Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/85415
robbery. The incident led to a Congressional bill known as Jason's Law that seeks $20 million annually for parking- related initiatives. Jason's Law and increased truck parking were reportedly recently discussed in a Senate committee meeting on a new transportation funding bill. The bill lists potential funding sources for adding truck parking, such as developing rest areas or converting inspection and weigh stations and park-and-ride areas. The committee approved the funding bill last month. Truckers often have to seek parking, like Rivenburg did, at sites other than truck stops or rest areas – large retail stores, distribution centers or industrial areas. Cunningham once or twice a week will search for a warehouse district or other area where trucks are parked. He says he's never been told to leave such a place and tries to leave early the next morning before workers arrive. "If you pull in a lot some place, you're a target," he says. "California doesn't want you parking in industrial areas." Parking in an industrial area is a last resort, says Bryan Peirsol, leased to Landstar Ranger. Since he frequently pulls oversize loads, he's required to get off the road before dark. That often forces him to start looking for parking by mid-afternoon. Matching supply with demand A 2005 FMCSA study measured the daily parking demand of 287,000 spaces compared with the daily supply at 309,000 spaces. This suggests less a parking shortage than problems with geographic allocation or getting current information to drivers. That's long been the concern of NATSO, the trade group representing truck stops. "It's also important to focus on maximizing the spaces that we already have," says Tiffany Wlazlowski, NATSO spokeswoman. "We could have all the parking spaces in the world, but if truck drivers don't know where they are or when they are open, or if everyone is trying to get into the same spot at the same time, then it doesn't really matter all that much." California is developing a system that would provide real-time information on parking availability and a space- reservation system. The initial phase of the five-year pilot program covers engineering and deployment at two test sites on I-5, one a drop-and-hook terminal in Lathrop, east of the Bay Area, and the other a Flying J truck stop with 187 spaces at Lodi. The Lathrop location is a secure facility that will be used to test sensor performance, while the state Department of Transportation will test several sensing systems at Lodi. A second phase will add two public and four private sites to the program. In a trucker survey, 72 percent said it would be useful if they could use the Internet to monitor parking availability. Truck stop spaces Among major truck stop chains, Pilot Flying J's network numbers more than 550 facilities with more than 50,000 parking spaces. The company plans further expansion through new locations or acquired facilities, a spokesperson says. TA Petro counts 43,960 spaces at 230 sites, after adding about 2,000 spaces through acquisition and new sites this year. The company offers a TruckSmart smart phone app that updates parking availability about every two hours. To its network of more than 17,400 spaces, Love's Travel Stops is adding 1,820 spaces at 23 locations this year. Most of the additions are new construction, a spokeswoman says. NATSO, an organization representing about 1,400 truck stops that provide about 90 percent of overnight truck parking, noted in a 2010 study that truck parking is more plentiful on interstates where commercial rest areas are prohibited. Under federal law, 14 states are permitted commercial services at rest areas. If truck stops are full, owner-operator Larry Cunningham hunts for warehouse or industrial districts for overnight parking. With the TruckerTools smartphone app, a user can find the number of parking places at any given truck stop. The same information is available online at Truckstopguide.com. What do you do when truck stop parking is filled? Keep driving and looking 54% Park anywhere I can 30% Call receiver/shipper for permission to park 9% OverdriveOnline poll: 100 responses Illegally park on freeway ramp 7% JANUARY 2012 OVERDRIVE 33 Max Kvidera