There’s A Shortage Of Safe Places For Truckers To Park And Rest

[cyndi]

I think this effects those of us that travel, frequently

http://consumerist.com/2015/01/21/theres-a-shortage-of-safe-places-for-truckers-to-park-and-rest/

 

[Almost There]

 A lot of the states have outlawed overnight stopping in the rest areas, either outright or by limiting stops to 4 hours. There's often a perception that allowing people to sleep in their vehicles, whether professional drivers or simply the travelling public, will encourage a higher crime rate.  Indeed it can do so when the rest areas are too close to high population centers but it's generally not the travelling public, it's the ne'er do wells from the city that cause the problems.

Ontario has 'transport only' stopping areas but there aren't enough of them and they're often too small for the traffic volume.

It can also be an attempt to force the use of motels by local businesses...much like some W/M's are restricted by local bylaws from allowing RV's - the nearby parks want them forced in to the campgrounds.

 

[mockturtle]

I've seen quite a few of them in WalMarts. Rather than using the peripheral areas, as most RVs do, they straddle whole rows of parking spots.

 

[Almost There]

I've seen quite a few of them in WalMarts.  Rather than using the peripheral areas, as most RVs do, they straddle whole rows of parking spots.

In a lot of cases, it because of turning radius and exit strategies.

After getting a 35' RV with a 15' trailer on behind it stuck one time, I learned all about 'exit strategies'...   It took a 1/2 hour and an experiencedtransport driver guiding me to get unstuck!!

I don't remember ever seeing a transport truck in a W/M parking lot taking up spots that regular shoppers really, really wanted to use...

 

[Bdog1]

I think the rest stops post this to stop people from "moving in". I think catching some zz's descretly, would be excepted by most LEO's for safety concerns.

 

[mockturtle]

In a lot of cases, it because of turning radius and exit strategies.

After getting a 35' RV with a 15' trailer on behind it stuck one time, I learned all about 'exit strategies'...   It took a 1/2 hour and an experiencedtransport driver guiding me to get unstuck!!

I don't remember ever seeing a transport truck in a W/M parking lot taking up spots that regular shoppers really, really wanted to use...

No, they leave pretty early in the morning.  I wasn't making a criticism, just an observation. 

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

There are two truck stops here, both fill up several times a week and the drivers are stalking around looking for some place to park because they have those limits on driving and don't want to pay for a room. There is a mall here and i have a big lot but the owner tells the security guy to toss them out. There was some spots they could park on the side of the roads, big areas off the shoulder, but they recently put up like 5 no parking signs in all these places, clearly a willful attempt to oust the trucks. Not sure what to tell them when they say they have to stop but have no actual place to stop.


cant read whole article without wsj subscription?

 

[Spirituallifetime]

I'm a truck driver and am familiar with this, it can be difficult to find parking in truck stops after 4 or 5 pm. And when trucks start parking on streets near truck stops the cities put up no parking signs knowing that these trucks need to get off the road and park some where (if they don't stop and rest when their 11 hour driving time ends then the driver can be fined up to $2000). And the regulations make the situation worse by requiring a 10 hour rest period instead of the previous 8 hour rest period. The police in some places will make a driver move if the truck is parked on the street, however this could be illegal for the police officer to do because it causes the truck driver to break federal law when the drivers driving hours have been used and is required to take a 10 hour rest break. Actions like this cause drivers to park on private property where in most places the owner can't tow a vehicle or make them move for up to 72 hours. In many places I get the feeling that they want their shipment of stuff but don't want the trucks!