As much progress as has been made with Jason’s Law, state efforts to publicize available parking, and regular industry surveys on safe truck parking, the fact remains that there are too many trucks and not enough parking spaces when a driver’s available driving hours are up.
Some believe there are enough spaces in the country, they are just not where they are needed, unfortunately. A TruckerPath report in 2017 found that drivers lose approximately $600 in wages per month due to lost miles driving around looking for a place to park. That same survey found that 79% violated hours-of-service rules because they could not find parking.
The impact of the electronic logging device (ELD) regulation has exacerbated this problem, as drivers can no longer drive around looking for spaces, so they either find a space and park earlier – estimates say drivers lose 54 minutes per day looking for safe parking – or they park wherever they can, often on the side of on- and off-ramps, mall parking lots and abandoned lots.
According to the American Transportation Research Institute’s (ATRI) Critical Issues in the Trucking Industry 2018 report, 48.7% of respondents said the parking shortage leads to them parking on ramps or the side of the highway between three and five times a week.
It is exactly these types of places that got Jason’s Law started, named after truck driver Jason Rivenburg, who was killed one night while parked at an abandoned gas station. The original study identified the national inventory of truck parking, but few projects have added to that inventory since that 2015 study was released.
The U.S. Department of Transportation is in the process of updating the study.
For many truckers, the only safe solution to this problem is paying to reserve parking spaces. The major travel stops have reservation systems for a portion of their available spots, but most trucking companies do not reimburse drivers for that expense.
ATRI’s 2018 report listed truck parking as the number five overall issue for the industry; drivers ranked it number two while fleets placed it ninth. The 2019 report will be published shortly, but it’s safe to assume parking will remain a Top 10 issue for the industry.
TruckPark founder and CEO Anthony Petitte has been growing his business since its official launch in the Chicagoland area in 2017. TruckPark provides technology that allows truck drivers to reserve a space in a lot operated by a partner company. That latest partner is Storemytruck.com.
“This is the beginning of something incredible, in the next two years we will be adding more than 10,000 new truck parking spaces available to our users,” Petitte said. “We are very excited for this phenomenal partnership. Adding additional parking facilities will not only increase our supply but provide more safe and secure parking for drivers with dedicated routes in the South and Southeast.”
Storemytruck.com is a parking lot owner located primarily in the Southeast as of now, with a large presence in the Atlanta and Charlotte areas, as well as North and South Carolina, Alabama and Florida. The current agreement with TruckPark opens up locations in Atlanta, as well as in North and South Carolina to drivers.
As of this announcement, the partnership will add 40 locations to the TruckPark platform, but Petitte said that more than 100 locations will be added over the next two years through the agreement.
“The additions will expand across the U.S.,” Petitte told FreightWaves. “We plan to be in every state [and city] with a high density of logistics – Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Phoenix, Houston, Dallas, Denver, northwest Arkansas, New York City, Baltimore, Norfolk, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and more.”
In the 2018 ATRI report, respondents offered three possible solutions to the truck parking problem:
- Create or expand parking locations along heavily trafficked locations
- Educate the public on the safety impact of closing public parking facilities or failure to develop plans for truck parking.
- Research the role and value of real-time truck parking information availability and truck parking reservation systems.
ATRI found that the number of drivers turning to reservation systems had increased from 7.2% in 2017 to 11.7% in 2018.
“Leveraging technological advancements to develop real-time truck parking solutions was the preferred strategy for a small, but growing percentage of respondents,” ATRI wrote. This reflects “the considerable public sector interest and investment in these systems.”
TruckPark is trying to help drivers find parking with its app. The partnership with Storemytruck.com provides real-time visibility of secure parking spaces that can be reserved by drivers through the TruckPark app. Once a space is reserved, it is that driver’s spot.
There are an estimated 300,000 parking spaces for truckers in the country; Love’s Travel Stops has about 33,000 parking spaces and TravelCenters of America operates approximately 47,000 in 43 states. About 14% of TravelCenters’ spaces are available for reservations on a nightly basis.
TruckPark is working with existing lot owners that may have availability on a nightly basis to make those spaces available to truckers, potentially opening up tens of thousands of additional spaces not currently available to trucking.
Here’s how the system works: A driver in need in parking goes to the app and enters their zip code. A map (and detailed list) shows up listing locations that have available parking. The driver enters their credit card information (or logs in if they are already on file) and reserves a space. Once the driver arrives at the lot, they confirm the space with the attendant and are allowed to park their truck.
Prior to the Storemytruck.com announcement, TruckPark had locations in the Chicago area as well as Florida, Georgia, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas. Storemytruck.com adds an additional 40 locations immediately prior to the future expansion plans.
In June, TruckPark reached a strategic agreement with consulting company M2 Transportation Group to help it develop new locations along the East Coast.
Noble1
For those of you unaware , there is a war going on out there at your expense concerning carriers and regulations against truck drivers in order to remain “competitive“ . Do some research . You`ll likely come to the conclusion that you`re losing the battle by a long shot . Aren`t you feeling it ?
Truck driving used to be something a driver could be proud of and earn a decent living while enjoying themselves . No longer today ! And who is to blame ? Certainly not truck drivers per se . Truck drivers are “controlled“ , therefore they can`t be blamed . The only one`s that can be blamed are the one`s who control truck drivers/labourers . Who`s in control ??? Who has an upper hand on “lobbying“ government for their own benefit ??? Certainly not the little guy/gal .
Transportation is big business .And big business isn`t always ethical ! A labourer/truck driver is considered to be a cost , a tool until it can be replaced at a lower cost .
