Frustrated truck drivers recently formed a group called Truckers Against Reserved Spots as a way to fight against the increase in reserved spots for commercial vehicles at three major truck stops around the country.
Change.org
TARS has created a petition people can sign on change.org in order to make their voices heard in regards to this issue. So far over 300 people have signed and the group is hoping to get up to 500 names soon.
Lack of Parking Spots
These staggering numbers means the need for more parking spots is a prevalent as ever, as truck drivers need a place to safely and legally take their federally mandated breaks.
Currently there are not enough parking spots to support the industry and it is only getting worse with the increased need for products to be moved around the country by truck.
Making Truck Parking Paid
Many of the truck stops have made the choice to take spots from their current locations and convert them into paid and reserved spots. Forcing drivers to pay fees of an extra $15 (or more) a night for a resource that is already dwindling.
That means that a driver willing to reserve spots will be spending an average of $90 a week, $360 a month, or $4320 a year.
For the Average Driver
With the increase of fuel prices and regulations, logistics industries often have to raise their prices to move freight.
Now, truck stops have made the decision to add another dollar to these prices to increase their own profit, essentially making a choice that impacts everything from the cost of toilet paper to the cost of rent.
Parking Elsewhere
Almost everywhere a truck driver goes there are signs telling him or her that they cannot park there. The exceptions to this rule are; truck stops, rest areas, and some shipper/receivers. This means that there are too many trucks on the road and not enough spots.
Possible Solutions
There are a few possible solutions to this problem. First, The easiest being that the truck stops cease from increasing the amount of reserved parking spots.
Second, build more truck stops. Third, create more lots that could include a few reserved options. Fourth, create reward options in conjunction with reserved parking like free fuel or other special discounts.
In addition, truck stop entities could encourage and lobby the government to increase the per diem to compensate for the price increase.