ISSN 1055- 1425
August 2007
This work was performed as part of the California PATH Program of the
University of California, in cooperation with the State of California Business,
Transportation, and Housing Agency, Department of Transportation, and the
United States Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration.
The contents of this report reflect the views of the authors who are responsible
for the facts and the accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not
necessarily reflect the official views or policies of the State of California. This
report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation.
Final Report for Task Order 6101
CALIFORNIA PATH PROGRAM
INSTITUTE OF TRANSPORTATION STUDIES
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY
Commercial Vehicle Parking In California:
Exploratory Evaluation of the Problem and
Possible Technology- Based Solutions
UCB- ITS- PRR- 2007- 11
California PATH Research Report
Caroline J. Rodier,
Susan A. Shaheen
CALIFORNIA PARTNERS FOR ADVANCED TRANSIT AND HIGHWAYS
CALIFORNIA PATH PROGRAM
INSTITUTE OF TRANSPORTATION STUDIES
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY
COMMERCIAL VEHICLE PARKING IN CALIFORNIA:
EXPLORATORY EVALUATION OF THE PROBLEM AND
POSSIBLE TECHNOLOGY- BASED SOLUTIONS
Draft Final Report
T. O. 6101
Caroline J. Rodier, Ph. D.
Assistant Researcher Engineer, California PATH
University of California, Berkeley
1357 S. 46th Street. Bldg 190; Richmond, CA 94804- 4648
510- 665- 3467 ( O); 916- 451- 8188 ( F); cjrodier@ path. berkeley. edu
and
Susan A. Shaheen, Ph. D.
Policy & Behavioral Research Program Leader, California PATH
University of California, Berkeley
1357 S. 46th Street. Bldg 190; Richmond, CA 94804- 4648
510- 665- 3483 ( O); 510- 665- 3537 ( F); sashaheen@ path. berkeley. edu
May 2007
ii
ABSTRACT
The U. S. 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 in overall ( private and public) commercial vehicle parking shortage
( Fleger et al., 2006). 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 volumes
of truck travel ( Caltrans, 2001). Nationwide, shortages of public truck spaces, however,
are considered to be more severe than shortages of private spaces. In 2002, 71 percent of
states reported public shortages, but only 16 percent report private shortages ( Chen et al.,
2002). 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 report begins with a literature review of the commercial vehicle truck parking
problems in California and the U. S. including the distribution and frequency of current
and expected truck parking shortages and illegal parking, available evidence on truck
drivers’ parking preferences, and a description and evaluation of current and future
approaches to the truck parking problem. The results of this literature review indicated
that the provision of parking information- related services may be a promising near- term
solution to the truck parking problem. As a result, the authors worked with researchers at
the University of California, Davis to include questions related to truck parking
information services in a statewide survey of truckers conducted for the California Air
Resources Board. The results indicated that almost 70 percent of the truckers surveyed
would use up- to- the- minute information about parking areas and spaces when planning
their next rest. Among these respondents, most indicated that road signs, mobile phones,
and radio were their preferred method of accessing this information, and almost half
indicated that they would reserve a parking spot in advance, most preferably, by mobile
phone.
KEY WORDS: commercial vehicle travel, truck parking, ITS
iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract ………………………………………………………………………...………. ii
Introduction ….................................................................................................................. 1
Background …………………………………………………………………..………… 1
Truck Parking Shortages …………………….……………………………………...… 2
Nationwide ………………….……………………………………..….………… 2
California and Contiguous States……………………………………….…… 3
The Consequences of Truck Parking Shortage……………………………..….…… 4
Illegal Truck Parking………………………………………………………… 4
Roadway Safety…………………………………………………………………. 4
Air Quality……………………………………………………………..……… 4
Trucking Industry……………………………………………………..……… 5
Lessons Learned from Recent Truck Driver Surveys………………………...……. 5
Parking Locations………………………………………………………..…… 5
Parking Decisions……………………………………………….………..…… 5
Illegal Parking………………………………………………………………… 6
Parking Needs and Preferences……………………………………………… 6
Lessons Learned from Parking Guidance Information for Autos………………… 6
Solutions………………………………………………………………………………… 7
Truck Driver Recommendations………………………………………………. 7
Recommendations from Highway Maintenance Engineers in 49 States…... ……. 8
National Transportation Safety Board Recommendations…………………. 8
Truck Survey and Data Analysis………………………………………………………. 8
Conclusions………………………………………………………………………..…… 12
Acknowledgements……………………………………………………………………. 12
References……………………………………………………………………...…….… 13
1
INTRODUCTION
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 in overall ( private and public) commercial vehicle parking
shortage ( Fleger et al., 2006). 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 ( Caltrans, 2001). Nationwide, shortages of public truck spaces, however,
are considered to be more severe than shortages of private spaces. In 2002, 71 percent of
states reported public shortages, but only 16 percent report private shortages ( Chen et al.,
2002). 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 report begins with a literature review of the commercial vehicle truck parking
problems in California and the United States, available evidence on truck drivers’ parking
preferences, and a description and evaluation of 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.
