Understanding the complexities of the truck parking shortage in the U.S.

Truck parking is one of the top issues for both fleets and drivers, according to the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI). Limited safe truck parking has been an ongoing problem because of limited infrastructure, hours-of-service (HOS) changes, and more. 

There is one parking space for every 11 drivers on the road, noted Doug Marcello, trucking and commercial transportation attorney with the law firm Saxton & Stump. “[When] you couple that with the hours-of-service requirement, that drivers can only drive 11 hours, be on duty 14 hours, it increases not just a demand but a timing for that demand, resulting in a number of them having to park on exit ramps, sides of roadways, etc.”

The lack of truck parking is not only problematic but also complicated.

Why truck parking is problematic in the U.S.

Truck drivers deserve to feel safe

Truck drivers don’t typically park in these unsafe places willingly. Usually, it is because they could not find safer parking or have to stop because of HOS. According to Marcello, most of the accident cases he sees in his work occur when a truck driver who parked on the side of the highway is trying to reenter traffic or when another driver loses control and hits them.

Parking under these conditions isn’t just a safety problem; it’s a legal problem. There are some areas right off the highway where truck parking is not permissible, depending on the location. Marcello noted that in some locations where truck drivers may need to park, there are federal requirements put in place by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), such as setting up emergency triangles or turning on the truck’s flashers.

Even when a driver does manage to find free parking at a truck stop, rest stop, or elsewhere, that still doesn’t mean they’re safe. Free parking options don’t always have safety measures—like security cameras, fences, gates, security guards, well-lit areas, etc.—in place to keep drivers, their trucks, and their cargo safe.

Truck drivers deserve to have their needs met

Aside from safety, amenities are also important to truck drivers when looking for parking, especially for long-haul drivers. Amenities truck drivers prioritize when traveling, other than parking, include clean bathrooms with showers, restaurants or stores with healthy food options, laundry services, stable Wi-Fi, and maintenance services. According to a recent report from Truck Parking Club, a provider of paid truck parking, rest areas may provide a few basic amenities but nothing extensive.

Truck drivers deserve ample parking, no matter where they are

The availability of truck parking depends on demand and supply, according to Evan Shelley, CEO and co-founder of Truck Parking Club.

“There are areas like Southern California that do have a lot of supply of truck parking on a per-space basis, but the demand is so high that it outnumbers the supply,” Shelley said. “But if you're considering it from supply versus demand, not total number of spaces available in a specific market, typically you're going to see more availability across the Midwest.”

According to a recent ATRI study on public truck parking, the South and Midwest have the most truck parking at public rest areas. The West, Southwest, and Northeast had below-average public truck parking.

How the truck parking shortage affects everyone

A common misconception is that the lack of truck parking only affects truck drivers. In reality, the truck parking shortage has ramifications that affect the rest of the industry and the public.

The effects of the truck parking shortage on drivers

For drivers, especially long-haul drivers, hard-to-find truck parking is a constant source of stress. Instead of focusing on driving safely, drivers must think 10 steps ahead to where they are going to park when their HOS runs out. 

“I've been here 35 years, and over the last 35 years, the momentum and the pressure on truckers to continue working, with the change to the hours of service, they really don't have the control over their time like they used to,” said Delia Meier, SVP of the Iowa 80 Group, which owns the world’s largest truck stop. “I feel bad for them that they have that much pressure.”

This stress on drivers to find truck parking, paired with the overall stress of the job and a more sedentary lifestyle, can lead to health issues. A recent FleetOwner article discussed how truck drivers are more at risk for heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and more. 

Effects of the truck parking shortage on fleets

Truck parking isn’t just a safety and convenience issue for drivers; it’s also a profit issue for fleets.

“There are actual studies showing that [fleets] are losing $4,600 a year on average per driver because they have to cut their day short to try to find accessible parking,” Marcello said. “And it's costing about 9,300 miles per driver per truck out there because of this lost time as well.”

Effects of the truck parking shortage on the industry, public, and economy

If fleets are losing money because of drivers struggling to find truck parking, then the industry is losing money as well. Especially at a time when fleets are struggling with the heavily debated driver shortage, the truck parking struggle only makes things worse.

