In the last decade, a lot of attention has been given to the lack of adequate parking for truckers. Having access to parking options off the highways allows truckers to meet regulations regarding Hours-of-Service and break times and improve overall highway safety by combatting the potential for driver fatigue. The Department of Transportation (DOT) and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMSCA) have been directing focus and funding to this issue with the intent to assess each state’s facilities and determine how to improve driver awareness of parking availability. But truckers are questioning whether this is enough and if attention is being given to the right problem.
The SmartPark program is one of the FMCSA’s projects intended to improve technology to guide truckers to parking areas with available space. Phase 1 of SmartPark began in 2007 with the focus on developing technology to count parking spaces and determine availability. After rejecting a few methods, it was determined that Doppler radar and laser screening were the best technologies to use.
The FMSCA is currently in Phase 2 of the SmartPark project until November 2014. “Phase II has seven tasks, of which the two main tasks are to: (a) demonstrate how truck parking availability information can be disseminated; and (b) demonstrate how two adjacent truck parking areas can be networked to divert trucks from a filled parking area to an unfilled area” (FCSMA Project Brief). This phase also looks at adding a reservation capability.
Although being notified via highway signs and smartphone apps is useful to truckers, many are questioning if this is the right area to focus on. An availability information system is more useful if there is enough parking spaces in the first place. It’s estimated that 65% of truckers continue to drive beyond their Hours-of-Service limits because they cannot access an appropriate place to park. And adequate space continues to be a problem as the number of trucks on the road continues to rise.
The quality of the facilities is also important. Truckers are looking for parking spaces that have easy access with appropriate time limits to match their needs, as well as close-by amenities such as food and restrooms. In a Study of Adequacy of Commercial Truck Parking Facilities, the Federal Highway Administration determined that having access to a well-lit rest area is very important to the truckers surveyed.
Many studies have been conducted at a federal and state level and everyone agrees – adequate rest areas and truck stops decreases the chance of highway accidents and makes meeting driving regulations easier and more realistic. Real-time availability information partnered with the creation of more parking spaces nationwide that meet trucker’s needs can make the highways safer for everyone.
