In an effort to crack down on illegal truck parking, the city of Olathe, Kansas, voted this week to dramatically increase the fine on truckers who park on city roadways and highway ramps.
On Tuesday, August 21, the Olathe city council voted to increase the fine for illegal truck parking from $30 to $500, according to reporting in the Kansas City Star. The fine goes into effect on August 29.
City officials say that they elected to increase the fine so steeply because they wanted to send truck drivers a message that illegal parking would not be tolerated. The $30 fine was not enough to actually deter truck drivers from parking illegally, according to city officials.
Deputy City Attorney Chris Grunewald stated, “We want to have a high fine. We believe it was the council’s intent to send a message, and this sends a message (to drivers) that this is important, don’t make this the cost of doing business.”
City officials point to the fact that trucks can’t park at an Olathe Aldi distribution center because of the constant movement of trucks into and out of the facility, forcing drivers to seek parking alternatives.
Olathe police also support the fine increase because they say that trucks parked along roadways and on highway ramps can pose a safety risk.
CDLLife reached out to Olathe city officials for comment on the fine increase but they have yet to respond.