The current state of truck parking

Although efforts have been made in recent years to improve the availability of truck parking, truck parking remains a major industry concern.

Truck parking ranked second among industry concerns for the second year in a row in American Transportation Research InstituteThe main challenges of the industry for 2024 report. However, professional drivers place parking at the top of their concerns. The truck parking problem has ranked among ATRI’s top five concerns every year since 2015.

Over the past four years, the federal government, including the Biden administration, the Department of Transportation, and the Federal Highway Administration, has focused more on creating more truck parking lots, generally through financing of construction projects. In 2024, the federal government made the following advances in truck parking:

But some of the above funding is still pending and truck parking improvements are not being completed quickly. While these improvements are promising, much remains to be done to improve the availability and quality of truck parking in the United States.

What are the truck parking rules?

Multiple regulations exist at the local, state, and federal levels to assess the truck parking situation in the United States and provide additional funding to improve the situation. Here are some of the federal truck parking regulations in the United States:

What are the types of truck parking?

Truck parking may seem simple, but it can actually be defined by several categories:

• Location: Truck parking can be found in several locations, including rest areas, truck stops/travel centers, gas stations, some restaurants like Cracker Barrel, paid truck parking locations, and more. These different locations are equipped with different types of equipment.
• Free or paid: While truck parking is traditionally free, paid truck parking is becoming more common. Truck drivers must weigh the pros and cons of each option; Free truck parking does not include any fees, but availability and amenities are not always guaranteed. With paid truck parking, truck drivers can often make reservations for guaranteed parking with often more amenities but at a price. The topic of paid truck parking has recently become more controversial on social media platforms such as LinkedIn and Reddit, as truck drivers express concerns about companies purchasing truck parking spaces that were previously free and charging drivers truck drivers parking in these spaces.
• Truck parks: Truck parking lots are another form of private, paid truck parking. But truck parks provide more permanent locations for storing and moving trucks and trailers. Truck parking lots generally offer increased security compared to other free and paid parking options.

What types of truck parking tools are available?

To help combat the lack of available truck parking, companies have developed many tools and resources that drivers can use. Some of the following tools include:

• Trucker route: THE Truckers’ Path The app helps drivers find truck stops with amenities, weigh stations and cheap fuel. The app also offers GPS navigation, fuel discounts and more.
• AllStays Truck and Travel: THE AllStays Truck and Travel The app helps drivers locate different types of available truck parking lots, weigh stations, truck washes, etc.
• iExit Trucks: THE iExit Trucks The app helps drivers find amenity-equipped truck stops, repair service centers, weigh stations and other truck-friendly businesses.
• Applications for private companies: Many companies like Truck Parking Club And Flying Pilot J have apps that allow truck drivers to reserve truck parking, but at a cost.

What Types of Truck Parking Equipment Do Truck Drivers Care About?

Available amenities vary depending on truck stops, rest areas, paid parking lots, etc. Lack of certain amenities is a common problem faced by truck drivers, especially female drivers who care more about certain amenities than male drivers.

According to a April 2024 Trucker Path Surveytruckers care most about the following amenities: