Out of all the things carriers have to deal with, parking problems should be the least of their concerns. Carriers have enough to worry about with their daily duties. Parking should not be a concern. Let's take a closer look at this problem and potential solutions.
Carriers Deserve a Place to Park
Most people think of grueling cross-country drives and prolonged sitting as the top reasons why people refuse to become carriers. The lack of spaces to park large trucks is also discouraging would-be carriers from joining the industry. The average carrier wastes a considerable amount of time looking for open parking spaces throughout the work week. Carriers deserve a safe space to park their vehicles for breaks, naps, and meals.
Why is There a Carrier Parking Space Shortage?
Part of the reason why carriers struggle to find parking spaces, is there are more trucks on the highway than ever before. There is ample parking in rural areas, yet most carriers do not traverse these isolated spaces. Rather, they drive to large cities with minimal parking. Some carriers are cutting their workday short when they can’t find an available parking space. This is a major problem as it limits carriers' earning potential.
The parking conundrum is especially challenging in the northeast where the property is costly. Some carriers working the northeast travel to nearby states to find suitable parking. Certain carriers are spending an entire hour in search of available parking. No carrier should have to drive for hours in hopes of parking his or her big rig. Consider everything that could go wrong in that extra hour of driving. This extra driving wastes expensive gasoline and exposes the carrier to risk. Furthermore, federal law limits the amount of time carriers can spend on the road in any given week. The time spent searching for a parking space counts toward this cap even though it is not spent delivering goods.
Is There a Solution?
The lack of available carrier parking will only get worse as the population swells. As detailed by Transport Topics, the hope is information technology will solve this problem. Here is a quick look at three potential solutions for the carrier parking shortage problem:
- Some Midwestern states will soon begin posting open parking spaces for trucks on LED road signs by major freight corridors. The best part about this project is that it will remain open source, meaning anyone who would like to contribute toward its development or implement it in an app is free to do so for the benefit of carriers across the United States.
- According to Land Line Magazine, another solution might be available through the Interstate 10 Corridor Coalition. This group is looking for a grant for parking alerts designed for carriers.
- Iowa might remove several rest spaces to provide parking for carriers.
Hard-working carriers will prove that much more productive when they have suitable parking spaces. Big rig parking will cut fuel costs and make it that much easier for carriers to make a living.
