The Impact of the National Truck Parking Shortage

Lack of safe and legal parking for semi-trucks and other commercial motor vehicles is a national problem. Truck drivers are required to follow federal hours-of-service regulations, which mandate rest breaks at specific times. That means they need safe places to park. However, these parking shortages put drivers into situations where they have no choice but to violate regulations.

In fact, 98% of drivers experience issues finding safe parking regularly. 70% of truck drivers struggle to find parking, forcing them to violate hours-of-service rules to search for a place to park. Additionally, professional drivers, on average, sacrifice 56 minutes of their drive time per day seeking safe parking. While this may seem like a problem that only affects truck drivers, it is a safety issue for everyone on the roads.

Below are some of the key takeaways from this month’s episode of After the Crash with Noah Volz, Business Development Specialist for Truck Parking Club. In the episode, he and Managing Partner David W. Craig spoke about how the national truck parking shortage affects everyone on the roads, what needs to be done to fix it, and the temporary solutions available for truck drivers in the meantime.

The episode is available now on YouTube. You can listen on Spotify, Amazon, or other podcast-streaming services.

The Major Issues Caused by Truck Parking Shortages

• Truck drivers choose to park in illegal and unsafe parking spaces.

Truck parking shortages are a safety concern for everyone on the road, not just truck drivers. The trucking industry moves more than 73% of the United States’ good by value, and more than 67% by weight. This massive reliance on trucking for the country’s economy makes it essential that professional drivers have access to safe and secure parking, allowing goods to be delivered on schedule and ensuring goods are not lost to accidents or theft. And with projected growth in e-commerce and truck traffic, demand for truck parking will continue to rise, further exacerbating the shortage.

Tired drivers may choose to park in unsafe locations to avoid violating hours-of-service regulations while attempting to find parking. The most common alternative locations truckers choose include the shoulder of the road, exit ramps, and side streets. Parking in these areas pose safety risks for truckers and other drivers because there is an increased risk of collisions with parked trucks. There is also a potential for increased maintenance costs for roadway shoulders that are not designed for long-term heavy truck parking.

While parking in the aforementioned areas may seem like a good alternative when rest areas are full, there are legal consequences truck drivers may face. In many states, it is illegal to park on highway ramps or overnight in parking lots that are not authorized for truck parking. Although this law may not be enforced in every state, there is still potential for state police to ticket truck drivers for this violation, which may result in fines. Most trucking companies and industry standards would also discourage truck drivers from parking in the unsafe spots mentioned.

• Searching for parking can cause drivers to violate federal hours-of service regulations.

Professional drivers are on the road for many hours at a time so they can meet delivery deadlines. As a result, they are held to hours-of-service regulations to ensure they are well-rested and safe drivers while working long hours. These regulations include limitations such as a 30-minute driving break, an 11-hour driving limit after 10 consecutive hours off duty, a limit that states drivers cannot drive beyond the 14^th consecutive hour after coming on duty following 10 consecutive hours off duty hours, and more.

However, drivers must find a place to park and rest to prevent violating these limits. 70% of drivers violate these regulations because of the search for safe parking. Many choose to park in unsafe and illegal locations to avoid violating hours-of-service. Failing to follow these rules can result in fines and penalties for both the driver and the company, receiving an out-of-service order until they demonstrate compliance, or causing accidents because of drowsy driving.

All truck drivers deserve access to safe and reliable parking so they can focus on doing their jobs, not worrying about where they can park and having to choose between parking illegally or violating regulations.

• Parking in a truck in an unsafe area can lead to dangerous accidents.

Truck drivers that are faced with parking challenges often choose to park on side streets or highway ramps. But parking in areas that typically have traffic from other vehicles can pose safety risks for truckers and passenger vehicle drivers.

Most significantly, parking in these areas increases the risk of accidents. Highways ramps are one of the most dangerous places to park because these structures are built for acceleration or deceleration. When drivers are on these ramps, they are focused on changing their speeds according to the situation and often are not expecting large obstacles, such as a truck, that can reduce visibility and reaction time. Truckers also most often park in these areas at night, which can make visibility worse. This leads to a significant risk of collisions. These factors also apply to parking on side streets, where passenger vehicles would not expect to encounter a parked semi-truck.

