We get it. We know our place. As the nation’s leading supplier of safe and comfortable truck parking spaces, we would be preaching to the choir by handing out tips for parking a truck to experienced truck drivers.
We are here to make sure you are parked conveniently, at an affordable price, and with room to breathe. Our job is not to show you how to park a truck, because that would be teaching your grandma how to suck eggs.
But these are challenging times for truckers when it comes to parking. With our rest areas and truck stops always at full capacity with mere inches between trailers and a rise in minor scrapes and bumps related to trucks parking in laughably tight spaces, we figured a little refresher wouldn’t hurt.
Truck Parking Refresher
So that is what we have for you today. Having watched thousands of trucks park in tight spaces, we happen to know a thing or two about the subject. We also reached out to our nationwide Truck Parking Club customers, looking for a few tips and tricks from seasoned truckers.
Ready to polish up your parking game? Read on for the ultimate truck parking guide, and you might even learn a new trick or two.
But first, what exactly are those challenging times we mentioned earlier? Let’s remind ourselves of the truck parking fiasco that is sweeping our nation before soaking up those refresher tips for parking a truck.
The Current Truck Parking Dilemma
Frankly, truck parking has devolved into an absolute nightmare for our weary truckers of America. With only a few hundred thousand official truck parking spaces available in rest areas and truck stops – competing with an all-time high of just under four million truckers – it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see there is a huge disparity.
You have probably seen it without your own eyes. Pull into most truck stops after 6 p.m., and you will feel an immediate sinking feeling upon realizing every space is taken, and there is nowhere to go.
With your 14-hour driving limit fast approaching, panic sets in as you wonder where on earth you are going to park.
Race Against Time
Truckers are plowing through the day to beat the clock, as they try to hit truck stops earlier. Drivers are endlessly circling lots, hoping they might have missed a space the first time around (they didn’t). Dangerous parking has become widespread, with ‘on and off-ramps’ nose to tail with desperate truckers. Even the likes of Walmarts are beginning to refuse drivers.
It’s a headache, to say the least, and it has caused all manner of issues in the trucking community relating to stress, fatigue, DOT fines for breaking the 14-hour rule, and minor accidents caused by tight spaces. All because of parking.
Incredible, isn’t it, how we are even in this situation?
Truck Parking Club was created to address this problem and bless truckers with convenient, safe, affordable parking. Sit tight, because we have a little more to tell you about that towards the end of this blog post.
For now, as promised, let’s look at those tips for parking a truck.
Ten Truck Parking Tips
Believe it or not, you might be surprised how common it is for some (but certainly not all) truck drivers to forget one or two of these essential parking rules.
- Know Your Truck: Quite an obvious one, but you need to be familiar with the dimensions of the truck to determine how much space you need to park safely.
- Four-Point Checks: Before committing to a parking spot, make a habit of stopping and checking all four corners of your truck to ensure you are aware of obstacles or vehicles that might be hidden in your blind spots.
- Always Make Wide Turns: Given your truck’s extended wheelbase, always make broader turns to avoid hitting objects or other vehicles with your rear tires. As a trucker, this should be baked into your driving DNA.
- Mind the Tail Swing: When you initiate a turn – especially in tighter spots – the tail of the truck is going to swing out. Awareness of this can help prevent sideswipes.
- Back It Up: Whenever possible, always back into your parking spot. Reversing into space allows for an easier departure post-rest and gives you a far clearer view when leaving.
- Mirrors Are Your Friend: Always adjust and rely on your side mirrors when parking into space – try not to rely on reversing cameras too much. Mirrors will always have the advantage over tech.
- Practice Makes Perfect: If you’re new or need a refresher, practice parking in an empty space and get familiar with the truck’s turning radius and overall size.
- Stay Calm: Never rush while trying to park your rig. Take your time and be methodical, even if it means adjusting your position a few times to get it just perfect.
- Swallow Your Pride: If parking in a tight space, ask someone to guide you from the outside if anyone is around. There is no harm in needing a little help.
- Use Technology: Use parking apps and GPS to locate available truck parking locations, truck stops, or rest areas ahead of time.
Five Tips From the Pros
We reached out to a few of our Truck Parking Club Trucker Members to ask them what their main tips are for truck parking. Straight from the horse’s mouth, as they say. Let’s take a look.
Mitchell H – Driver for 5 years:
“My tips for parking would be GOAL (Get Out And Look) when parking. It is crucial not to rush yourself when backing, regardless of the number of times you need to get out of the truck to ensure you’re not going to hit anything. When it comes to choosing a parking spot, it is best to prioritize sight-side backing over blind-side backing. This means opting for parking spots that allow better visibility and minimize the risk of potential accidents or complications.”
Jason R – Driver for 122 days:
“Always do your best to set up your back for a driver’s side 90-degree back. Do everything in your power to stay away from a blind side back. Always get out and look; never depend on people to help wave you back.”
Robert Y – Driver for 37 years:
“I had a trainee with me, and he was surprised how many times I got out of the truck to check. I told him to think of it this way: if you need to get out and look 100 times to back safely, do it. I get paid more if I don’t hit anything. It’s worth the money, to be sure, especially for those safety bonuses.”
Traci A – Driver for 33 years:
“Focus and think through your setup before you back. With a proper setup, take as much room as you can, envision imaginary lines, and go slow using tiny corrections. Of course, GOAL.”
Granger R – Driver for 40+ years: “This is simple. The best advice to help with backing is to get out and look.”
The Future Is Here
We have created a world where every vacant property can become a convenient place for tired truckers. A world in which every landowner can contribute to solving the truck parking dilemma.
At Truck Parking Club, our Trucker Members can find spaces in real-time, wherever they happen to be in the country. It is revolutionizing parking – and it is surprisingly affordable.
Let’s take a look at how you, as a trucker, can join this revolution. Fortunately, there isn’t much to tell you – the whole process is so simple and straightforward that it is almost effortless.
How It Works
Truck Parking Club has partnered with landowners all over the United States to bring you great parking spaces. The service is genius, but simple.
Our partners advertise spare parking spaces, often with secure perimeters and various nearby or onsite amenities. Truckers then rent a space on the property through the Truck Parking Club app on iOS, Android, or just a browser if preferred.
The whole process is almost effortless:
Step One:
Visit Truck Parking Club and create an account (it takes under a minute). You will see a nationwide list of parking spots, most of which offer various amenities. Use the search bar to find your desired area.
Step Two:
View and book spaces in real-time or even up to one month ahead. Your days of circling parking lots in frustration are a thing of the past.
Step Three:
Once you’ve booked, chat with your host through the app (if you wish to) about any specifics regarding your parking. Our team is just one call away to assist you if needed.
Step Four:
Head to your secure truck parking space. Eat heartily. Relax in safety. Sleep like the proverbial baby. Congratulations – you are now part of the Truck Parking Club revolution.
That’s all there is to it. We didn’t just revolutionize truck parking. We made the whole thing joyfully simple, too.
Welcome to the Future of Truck Parking
We hope these tips helped. Again, a quick refresher never hurt anyone, and you might have learned a few things that you forgot about. Little scrapes and bumps are getting more frequent, thanks to our rest areas and truck stops brimming to capacity, and the challenges of parking in such congested spaces
For now, if you are curious about what the future of truck parking looks like, just know this:
It’s already here.
The future is Truck Parking Club.
The information published herein is for general informational purposes only. Truck Parking Club does not make any representations or warranties about the completeness, reliability, legality, and accuracy of this information. Any reliance placed on such material is strictly at the user’s own risk. Truck Parking Club shall not be responsible for any losses or damages incurred in connection with the information published herein.
