Commercial Vehicle Parking in California: Exploratory Evaluation of the Problem and Possible Technology-Based Solutions

The United States is experiencing dramatic growth in commercial vehicle truck travel on our nation’s roadway system as well as critical shortages in truck parking. California ranks first in the nation’s overall (private and public) commercial vehicle parking shortage. Recent estimates of the demand for truck parking in California indicate that demand exceeds capacity at all public rest areas; this is the case at 88 percent of private truck stops on the 34 corridors in California with the highest truck travel volumes. Nationwide, shortages of public truck spaces, however, are considered to be more severe than shortages, but only 16 percent report private shortages. The truck parking shortage in California and the U.S. has a number of serious consequences that threaten our roadway safety, public health, and economic productivity. This study begins with a literature review of the commercial vehicle truck parking problems in California and the United States, available evidence on the truck drivers’ parking preferences, and a description and evaluation of the current and future approaches to the truck parking problem. Next, the results of a statewide trucker survey conducted in 2006, which included questions related to truck parking information services–a promising solution to the truck parking problem suggested in the literature–are presented. The study concludes by summarizing key findings.