BACKGROUND
Public rest areas were built along Interstate Highways as part of the federal- aid highway
program and are maintained by state Departments of Transportation ( DOT). These spaces
were built to accommodate the physically smaller trucks on the highways in the mid- 20 th
century. As the trucking industry has evolved and truck sizes have increased dramatically,
space availability has decreased as trucks may occupy multiple spaces. Private truck
stops gained momentum during the building of the Interstate Highway system and the
National Association of Truck Stop Operators ( NATSO) was formed in 1960 ( NTSO,
2003). Private truck stops offer more parking spaces and amenities than public rest areas.
Public rest areas are generally located along major highways, and private truck stops are
typically located nearby, but not adjacent, to highway facilities.
The Federal Hours- of- Service ( HOS) regulations, originally instituted in 1937, have
contributed to the demand for both private and public truck parking. These regulations
mandate the number of hours a truck driver can operate a commercial vehicle before
taking a rest. The rules prior to 2003 change allowed a driver to drive a maximum of 10
hours after 8 consecutive hours off duty, which was changed in 2003 to 11 hours after 10
consecutive hours off duty. Another 2003 change included not allowing an operator to
drive beyond the 14th hour after coming on duty, following 10 consecutive hours off duty;
this was changed from allowing 15 hours after coming on duty, following 8 consecutive
hours off duty.
Congressional mandates related to truck parking studies began with the National
Transportation Safety Board ( NTSB) ( 1990) estimate that 31 percent of fatal truck
2
collisions and crashes were fatigue- related and analysis that a major contributor to fatigue
was the lack of safe and available truck parking on or near Interstate highways. In 2000,
with help from the NTSB, Congress recommended the Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration ( FMCSA) create a guide to inform truck drivers of the locations of
parking and parking availability. Congress continued to place importance on truck
parking through the Transportation Equity Act for the 21 st Century ( TEA- 21), setting
aside funding to investigate the adequacy of truck parking and rest areas. Section 4027 of
TEA- 21 mandated a study to determine the location and quantity of parking facilities at
both commercial truck stops and public rest areas. This study inventoried the current
facilities and examined shortages.
Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users
( SAFETEA- LU), Section 1305 further emphasized the importance of investigating truck
parking availability. SAFETEA- LU authorizes $ 6.25 million for the four years starting in
2006 to establish the Truck Parking Facilities Pilot Program. This program provides
funding to address the shortage of long- term parking for commercial vehicles on the
National Highway System. The funds are available for projects that both improve
currently operational facilities ( improving facility access and reconfiguring parking
spaces to accommodate truck maneuvers) and increasing the number of facilities
( constructing new facilities and utilizing parking available at other facilities).
SAFETEA- LU emphasizes the importance of highway safety, congestion reduction, and
air quality improvements by giving priority to projects that will address these issues
( FHWA, 2005).
SAFETEA- LU further supports improvements to current rest areas by identifying two
new programs that address the problem of idling emission issues and the truck parking
shortage. The Interstate Oasis Program and Idling Reduction Facilities on Interstate
Rights- of- Way Program are designed to establish standards for rest facilities along the
Interstate system and to encourage decreasing emission levels from idling trucks. The
goal of the Interstate Oasis Program is to establish service standards for designating
certain facilities near the Interstate System as “ Interstate Oases.” These areas must offer
products and services to the public, provide 24- hour access to restrooms, supply parking
for heavy trucks and automobiles, and have a clean appearance with accessibility to the
Interstate system. The goal of the Idling Reduction Facilities in Interstate Rights- of- Way
is to provide facilities that allow commercial vehicle operators to reduce truck idling or
provide alternative power to support driver comfort while parked in a public rest area
( FHWA, 2005).
