Walmart parking, not just trucks

[John61CT]

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/w...-for-allowing-truck-parking-at-illinois-store

Interesting app mentioned

 

[lenny flank]

> Of about 5,400 stores, about 2,700 reported having truck parking.

That sounds awfully low to me. My experience has been that most Walmarts have no problem with parkers, and most who have "no parking" policies don't actually enforce them (unless you become a PITA).

 

[bullfrog]

When I drove truck and everything parking was packed I would just line up with all the delivery trucks at Walmart docks and when my turn to unload came just say "Sorry wrong store."

 

[tx2sturgis]

I used TruckerPath for several years. It was a big help to me whenever I was out of my normal, and familiar, region. 

For 26 years I got paid to sleep at WalMarts....and on our trip sheets, sometimes there was a notation of either, no overnight layovers, or a notation that only certain areas of the lot were available to us. (example, near the docks, or on the north side only, etc)

I had a few instances where the little 'security' person would drive up and tell me no, you cant park here. Or knock on the truck sleeper and wake me up from our required DOT break. Obviously under-trained.

If it was a store where we were allowed, by code, whether outside carriers were allowed or not, I would inform the person that yes, it IS allowed to park Walmart assets on Walmart property. Sometimes they got huffy and I simply told them to contact the night manager and he or she will explain it. If it was an un-informed manager, I told them to look it up in the S.O.M. (Store Operations Manual).

That always worked.

One time, (this didnt happen to me, but another driver) we had a bowed-up pissed-off manager call the police and the police called a Class 8 wrecker to tow our truck. 

The driver let them tow it, called a cab, and went to a motel room.

The next day, when our driver called head of transportation in Bentonville, told them what happened, and what the wrecker bill and impound fee was, a few hours later, the store manager was fired.

There are lots of rules and regulations in different places...so you never know. That's why our trip-sheets had the information printed in black and white: Layovers allowed (by local code), or layovers NOT allowed, (because of local codes).

Codes are EVERYTHING in business. If it's in print, you are required to abide by it. 

But the store managers could not simply decide "No trucks, period."

Trust me, they will figure this out up there in Illinois.

 

[John61CT]

But that only applies to trucks owned by or at least doing business with Walmart right?

 

[speedhighway46]

I have overnighted at 67 Walmarts so far. I research each one on the sites on line regarding no overnite parking. I have only overnighted at a few of these NOP stores and didn’t have a problem. My vehicle is a class 8 Peterbilt 379 converted to a motorhome. I look like a semi, and park in their midst. I have NEVER been told to leave.

The key to overnighting at WM is you need to remember they are doing you a favor; that you are overnighting, NOT CAMPING; and don’t leave a mess. Don’t be a jerk and ruin it for everyone else.

Walmart’s are great!

 

[tx2sturgis]

But that only applies to trucks owned by or at least doing business with Walmart right?

My main point is that the local codes (meaning any codes, laws, or regulations that are relevant) dictate the rules for everyone....even WMT trucks.....it is not always up to manager discretion as is often stated here and elsewhere. 

If there are local codes prohibiting over-night RV parking, or over-night truck parking, or both, then the managers are required to at least put up some signage, and try to enforce it when customers or a local resident complains.

Most of the managers are OK with it, provided the local codes allow it. 

The problems arise, as we have seen, when overnighters abuse the privilege, or become a nuisance, or leave waste or garbage in the lot.

 

[tx2sturgis]

The key to overnighting at WM is you need to remember they are doing you a favor; that you are overnighting, NOT CAMPING; and don’t leave a mess. Don’t be a jerk and ruin it for everyone else.

Walmart’s are great!

Thanks....

And I have a friend who has a rather large and expensive Class A pulling a rather large and expensive cargo trailer with an expensive motorcycle inside.

He loves to brag that he has, on many occasions, parked at a WM for 2 or 3 or 4 days, and unloaded the bike, and rides around each day in the area, at rallies or other events, then returns home each evening, rolls the bike up in the trailer and goes to bed.

