Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/85445
VOICES Truck parking: Dialing for dollars IN WHAT AREAS DO YOU FIND IT MOST DIFFICULT TO FIND A PARKING SPOT AT NIGHT? Truckers' cheers went up around the country for the "Jason's Law" truck parking legislation's inclusion in the MAP-21 highway bill in June. Owner-operators like Overdrive reader William McKelvie, though, was quick to point out the danger of complacency on this issue. "While everyone has jumped on the prover- bial happy- happy-joy-joy bandwagon about Jason's law passing, we continue to have no answer as to the actual dol- lar amounts set aside by the federal government for this law," McKelvie wrote in a Facebook post to the "Rights for truck drivers" group. He's correct on that score – the highway bill, as a comprehensive national package of transportation priorities, doesn't note a particular amount of investment, in line with lawmakers' desire to avoid charges of earmarking that plagued the last, pet-project-laden reauthorization bill. Others weren't as pessimistic about the lack of a specific amount. One of those was Florida-based fuel hauler Allen Smith, also the proprietor behind the AsktheTrucker.com blog and his Truth About Trucking organization. "We need to be calling our Senators and Reps in those states that we know are suffering from lack of parking," Smith wrote. If you want to ensure truck parking gets its fair share of those funds, Smith suggests, pick up the phone and dial. "The Northeast, in the New England states. Not a lot of truck stops there." Cornelouis Lark Dallas Owner-operator leased to Bull Truck "The Northeast. It's illegal to park in rest areas. There are very few truck stops with very few spots… Nobody wants us up there." Josh Robinson Bordentown, N.J. Company driver for Janco "Up in the Northeast. If you're not in a parking spot by 3 in the afternoon, you're done." Randy Martindale Cloquet, Minn. Company driver for Werner From readers on Overdrive's Facebook page "The Northeast, around all big cities. And put big parking areas on all major four- lane highways across the country. Buy up all closed-down truck stops and let us park there. Make warehouses build parking for us. I know I'm asking for too much, but if they want to control us then they should help us." – John T. "I-81 and I-95." – Andy S. "The Northeast – Maryland to Maine." – Bryan C. "Dallas." – Jim C. "Illinois." – Charles S. The way the bill is written, much more than $6.25 million/year [originally in Jason's Law] can be put toward truck parking…. It's a double- edged sword, but I see it as a positive because it does not limit us to a much lesser amount than was in the original Jason's Law bill. It gives us more power and a chance for a lot more funding. — Allen Smith, in conversation in the "Rights for truck drivers" Facebook group with Overdrive editors, readers and others. Tell us what you think at facebook.com/OverdriveTrucking. 4 | Overdrive | September 2012