The shortage of safe and accessible commercial truck parking across the United States is a growing safety concern. As truck traffic continues to increase, the demand for parking spaces is expected to exceed the supply of public and private facilities. This situation exacerbates the existing truck parking problems in many regions, putting truck drivers and other motorists at risk.
According to the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI), drivers spend an average of 56 minutes per day looking for parking.
Insufficient truck parking availability can lead to negative consequences, such as tired truck drivers continuing to drive in search of parking for rest or parking in unsafe locations like the shoulder of the road, exit ramps, or vacant lots. Various studies conducted by public, private, academic, and non-profit organizations have found common issues, including limited information on truck parking opportunities, severe shortages of truck parking, and challenges due to delivery windows and specific rest requirements.
Where to Find Truck Parking
American Truck Parking is designed to show truck parking availability and truck parking locations. You can find truck parking at public rest areas, private truck stops, and truck fueling locations. You can also search for public alternative fueling locations that are capable of receiving 5-axle trucks.
There are limited locations in California, Virginia, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and Florida where they show dynamic truck parking availability that is updated at least every five minutes.
American Truck Parking™ is a federally funded research-deployment project implemented by the University of California, Berkeley, and Caltrans. The goal of the project is to improve the availability and dissemination of truck parking information to truck drivers, the trucking industry, and the general public.
Improving truck parking facilities can have numerous benefits, including reducing truck driver fatigue, enhancing safety on the roads, and improving the overall efficiency of the transportation industry. Private and public entities must work together to invest in new truck parking facilities, expand existing ones, and deploy technology that helps drivers find safe and available parking spaces quickly.
Demand Estimation
Freight transportation demand is increasing in the US and it’s projected that 96% of regional freight and goods will be transported by trucks in 2040, with a 50% growth in truck-driven commodities. This is driven by projections of steady economic and population growth, with the economy doubling in size and an additional 51 million people expected by 2040.