do you have to go inside and notify someone and wait on them? How/when do you pay for the spot? I assume fuel points count towards the purchase?

 

lol, its clearly an exaggeration of half the lot being reserved, but it does come in handy, if I see a location I will get in late, I reserve a spot. the further ahead you reserve the lower the price, I have got spots at the t/a on 84 in ct for 8 bucks. if ya cant afford a few bucks to park, you might need to reassess your situation.

 

And then we wonder why government lately feels emboldened to run over the average American.

 

Stop at the Petro2 east of Montgomery, AL on I-85. At least a 1/3 of the available spots are now reserved. Granted it's a small lot but still.

 

There's a number you call and you reserve it with a credit card, sort of like a motel room but I believe you can pay cash once you get there. As for points I can't say, never used the service but I'm assuming when you pay for the spot, they can add points or you can redeem them to pay.

They may have an app for that too, lmao.

 

I've pulled into Seffner FL TA at 2AM, walked over to the fuel desk, plunked down Thomas Jefferson, and have been parked in a full truckstop in 10 minutes. I don't normally do this, but when you're tired and there's no place to park it's a nice option.

 

The site in question was the Roanoke, VA T/A. I-81, Exit 150 (US 220) 2905 Lee Highway.

Per the T/A website there are 129 parking spots. The middle section of the lot was "reserved". Using Google Maps, I count 53 spots that were reserved (most all of which were empty at 3AM).

Why "reserve" 41% (53/129) of your parking lot ?!?

It's their lot. I'm not arguing they don't have the right to do so. I'm saying that, at 3AM, after a nearly 14 hour day, with 15 minutes left on your clock you get really pissed off seeing a ton of empty spots.

 

dang driver, you've got all that money, turn lose of some it! Pay the extortion fee and move on! Just take it and be happy.

Seriously, I don't think truck stops give drivers enough credit for the money they leave behind before they leave following a break. I doubt more then 3% of drivers use a lot for 10 hours and spend $0 (or less then $7) before they leave the following morning. So if they think that's a good business model, let them have at it. Maybe it will work, maybe it won't. A handful of drivers think it's perfectly acceptable to potentially be required to pay $100 bucks or more per month in parking charges if more and more places do this, with more and more spaces. We'll see how it works out I guess.