According to a local report, the Walmart in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin recently put up signs banning truck drivers from parking in their lot.
Overnight Truck Parking No Longer Available At Wisconsin Walmart
The Walmart Supercenter at 120 Frances Lane and the Menard’s next door both put up signs that would prohibit trucks from parking unless they are loading or unloading. The report also said that truckers are not allowed to park or rest at the Walmart Distribution Center at 115 Distribution Way which is itself generating large amounts of truck traffic.
Walmart: Trucks Cause Damage to Parking Lot
The Walmart store manager Adam Zastrow claims that the signs were put up in an effort to protect the surface of the parking lot, which he claims sustains a great deal of wear and tear from trucks parking overnight. He says that on one of his “worst mornings” there were 27 trucks parked in the Walmart lot. The heavy trucks parking overnight at the Walmart have allegedly caused damages to curbs and landscaping and even required the store to replace a stop sign every week for a month.
Truck Parking is Scarce in Dodge County
Truck parking is already difficult to find on Highway 151 in Dodge County. Many drivers are forced to park on the shoulder of Hemlock Road near the Walmart Distribution Center — but Jim Jansen, the general transportation manager at Walmart Distribution Center, says that this is not a safe solution. He says that he’s seen several accidents involving trucks jackknifing on Hemlock Road, especially in winter weather conditions.
The city attempted to pass an ordinance last month that would prevent truck drivers from parking on Hemlock Road as well, but it was defeated.
Zastrow says that he wishes that there were more parking available in the area for truck drivers: “Someone would do really well opening up a truck stop with parking in this area.”
Sources:
Beaver Dam Daily Citizen