Parking PSA

Just a reminder. When you park make sure your on solid ground, pavement or packed gravel. Many parts of the country has had alot of rain lately. The past week I have seen 3, count them 3 in the last 6 days where someone parked on a ramp and the ground gave way while they were parked. Result in all 3 were overturned trucks/trailers.

I would not want to be woke up as the truck is rolling over. Very scary I’m sure and can be completely avoided by paying attention where you stop.

Also a good reminder in yards to park heavily loaded trailers on the concrete strip or place boards under the dollies.

Like the comedian Mitch Hedberg said. He wore a necklace so he could tell if he was ever upside down.

Like the comedian Mitch Hedberg said. He wore a necklace so he could tell if he was ever upside down.

One of my favorite comedians! It's a shame he died so young😥

My Fleet Manager sent out a fleet message recently stating that it is against our company policy for drivers to park on off or on ramps and roadside shoulders unless in emergency situations. Then the four-way flashers must be on and triangles put out. Contact Road Assist immediately for assistance.

My Fleet Manager sent out a fleet message recently stating that it is against our company policy for drivers to park on off or on ramps and roadside shoulders unless in emergency situations. Then the four-way flashers must be on and triangles put out. Contact Road Assist immediately for assistance.

I think most companies forbid parking on ramps. It is either official or unofficial policy. And it is a policy that is commonly ignored.

My schedule has me driving late at night many times when I need to get parked. And many times I have pulled into a rest area or Truckstop I had planned to park at only to find it full to capacity. Then parking on a ramp becomes necessary. But this always makes me nervous to park on a ramp. And then there is the issue highlighted in this topic: uneven and unstable ground alongside many ramps. I’d rather violate my HOS clock then park precariously along a ramp in many locations.

Last week I was going south on I49 in Missouri late at night, running out of drive time. No rest areas along that stretch and all the ramps are posted with very prominent no parking signs. Finally found a truck stop with one spot left and about 5 minutes left on my clock.

In many areas we drive in there is a crying need for more truck parking options.

Ramp parkers are one of my pet peeves. Its something that i find utterly annoying. I drive the majority of the time at night, usually finish at 4 to 5 am. I know there isn't going to be much for parking at that time. I still always manage to plan effectively and find parking. There's simply no excuse for ramp parking.

Davey I can’t understand why you are so adamant about this.

How does it effect you??

My guess is that it doesn’t. I learned along time ago that I only give my attention to what effects me. Others parking on ramps doesn’t effect me, as long as they don’t block the ramp.

I don’t personally do it, but I certainly don’t pass judgement on those that choose to.

My point was only to remind folks to be very careful after seeing so many rolled over trucks because the ground gave out underneath them.

Honestly it's one of the few things that irks the heck out of me. I'm pretty laid back on most things.

I've had some close calls with people parked on the ramp, and that contributes to it, but mostly I think it's that, we spend considerable time and effort to learn parking and backing, to conduct ourselves in a professional manner and to take pride in our work. it seems to me like its taking a cheap shortcut. The equivalent of doing shoddy work in the trades.

I see it as devaluing the craft. It may seem nit-picking or trivial, and I suppose one could fairly say it is, but I have a feeling there are others that have similar notions about it.

My Fleet Manager sent out a fleet message recently stating that it is against our company policy for drivers to park on off or on ramps and roadside shoulders unless in emergency situations. Then the four-way flashers must be on and triangles put out. Contact Road Assist immediately for assistance.

I think most companies forbid parking on ramps. It is either official or unofficial policy. And it is a policy that is commonly ignored.

My schedule has me driving late at night many times when I need to get parked. And many times I have pulled into a rest area or Truckstop I had planned to park at only to find it full to capacity. Then parking on a ramp becomes necessary. But this always makes me nervous to park on a ramp. And then there is the issue highlighted in this topic: uneven and unstable ground alongside many ramps. I’d rather violate my HOS clock then park precariously along a ramp in many locations.

Last week I was going south on I49 in Missouri late at night, running out of drive time. No rest areas along that stretch and all the ramps are posted with very prominent no parking signs. Finally found a truck stop with one spot left and about 5 minutes left on my clock.

In many areas we drive in there is a crying need for more truck parking options.

Parking on a ramp is not necessary in the situation you described. At least not parking for long. By that I mean it may be needed just long enough to figure out where to go from that spot. When planning where you will park at the end of your shift, you should have at least 2 backups to your main plan. I drive at night almost exclusively. I am parking anywhere from 1 am to 6 am more often than parking during the day. I never find myself having to use a ramp for parking, even in the NE and Chicagoland. You know what places fill up fast and what places always seem to have parking at any time. Also, if you reach where you had hoped to park and it's full, PC to the next closest safe and legal place to park. When I am coming across PA on I-80, I have about 6 places that I know are a sure bet to find parking at any time, day or night. There are places like this in every area. You just have to know where to look. When going into NYC, if I have to park before entering the city, there is a place in NJ that is basically an abandoned shopping center down the street from a Pilot. Trucks park there all the time. It's up to you on whether or not to park on a ramp when a place to park is full, but it's not necessary.