TRUCK PARKING SHORTAGES
Nationwide
The United States is experiencing dramatic growth in commercial vehicle truck travel on
our nation’s roadway system. Tight “ just- in- time” commercial vehicle delivery schedules
and hours- of- service rules have contributed to significant nationwide shortages in truck
parking spaces ( Trombly, 2003). Shortages of public truck spaces, however, are
3
considered to be more severe than shortages of private spaces. In 2002, 71 percent of
states reported public shortages, but only 16 percent reported private shortages ( Chen et
al., 2002). This trend is expected to continue: the annual demand for public rest area
spaces is projected to be 1.7 percent greater than the growth in supply, while the annual
increase in private spaces is expected to exceed demand ( Fleger et al., 2006).
California and Contiguous States
California ranks first in the nation in overall ( private and public) commercial vehicle
parking shortage ( Fleger et al., 2006). Recent truck parking demand estimates in
California indicate that demand exceeds capacity at all public rest areas and at 88 percent
of private truck stops on the 34 corridors in California with the highest volumes of truck
travel ( Caltrans, 2001). Table 1 provides an overview of supply and demand for truck
parking based on the results of surveys and demand estimates conducted by Caltrans and
the United States DOT. The California Highway Patrol has identified 198 illegal truck
parking locations, most of which are around existing public rest areas and private truck
stops ( Caltrans, 2001). Moreover, it is estimated that by the year 2020 average daily truck
travel will increase by approximately 50 percent; the demand for public rest area parking
will increase by 53 percent, and demand for private parking will increase by 100 percent
( Caltrans, 2001).
Table 1. Overview of the Supply and Demand for Truck Parking in California. 1
Attribute
Public Rest
Area
Private Truck
Stop
Other Private
Location
Illegal
Parking
Locations
Ownership Public Private Private Public
Legal parking time
Typically, a few
hours Unlimited Unlimited
Zero ( illegal
to park)
Number of Facilities 88 33 Unknown 198 2
Spaces per Location
Maximum: 205
Minimum: 0
Average: 85
Maximum: 420
Minimum: 0
Average: 53 Unknown Undefined
Number of Spaces
Overall 7,496 1,106 Unknown Undefined
Space Shortage as of
2000 8,057 6,106 Unknown Undefined
Location
Convenience High Moderate Varies High
Parking
Convenience Varies Varies Varies High
Safety from Crime Varies Varies
Perceived as
Moderate to
Low 3 Varies
Safety from Crashes Safe Safe Safe Not as safe
1 United States Department of Transportation, 2004; California Department of Transportation, 2001.
2 Based on California Highway Patrol’s observations of unauthorized parking locations.
3 Federal Highway Administration, 2002b.
States that are contiguous to California have a shortage in public rest areas but a surplus
of private truck stops ( see Table 2). To summarize, parking capacity exists in private
4
truck stops in California and contiguous states. Thus, there is potential to better manage
use of existing spaces through availability and guidance information, as well as
reservations.
Table 2. Demand/ Supply Ratio of States Contiguous to California. 1
State Public Private Overall
Nevada 2.62 0.46 0.57
Oregon 1.89 0.67 0.79
Arizona 1.88 0.43 0.53
Utah 1.64 0.54 0.62
1 Fleger et al., 2006
THE CONSEQUENCES OF TRUCK PARKING SHORTAGE
Illegal Truck Parking
Not surprisingly, nationwide incidences of illegal truck parking have increased with the
shortage of commercial vehicle parking. A recent survey of states indicates that 17 have
observed illegal truck parking at freeway interchange ramps, 14 at freeway interchanges
ramps, eight on conventional highway roadsides, and eight on local streets near freeways.
Illegal truck parking is dangerous: “( 1) it limits the ability of parked vehicles to
accelerate safely into the traffic stream from their parked position; ( 2) the presence of
parked vehicles creates a conflict between existing and parked vehicles; and ( 3) errant
vehicles may stray into the shoulder area and strike parked vehicles” ( Trombly, 2003, p.
3).
Roadway Safety
All too often, the only alternative to truck drivers parking illegally is to continue driving
while fatigued. Fatigue is a major contributing factor to truck collisions: eight percent of
all fatal collisions and 16 percent of all truck collisions ( Quan, 2006). The inability of
drivers to find public or private truck parking may contribute to the fatigue that causes
these crashes.
