Why truck drivers are willing to pay for parking?

Seems the real question then is, if trucks are not paying and no one cares, why do you care, why do you pay? If no one paid what would happen? Remove all trucks? If trucks stop going to paid parking stops for anything as to boycott them would they remove paid parking instead of removing the trucks?

This world is about nothing other than everyone trying to get into everyone else's pockets. People willfully consents to it and then turns around to defend and support it. It's like a form of Stockholm Syndrome.

As for me, no I don't pay to park nor do I plan on it. I also avoid those conglomerate national truck plazas. Other than a forced scale ticket due to location I don't open my pockets to them nor do I support them.

 

Parking is sometimes a necessary evil. Just like paying $2.50 for a gatorade in the truckstop when it is 95 degrees outside.
Advance planning can help avoid the cost, just a good PM regiment can prevent unneeded unscheduled repairs.
What I don't get, with all the cool information out here on countless apps, why things like this happen:
I live near an interstate with 3 major truckstops on one exit. The Pilot is the smallest, fills up first, always has fuel customers backed out on the street.
The Petro is much larger, fuel islands not always full, fills up by 8 PM. 25 paid spaces used every night.
The exit and entrance ramps 3-5 customers on them both ways every night.

4 miles away there is an independent truck stop that has on average 10 trucks occupying the available 75 spaces.
He is on all the apps, billboards on the highway both directions. (Exit 205 I-65 Indiana)
I get it, your company says fuel here and that is where your showers are. Fine. Get that done and move 4 miles away(personal conveyance) and don't get hit, or park on the ramp.

 

I've paid for a few spots, usually it's just when I am extra tired and don't want to worry about it.

I agree 100% with the infrastructure bill. Over a trillion and nothing for truck parking? Really?

I don't understand why every major city doesn't have a mega stop. Just 1 mega stop at least and it would fill up every night. It should be profitable. Or offer a tax incentive to get it done. Get us off the ramps and shopping plaza lots. Everyone is happy.

Dallas/Fort Worth needs an Iowa 80. Build lots of those just on the outskirts of town.

 

Problem solved ! That was easy.

 

Most big cities, and some smaller ones depending on parking availability, charge to park.I understand why, as a previous poster said, because drivers will park trucks and leave it there for days at a time. However, I think, in a situation where the driver has to pay to park in order to make a specific delivery, I think the company should reimburse the driver for that added expense. Take Atlanta for instance. 3 truck stops around 285 and surrounding areas. 1) exit 12 on 285 (Petro) think it is $15 for overnight or 24 hour parking, it may be more or less. 2) exit 51 Pilot. Good luck in getting a spot there. Not only is it small as far as parking spots, it is tight as hell also and it is a crime ridden place so be careful. 3) Racetrack on forest parkway, forest park off exit 58 Old Dixie hwy. Again, good luck in getting a spot. It is a decent size but truckers know that and will get there early to get a spot. So in essence, there is limited parking in a lot of big cities so the truck stops can charge to park. I just think it should be reimbursed just like scale tickets are.

 

IL is rough, but there is that one Petro with a huge lot in Wilmington, about 50 miles south of Chicago.

At least for my Chicago trips I know that Petro is there and I have always found a spot. So I just have to wake up an hour early is all. No problem with that.

I park at a lot of mom & pop shops also. Most of those that I have been too fill up same as the big names, but maybe later in the evening.

 

If you never pull off the road early to ensure you get a spot', then the value is a bit harder to find. But anytime you do, the math is simple. (This is all before tax of course).

The miles you could have driven in 2 hours, let's just say 100 for simple math, x your pay per mile. Again we'll use round numbers and say $3.00 per mile. There's $300 more in gross pay for that day. The parking space will cost you $25. Before payroll taxes and the expense deduction on the $25, you're up $275. Once a month or so and it's no big deal. but what if you do it say 3 times a month? That's almost ten grand a year more in gross pay.

Again, if you never pull off early to make sure you get a spot and you always find a free spot before your clock runs out, paid parking is not for you.