I told him, ya know, that's not really a campground...

He laughs....says it has never been a problem.

I told him one of these days it might get towed...camping for three days is pushing the tolerance of the managers and disrupting nightly maintenance services for the lot in the area where he is parked, considering the size of that rig.

He shrugs and says it will never happen.

Maybe not. But having worked for the company for 26 years, I have seen a LOT of things happen.

So you never know.

But yes, one night, maybe two if weather is bad, or vehicle issues occur, and where allowed, is fine. After all, you will most likely be dropping some coin in the store during a 2 or 3 day un-planned stopover on their lot.

 

[bullfrog]

No I was not hauling for Walmart, I was just a dumb trucker that made a mistake and usually got at least 4 hours sleep or more if I went to the back of the line.

 

[Smitty716]

Walmart has made a major change to there free overnight parking. They are turning there parking lots into town centers. This means no more parking , they have already built a number of these centers and have cut off overnight parking in a lot of places. Enjoy the journey life did a YouTube video this morning with links to Walmart website showing the change. If you plan on staying at Walmart make sure you ask Management and get the name of the manager that gave you permission.

 

[MrNoodly]

> Of about 5,400 stores, about 2,700 reported having truck parking.

That sounds awfully low to me. My experience has been that most Walmarts have no problem with parkers, and most who have "no parking" policies don't actually enforce them (unless you become a PITA).

https://www.walmartlocator.com/no-park-walmarts/

 

[ByeBye]

The type of situation wasn't sustainable w/ the increasing flux of urban mobile dwellers. If history is a indicator there'll be more restrictions/codes/etc involving any large identifiable group of people that is slipping under the radar. They can't make any money from a large group of people routinely using free services. Factor in the abuse of the free services that routinely happens and it exacerbates the situation.

One of the main reasons I'm focusing on Western US, public land boondocking/off grid living. The initial start up cost is more (having a sad feelz) however I think in the big picture I'll have enough options to last me the rest of my days.

 

[abnorm]

^^^^^Mr Noodly……..Thanks for the link...………………

Yea I got booted from the Medford Oregon Wally's......knock knock knock...…...Ah!!!!! the interstate rest stop is only TWO miles away

I guess it was a theme in Oregon...…..

I never heard the security guy at Cabela's…….Heron said he was beating on the van trying to wake me.....He just KNEW I was hiding in there avoiding him...…..Liz said ""He's Old and DEAF"".....(Cabells didn't own that property)

The next nite we tried Fred Meyers across the street..a little Security Nazi tried to run us off before I got out of the store with my $100 of groceries !!!

 

[LivGolden]

I live near a nice WM. Just an hour ago, I was over that way. I stopped to buy some cukes. I saw a big, roomy-looking van parked away from the storefront. The van had out-of-state plates.

I did my shopping. When I went to check out, the young cashier pointed to the register screen. She said the man in the camera-photo had been frozen there since the night before. The man was wearing, of all things, a black suit with a white shirt and a thin black tie. He was clean shaven and wore dark glasses.

The cashier and I joked about the man looking like one of the "men in black'.  We carried on about how this particular WM was going to be on Reuters, tonight - or soon.

It's too hot to wear that garb and who wears thin ties these days anyway...?

I told cashier about a van I'd seen in the parking lot as I came in. She said she wished I'd stop and talk to whoever it was - maybe it was someone from "outer space"...lol

I told cashier I would. She promised to report me missing...cute

As I was leaving the parking lot I decided to stop and engage whoever was in the Transit 350. It was a very nice man by the initials HH.

HH is an artist. He showed me two of his paintings. Much like - Picasso. Really profound statements.

HH has been fulltime on the road for 10 years. HH never heard of RTR or CRVL. He thought, when I mentioned Bob Wells, I meant the guy who sang "San Antonio Rose".

I told HH about RTR and CRVL and Quartzite. He seemed interested. What a nice man!

I hope he makes it.

Peace