Penske Truck Leasing

Safe Truck Parking: Your Holiday Survival Guide

Last year, more than 100 million people hit the nation’s highways between Dec. 23 and Jan. 2, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA). Experts predict that this year’s holiday traffic patterns will be just as active.

But for professional truck drivers, crowded roads aren’t the only potential holiday headache. So too are jam-packed parking areas.

Right now, a lack of available truck parking nationwide ranks as the No. 1 industry concern among truckers, according to the American Transportation Research Institute’s annual survey. And with the holidays bringing more truck traffic due to increased package deliveries and returns, it could be harder than ever to find a safe place to park.

These five tips can help you survive the holiday season, find safe parking, and protect yourself, your vehicle, and your cargo.

1. Plan Ahead

“Good dispatch at the beginning of the day will save you time throughout the entire day,” says Chuck Pagesy, Director of Safety at Penske. Look at your route at the start of the day, and identify safe parking areas close to your destination. Start your route early if possible—truck stops can reach capacity as early as 7 p.m. Consider reserving a parking spot in advance.

2. Watch Your Hours of Service (HOS)

If you wait until the last minute to find parking, you could run out of hours. Keep an eye on your HOS throughout the day to reduce the risk of a potential violation.

3. Choose Wisely

Always park in well-lit areas. If possible, choose a spot you can pull in and out of easily without needing to back up. Avoid spots where other trucks are parked at odd angles or over the painted lines. Try not to park at the end of a row, which is where collisions are more likely.

4. Know Where Not To Park

Do not park on the shoulder of the highway or on offramps and onramps.

5. Lock It Up

Lock all doors and hide valuables such as wallets and smartphones. Close all windows. Consider using window shades. Make sure your cargo is secure. Dash cams may also help deter thieves.

Bonus Tip:

If you have a breakdown or need to pull over for any reason this holiday season, remember to wear a high-visibility safety vest. This will increase the chances you’ll be seen by oncoming drivers.

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Park Safe and Smart This Holiday Season

With holiday traffic volumes expected to be near pre-pandemic levels this year, professional drivers can expect to share the road with millions of motorists nationwide. But the highways won’t be the only crowded place. Truck stops and rest areas will be jam-packed, too!

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Groups Join Together to Help Drivers Find Truck Parking

Finding available truck parking is critical for professional drivers and fleets, and members of the trucking and travel plaza industries have joined together to help professional drivers find available truck parking via a mobile app, called Park My Truck.

The app provides truck parking information as well as information on available spaces. It was created by the Truck Parking Leadership Initiative, which includes the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI), the National Association of Truck Stop Operators (NATSO) Foundation and the American Trucking Associations (ATA).

ATRI’s research has revealed that “managing critical truck parking” ranks as one of the industry’s most pressing concerns, said Dan Murray, vice president of ATRI.

“Lack of information about available truck parking across the nation is a serious problem, both for drivers and the inspectors who interact with them,” said Collin Mooney, executive director of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance. “We owe it to the hardworking drivers who spend countless hours on the road to do everything we can to help them find safe, convenient and accessible places to park and get the rest they need.”

Park My Truck allows all parking providers to report the number of spaces available in their lots.

“Federal and state governments have spent decades and millions of dollars researching truck parking and testing technology-based approaches to counting available spaces, but not one of these efforts has yielded nationwide data about parking availability,” said Lisa Mullings, president of the NATSO Foundation. “We are still many millions of dollars and years away from implementing an electronic system that can count parking nationwide.”

Mullings said the groups moved forward on the app because drivers need the information. “We don't want to allow our pursuit of a perfect solution to prevent us from implementing a good solution today,” she said.

Park My Truck is accessible by internet or through smartphone apps by all professional drivers, trucking fleets or other industry participants.

July 2016 / Updated May 2018

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