Air Quality
Diesel emissions from trucks contribute significantly to air pollution and are known to
lead to severe health damage. Out of the top metropolitan areas in the U. S. with the
greatest health impacts due to diesel, four are in California: Los Angeles, San Francisco-
Oakland- Fremont, San Diego- Carlsbad- San Marcos, and Riverside- San Bernardino-
Ontario, ranking second, seventh, 21st, and 25th respectively ( GAO, 2004; American
Lung Association, 2000). Navigational waste due to a trucker’s search for parking, illegal
truck traffic, and parking on neighborhood streets can contribute unnecessarily to poor air
quality and adverse health effects. For example, children living in West Oakland,
California, where illegal truck traffic and parking is common, have a seven- fold higher
5
likelihood of hospitalization due to asthma than an average child living in California
( Palaniappan, 2006).
Trucking Industry
The shortage of truck parking spaces also has a number of negative consequences to the
trucking industry ( Smith et al., 2004). First, illegal parking and driving while fatigued can
result in significant liability in a crash. Second, driver productivity is lower due to the
time and money lost searching for parking. Third, “ the poor choices given to drivers
( parking illegally or driving while fatigued) may lead to increased job dissatisfaction; this
is an industry with high driver turnover” ( Smith et al., 2004, p. 2).
LESSONS LEARNED FROM RECENT TRUCK DRIVER SURVEYS
The characteristics of truckers, truck parking behavior, and parking needs are explored in
two relatively recent surveys. The first is the nationwide survey of 2,000 truck drivers
sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration ( FHWA) ( Chen et al., 2002). The
second is a smaller survey of 338 truckers at six Travel Centers of America private truck
stops ( Lutsey et al., 2000), conducted to explore truck parking and idling- related issues.
Parking Locations
The results of both surveys indicate that private truck stops are preferred for long- term
rests and that a sizeable number of truckers regularly park in unauthorized areas.
According the FHWA survey, 90 percent park in private truck stops for long- term rest
( four times a week on average); 67 percent use rest areas ( two times a week on average);
and 67 percent park in illegal spaces for long- term parking ( two times a week on average),
including entrance or exit ramps ( 33 percent), other parking lots ( 21 percent), and
highway shoulders ( 11 percent). According to the Lutsey et al. survey, 90 percent of
respondents had used a truck stop for at least one overnight rest, 53 percent had used a
public rest area, and 25 percent parked in an unauthorized location.
Parking Decisions
Results of both surveys indicate that truck drivers ( not their carrier) decide where they
will park 􀀁 98 percent according to the FHWA survey and 84 percent according to the
Lutsey et al. survey. Truck drivers' parking decision making can be conceptualized as
follows: “( 1) 12 to 24 hours in advance; ( 2) an hour or so prior to a planned rest, typically
within a 100- mile radius; and ( 3) at the end of the day, a driver decides whether or not to
pull off when approaching a rest area” ( Smith et al., 2004, pp. 10- 11).
Among those drivers who make their own parking decisions, 21 percent do so before they
start driving and 83 percent decide en- route ( Chen et al., 2002). Among those who park
illegally and make their own parking decisions ( 97 percent), 89 percent decide en- route
and 16 percent do before driving ( FHWA, 2002). The FHWA survey found that: ( 1)
owners and leasers are more likely to plan their own parking than company drivers; ( 2)
6
company drivers are more likely than owners and leasers to select truck stops before they
start driving; and ( 3) owners and leasers are more likely to decide where to park en- route
( Chen et al., 2002).
Approximately 300 respondents to the FHWA survey provided additional comments.
These are summarized as follows, drivers: “( 1) often try to plan their parking stops but
circumstances arise that prevent them from parking when or where they had planned; ( 2)
frequently become tired before they thought they would, experience delays at
shippers/ receiver locations, and fail to find available parking spaces at their pre- planned
destinations; ( 3) decide where to park as their on- duty hours elapse based on how far they
think they can drive in the remaining hours of service; and ( 4) often do not plan ahead but
simply park whenever they find an available space” ( Chen et al., 2002, p. 13).
Illegal Parking
The FHWA and Lutsey et al. surveys found that a sizable percent of respondents do park
in unauthorized parking locations ( 97 and 25 percent, respectively). The FHWA survey
found that the two top reasons cited by trucker for parking illegally were: ( 1) no empty
spaces at nearby facilities ( 94 percent of respondents) and ( 2) no nearby parking facilities
( 83 percent of respondents). In many instances, these responses may reflect lack of
knowledge about available parking rather than actual knowledge. For example,
interviews conducted with truck drivers in unauthorized spaces by the Maryland State
Police in 2004 indicate that many drivers park illegally because they are unsure of the
nearest authorized parking area, and trucks were parked illegally very near facilities with
available parking capacity ( Maryland DOT, 2005). Moreover, “ almost 40 percent of
drivers who park in these unconventional locations indicated that alternative parking, if
made available, would improve the parking situation” ( Chen et al., 2002, p. 12). The
FHWA study concludes that: “ there may be some connection between poor planning and
parking on shoulders and ramps” ( Chen et al., 2002, p. 15).