When drivers are slowed down because of a lack of truck parking, the supply chain also slows down. This means the public is receiving needed goods more slowly, and the economy is affected.

According to Marcello, truck parking is an issue that has a domino effect. In ATRI’s 20th annual Top Industry Issues report, the economy ranked as the industry’s top concern. Despite struggles regarding freight rates and a freight recession, it’s safe to say the trucking industry isn’t currently thriving; however, fleets remain hopeful that the tides will turn. The last thing the industry needs right now is a truck parking issue causing drivers, the supply chain, and the economy to slow down.

Is there a solution to the truck parking shortage?

Fixing the U.S.’s truck parking shortage is easier said than done. Creating more parking takes time, money, and often government approval. But even while waiting for more parking to be built, there are other avenues fleets and drivers can explore.

Federal and state governments need to take action, not just talk

Some proposed federal legislation and regulations promise to expand truck parking. This includes the Pro-Trucker Package, which would provide more than $275 million to expand truck parking availability and open up additional grant programs and discretionary grants for truck parking projects. But this package and many others are either still pending approval or have yet to begin construction. Shelley emphasized the importance of advocating for truck parking, and the Truck Parking Club recently did so on Capitol Hill.

Slow government action leads many in the industry to believe the government alone isn’t the answer to the truck parking shortage. For change to occur, some even believe the private sector and government need to team up.

“I think there's going to have to be some type of governmental, private joint ventures on this,” Marcello said. “It's great if the government can do it, but we're limited in terms of the number of provisions out there …" But he believes that federal and local government incentives could encourage private businesses to open more commercial parking facilities.

Fleets should consider paid truck parking

While waiting for the government to create more free truck parking, fleets can consider whether investing in paid truck parking would be beneficial. 

The main benefits of free truck parking are that it’s free and usable for anyone. But paid truck parking has benefits, too, such as guaranteed availability, ease of mind, and sometimes advanced security and amenities. 

The Truck Parking Club, a provider of paid truck parking, has nearly 2,500 locations across the U.S. and about 50,000 parking spaces. Fleets or drivers can reserve parking through its app. According to Shelley, the company is adding eight to 10 new locations every day.

Shelley claims that paid truck parking is something fleets and drivers should consider, especially when drivers are expecting longer wait times while on the road.

“When considering truck parking as a whole, there's a lot to be discussed, even more than taking a 10-hour break and not having available parking,” Shelley said. “There's also [the issue] that rest areas and, typically, truck stops do not allow for anyone to park there for more than 10 hours. You might be able to get away with 24 hours at those locations. So, what availability is there for multiple-day parking options?”

A drawback of paid truck parking is the cost, but the benefit is providing drivers with more peace of mind.

Drivers should still leverage free parking when able

For many fleets and drivers, free truck parking is ideal. That's why planning ahead is crucial, according to Meier.

“Truck parking needs to be more important on trip planning, and if [fleets] put it as a priority, things will change for drivers,” Meier said.

Trip planning involves routing realistically and determining when and where drivers will need to stop on their route. When selecting options where drivers should park, it may be beneficial to choose a location with the largest number of parking spaces in the area.

“A lot of truck stops no longer offer very much parking,” Meier said. “And that has changed over the last 20 years, where part of a truck stop was to have 100 spots, but now it's not necessary. Drivers will go to places that have 10 spots or 20 spots, and so a lot of those old truck stops that had 100 spots have closed and been replaced with smaller places that only have 20 or 50 spots.”

The Iowa 80 Truckstop is the world’s largest, with 900 truck parking spaces, nine restaurants, a truck wash, a store, 25 private showers, a museum, and more.

While not every driver can always park at a truck stop with 900 spaces, every driver does have technology available to them to determine the best place for them to park. In addition to private company apps like Truck Parking Club and Pilot Flying J, fleets can use apps like Trucker Path, AllStays Truck & Travel, and iExit Trucks to find free and paid truck parking with the different amenities important to drivers.