Parking Shortage Blamed On Truckers

Have anyone ever floated this idea?

Big box stores have huge parking lots. I have seen a few trucks parked at Target and strip malls near my house. I don't know if the drivers ask for permission or just do it.

Write a provision in the tax code that gives these corporations tax credits for voluntarily allowing after hours OTR parking (after the store closes and the truck has to leave by the time the store opens the next morning).

Most of these places have surveillance video, so they could see who is trashing the lot.

Rob is floating...

Have anyone ever floated this idea?

Big box stores have huge parking lots. I have seen a few trucks parked at Target and strip malls near my house. I don't know if the drivers ask for permission or just do it.

Write a provision in the tax code that gives these corporations tax credits for voluntarily allowing after hours OTR parking (after the store closes and the truck has to leave by the time the store opens the next morning).

Most of these places have surveillance video, so they could see who is trashing the lot.

Rob it’s common to see trucks parked at places like you mentioned. Even though I pull trailers like this...

...including if I am only taking a short break, I always ask permission. Most Walmart’s will allow me to park (because it’s their trailer and their freight) ; many allow it overnight. There are however instances where a local ordinance prohibits it. (Note-this photo was taken in the backlot of the Deptford NJ Walmart...somehow I parked their overnight without one of the town’s famous “Jousey Girls” from knowing it. LOL It’s always at the discretion of the store manager and the rules and laws governing the use of the parking lot property.

The problem with your last paragraph? Define the meaning of “next morning”. It’s a variable answer and is dependent on when the driver shutdown and what type of break are they taking; 10 hour or 34 hour reset. OTR sleep schedules are wildly variable, at times even for me on a Dedicated Account.

I’ve parked the truck at my home Walmart under both circumstances...but always requested permission; providing them with my name, truck number, DC number and my phone number in the event of a problem. I also always let my driver support team know both verbally and with a free form QC message.

Then there are drivers like me who spent next to no money in truckstops. I may walk a mile down to a steakhouse, but I'll pass on the overpriced garbage most truck stops offer. So there isn't any profit coming from drivers like me, short of fuel. Additional parking wouldn't change that.

But I'll hit up the mom and pops with a diner any chance I have. Unfortunately most of them can't compete with the scale the megas enjoy.

Walmarts however get a ton of my money, and I'm as neat and clean as they come. Go figure.

56 minutes? I literally just delivered the load I was delayed on for two days with truck problems. Took me like 30 seconds to choose the truck stop and a few minutes to drive here and parked quickly.