Truck drivers usually choose that career because they view it as being something to enjoy .There`s very little joy left in this day and age in truck driving . It has become a headache , stress , and a constant battle against those who don’t understand how to increase their profits while decreasing their costs without affecting human beings well being . Those are the people that need to be replaced until they understand that there is an ethical way of organizing a business and making a profit while being fair with those that help them reap their wealth .
Look around you . Carriers have united through trucking associations . They have gained power by uniting . That power is being used to cater to THEIR desire and benefit, NOT YOURS !
What are truck drivers waiting for to UNITE ? I`m not referring to a typical labour “union“ . I`m referring to disrupting the industry through a truck driver unification like it has never been seen before ! Be the “pioneer“ and take the bull by the horns . The one`s who have been in control have lead truck drivers to the path and reality that they face today . And most truck drivers aren`t happy with where the industry has lead them .
SO CHANGE IT !
I keep reading about unfairness and leaving the industry etc etc . That isn`t improving it for the next generation . Take a stand and do something different ! COME TOGETHER ! The industry today is a reflection of yourselves . A change starts with the one in the mirror . BE THAT CHANGE !
Use your frustrations to drive yourself to make a difference . Ever since capitalism has begun from feudalism labourers have been fighting for fairness and their equal share . Stop fighting and start organizing yourselves ! You`re smart , you have potential , all you need is a little understanding and guidance . The service you drivers provide is undervalued and grand time that you be respected and get your share . And that share my friends is only limited by your imagination .
Combined the sky is the limit ! You have nothing to lose . Try , learn , and reap the rewards that await you . It`s in your grasp .
In my humble opinion ………………
Noble1
Charging truck drivers to “park“ it not normal . This goes to show just how poorly organized the industry is .
Truck drivers are “consumers“ ! When you create a “service“ station aka truck stop you attract clientele !
The more “clientele“(volume) you attract the more profit you make through an increase of service sales . Whether that be through more showers , more consumable food goods , fuel etc , you want to attract volume ! Volume also allows you to decrease your price on goods thus attracting even more volume which leads to even more profits ! Think “Walmart“ as an example .
Therefore you don`t have to be a genius to realize that there is quite a huge demand for TRUCK STOP SERVICE STATIONS !
You enlarge and or build more but you certainly don`t charge them to park there . Charging them to park is as ridiculous as if shopping centers were to charge clientele to park in the shopping center`s parking lot to shop at the shopping center ! It could certainly occur , you never know . Who would have thought that business`s would end up charging consumers for a bag to carry out the goods they bought at the business ??? That in of itself it quite retarded but people are once again being duped into spending more due to a belief that was imposed on their minds . Today plastic bags exist that decompose within 7 to 11 days ! There is no need to charge for a plastic bag without already embedding the cost within consumers goods . There is no reason to deter consumers from using plastic bags based on hocus pocus propaganda recycling problems and or reasons . It`s all BS just like charging a consumer to park at a business where they intend to shop !
In my humble opinion ………………..
John Anscombe
Charging to park is not new. They been doing it as long as have been driving (40yrs) fewer and fewer drivers spend money at these truck stops but they use the amenities available to them that dont cost anything
Noble1
Drivers buy fuel at truck stops . Fuel is something they can`t bypass yet . Truck stops make an enormous amounts of profit on volume fuel sales .
Second , the reason drivers tend to buy less in regards to other goods at truck stops is due to the mark up . $6 for a sandwich ??? This sort of pricing is not a service , it exploits drivers .
Look at it this way , what if that sandwich was brought down to $1.50 to $2 ? Would that not entice consumers/truck drivers to purchase it ?
In fact if truck drivers united and really organized themselves they could literally own truck stops . That in and of itself is a business that caters to truck driver needs which is profitable .
There`s no need to gouge truck drivers in order to make a profit . Hence my “Walmart“ low price example based on volume in my prior comment . And if Walmart was capable of becoming the biggest retailer in the world based on low prices and basing their sales on volume , then it speaks for itself .
That`s my point .
The only “amenity “ that doesn`t cost is using a public washroom and parking . Do you remember back in the day when some public washrooms used to charge 10 cents to use them ? That was quite absurd as well .
Truck drivers need to unite and stop the insanity that is being done against them . No need to fight . Just be a friend and make a friend among yourselves an reawaken that truck driver camaraderie that once was . Then realize that once you unite it will be much more difficult for corporations and government to take advantage of you . Be shrewd and outsmart those abusing you . I guarantee you`ll make a lot more money and regain your freedom .
In my humble opinion ……………………
Paula
And what about all the spots you have to pay for. If your not an o/o you can’t deduct this on your taxes anymore and the company’s aren’t picking up the tab for it either. It doesn’t always happen but some days I’ve paid $15 to shower and $18 to park. That is not helping any of us. Petro and TA’s have made most of their big lots into pay yo park and now that they get away with a lot of the smaller truck stops are charging too. We can’t get a break anyway you look at it. I have left truck stops that I have pay at and find something else, especially if I know the area.
Anthony Petitte
Paula,
We understand your frustration which is why TruckPark offers discounts to drivers. Plug in First50 in our promo code to receive 50% off at any of our locations for your first reservation. Additionally, drivers spend an average of 56 minutes or more searching for parking everyday which is equivalent to $66.66 for that hour in fuel and maintenance. The big picture here is that you are saving hundreds of dollars a week when you have a safe place to park. Don’t forget cargo theft risk when parking in an unsafe area. We help mitigate those risks. We want to help you have an enhanced experience from when you turn on your truck and when you park.