The Truck Parking Crisis 2019 – Update!

The Truck Parking Crisis 2019 is just a short little update on what changes have taken place in the industry for truck parking needs across the United States and here at the truck depot. To begin with, there have been some changes to some of the states in regards to addressing the issue of truck parking since last year. States that I can mention that have done more than just gone into more and more statistical studies are Ohio, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Wyoming. It is seemingly more than just a fact that most states in the union agree that the parking situation is a crisis that needs to be addressed, sooner than later. The federal Department of Transportation agrees with the consensus of the states, and has even ear marked billions of dollars in grants for the purposes, on finding a solution for drivers to park. This is where things continue  to become cloudy, and a bit confusing. Similar to the Simpsons cartoon episode where the Lyle Lanley states that a town with money is like a mule with a spinning wheel, It seems many states DOT’s are not sure what or how to do with the extra funds. Let me explain here better.

It seems that everyone in the logistics industry, and those that are affected directly by logistics and the parking issue, agree that there is a truck parking crisis. The federal government acknowledges the issue and even has created funds to come up with a fix for the parking issue. Yet, as drivers, and those in the private industry of logistics, regularly hear and see that the answers to the problem are either another technology software app, that promises to find available parking across the nation for drivers or promises more efficient ways of matching drivers and available freight. I do not want to be seen as unappreciative or one that does not believe that technology is a great asset in the process of fixing the parking issue. The only thing I continue to see, as a disconnect, is that one of the most important components of the truck parking crisis is the lack of places, (real Estate), to park those trucks in need.

The analogy I keep coming up with is, it being like having an incredible computer that can do anything you ask of it with perfect results, but not having any actual computer to run the software on. A Ferrari is an incredible machine to drive and can do things most automobiles will never be able to match. Without any roads, the Ferrari is simply just a large bundle of gears and parts. The truck parking crisis is a reality and one that all agree needs a fix. Until both, private and public entities, can come together and work on a plan, or partnership, to create not only better software for more efficient logistics and mobile apps that can find on demand live listings of available parking, there needs to be a place to park. We need to earmark infrastructure. There are a handful of state DOT’s that are doing more than apps and research and they are working to create a partnership that will produce the physical spaces needed to allow all of the software and apps to do their job. We cannot blame the truck stops for not having enough locations, as they are dealing with serious environmental laws from federal, state, and local governments that make it very costly and difficult to build out new truck stops.

I would like to reach out to the drivers and the state DOT’s that are looking for a way to implement an actual plan or ideas about creating the locations for parking. We are so happy, and proud, to be a part of the state of Nevada, Oregon, and Washington departments of transportation that are working collectively to create those spaces where trucks can park after finding them on an mobile application. So, if you are a driver and have an opinion or insights as to what you feel would help, reach out to us or comment on this article. If you work as part of a state DOT and have questions or insights reach out to us, we are looking for more ways to help each other and the communities of drivers and people across the country.