It is also important to keep in mind that not all drivers approach highway ramps and side streets with equal caution, and parking a truck there can increase the potential of swiping and fender benders. Even if parking in these locations does not result in a serious accident, it can still leave the truck vulnerable to damage from these incidents.

Get to Know the Guest: An Advocate for Truck Parking

Noah Volz is the Business Development Specialist for Truck Parking Club, a two-sided marketplace with a mission to help drivers save time by providing them with a way to find and reserve truck parking across the United States. Noah works for Truck Parking Club’s marketing team, working on their social media, managing properties, and every aspect of helping the company grow and improve. His career began in high school where he washed trucks on the weekends. After developing a passion for the industry and a love for trucking, he focused on learning everything he could about the industry. He started working for Truck Parking Club after his college graduation.

Truck Parking Club provides truckers with available parking by monetizing vacant or underutilized land for private property owners to instantly create availability for drivers. These locations are on properties with space suitable for truck parking. Some locations include warehouses, truck repair shops, truck parking operators, tow truck companies, trucking companies, CDL schools, self-storage companies, truck stops, and more.

Drivers can use the Truck Parking Club app to find locations and see photos, available amenities, and any other perks a location may offer before booking the spot. This allows drivers to make informed decisions when choosing where to park.

Paid parking has its critics. Some people believe that truck parking should be free, arguing that the truck driver and not the motor carrier is stuck paying the cost of parking. Many truckers cannot afford this expense. Other critics like Bonehead Truckers—an online trucking community that highlights bad, unprofessional, and unfair behavior and industry practices—believe that some public roads and spots that used to be free are now controlled and monetized.

After the Crash Podcast: A Legal Resource for Truck Wreck Victims

After the Crash is currently ranked No. 4 in personal injury podcasts. It is the highest-ranked podcast focusing on personal injury resulting from commercial vehicle and truck wrecks.

The podcast was launched nearly five years ago, in the fall of 2020, by attorney David W. Craig. It educates and empowers listeners in a digestible format. It is primarily aimed at the victims and the families of victims of semi or other large truck accidents.

It is David’s goal to equip listeners with the knowledge necessary to navigate this tough time in their lives. Anyone — truck wreck survivors, legal professionals, healthcare workers, and anyone in between — can tune into After the Crash for free.

A new episode is released monthly, featuring a guest with an important perspective. In each episode, David interviews individuals involved in commercial motor vehicle cases, or experts whose skills are crucial to understanding trucking cases.

Episodes are posted on YouTube, Spotify, Amazon and Apple Podcasts, and the Craig, Kelley & Faultless website.

Injured After a Truck Wreck? Craig, Kelley & Faultless Can Help

Attorneys at Craig, Kelley & Faultless are prepared and have the experience to help victims and their loved ones involved in commercial vehicle wrecks through every aspect of their case. Both attorneys David W. Craig and Scott A. Faultless are board-certified in truck accident law by the NBTA, accredited by the American Bar Association. The firm also has a rapid response team that works with investigators, reconstructionists and mechanics who immediately collect evidence as soon as the firm is hired. Additionally, two of the firm’s litigation paralegals are board-certified in truck accident law by the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys. As David has said, “We don’t just handle truck accident cases. We specialize in these cases.”

Their team-centered approach puts client needs at the forefront, and several attorneys will work on your case to achieve the best possible outcome.

Reach out for a free case consultation today at (888) 253-5198 or online.

David W. Craig is board-certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, accredited by the American Bar Association in Truck Accident Law. He sits on the Board of Regents of the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys (which requires the board certification in truck accident law). He is the managing partner and one of the founding partners of Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC. He is recognized as a Top 10 Trucking Trial Lawyer and Top 100 Trial Lawyer in Indiana by the National Trial Lawyers, as well as a Top 50 Indiana lawyer by Super Lawyers. David is the author of Semitruck Wreck, A Guide for Victims and Their Families and It’s Never Been Easier to Hire the Wrong Attorney, both written to help people navigate what comes next after a tragic wreck. He also hosts the podcast After the Crash, where you can gain valuable information about the dangers involving semis and large trucks that do not follow safety protocol regarding speed, weather conditions, maintenance upkeep, etc.