Truck Parking

I just want to start an updated discussion about truck parking for overnight . Walmart is not allowing it anymore

Any suggestion’s

I see plenty of Walmart overnight parking all over the country.

I also see plenty of Walmarts through the areas I travel through allowing it.

I don't know where/when you drive and/or where you pick up/deliver. But, in two years of driving OTR for Schneider, I only parked at a Walmart once.

Schneider, and many other large companies, have trailer drop lots we don't think about because we don't know. You can ask around at the company.

Florida scales have great parking and clean restrooms available. Some other states do too. Some Georgia scales have parking. South Carolina has some "truck only" places (along I-95) although they have no facilities. I think Kentucky and/or Tennessee has some also. Ohio turnpike has some really nice locations with large truck parking lots.

Sometimes, I'll call a delivery location and ask if they have/allow onsite parking. Some have plenty of parking. One time, after delivering in the northeast, the customer said I couldn't park onsite, but that I could park right down the road at a picnic area. They assured me there'd be no problem and this appeared to be in the middle of nowhere (like a Steven King novel). Sure enough, it was quiet all night long.

Some home improvement stores have plenty of parking in the rear. Many will leave you alone, even out front, as long as you're only there overnight. Currently this is where I park most, since we deliver to lots of Lowes.

If you're accumulating lots of points at Pilot or Loves, be willing to occasionally use some for reserved parking. My points rarely drop below $200 worth, so why not?

Be willing to consider the smaller, not so well known, truck stops. The lot may not be pretty, but if it works...

I once parked at a TA in Jessup, Md, where they charged for parking. But, if you had $25 in receipts, parking was free. Well, I scaled the load there (which was covered by the company) and the restaurant had a $13 fish plate deal. voila! Free parking.

I'm not a fan of paying for parking and I avoid it if I can. I just think you sometimes need to be creative and also ask other drivers at your company. Sometimes other drivers have been where you're going and can help out.

Hole in the wall truck stops and casinos, look for the Sinclair or off brand across the highway from the big name brand. It will usually be half empty, and the drivers there are usually experienced old school ones.

Lowes and Sam's clubs. Rest stops, scales, and always the shipper/receiver if I can. Empty convention centers and the like if I can find them. I always get out of a large city if I can, hard to find spots in one.