Parking Needs and Preferences
According to the FHWA study, most drivers indicate that more truck parking is needed
during overnight hours, near metropolitan areas, and in specific regions: the northeast, the
northwest, and Southern California ( Chen et al., 2002). In general, drivers indicate that
important attributes of long- term rest locations are food, fuel, restrooms, phones, showers,
nearby highway, well- lighted parking lots, and security ( Chen et al., 2002). Drivers also
commented that “ big parking spaces that allow trucks to maneuver in and out” were
important attributes of truck parking locations ( Chen et al., 2002, p. 15).
LESSONS LEARNED FROM PARKING GUIDANCE INFORMATION FOR
AUTOS
Smart parking management systems for automobiles have been implemented throughout
Europe, the United Kingdom, and Japan since the early 1970s and provide information on
available parking locations. Parking guidance information ( PGI) systems, and more
7
recently transit- based smart parking systems, provide real- time information to motorists
regarding available parking spaces and locations. Lessons learned by evaluating and
modeling these systems suggest that awareness and understanding can be relatively high,
but that people who are less familiar with the area ( i. e., visitors rather than commuters)
tend to be the most frequent users ( Thompson and Bonsall, 1997). Truckers, however,
may be more like visitors and use en- route parking information more frequently because
they often cannot or do not plan their parking in advance and/ or lack parking information
knowledge due to high driver turnover. PGI systems also tend to reduce parking facility
queue lengths and provide modest system- wide reductions in travel time and vehicle
travel ( Thompson and Bonsall, 1997). Recommendations to improve these systems
include: ( 1) targeting messages to the information needs, decision points, and knowledge
levels of market segments early on in the system development process; ( 2) making
messages conspicuous and providing some reinforcement; and ( 3) providing messages
that are consistently credible ( Thompson and Bonsall, 1997).
SOLUTIONS
The alternatives available to address the truck parking shortage problem generally
include increasing the supply of spaces and better matching supply and demand. In
general, the literature suggests that the latter is the most practical and cost- effective, near-term
solution, particularly in metropolitan areas where land prices are high. Moreover, as
new parking supply becomes available, technologies that better match supply and
demand can continue to maximize the effectiveness of new truck parking investments.
Some opportunities for expanding supply where land prices are high include allowing
overnight parking at park- and- ride lots and weigh stations.
Truck Driver Recommendations
Improving truck parking information and methods of communicating this information
were explored in the FHWA survey ( Chen et al., 2002). Seventy- three percent of
respondents indicated that they would like to receive information by the radio in their
vehicle; 40 percent preferred to use their vehicle’s electronic visual display; and 12
percent preferred the Internet ( Chen et al., 2002). Respondents also indicated a desire for
the following real- time information: “( 1) location of truck parking facilities along the
road being traveled ( 84 percent); ( 2) features ( e. g., showers, hot meals) that are available
at upcoming parking facilities ( 77 percent); ( 3) number of truck parking spaces available
at upcoming parking facilities ( 6 percent); and ( 4) length of time limits on upcoming
truck parking spaces ( 46 percent)” ( Chen et al., 2002, p. 19). From the over 200 written
comments, respondents also expressed interest in obtaining information about: “( 1) the
layout and size of parking spaces at upcoming facilities and ( 2) whether a parking facility
can accommodate trucks that are oversized, hauling hazardous materials, or multiple–
trailer loads” ( Chen et al., 2002).
8
Recommendations from Highway Maintenance Engineers in 49 States
The National Cooperative Highway Research Program ( NCHRP) surveyed highway
maintenance engineers from 49 states to identify effective and feasible solutions to truck
parking problems ( Trombly, 2003). Using “ ITS to expand the amount of information
available to truckers” ranked first ( among a list of improvements including building new
rest areas and truck stops) when evaluated against effectiveness and feasibility criteria
( Trombly, 2003, p. 17). Moreover, it was reported that “… the responses reflect a belief
among agencies that the most effective and feasible way to reduce shortages is to make
better use of existing resources, combined with a prudent expansion of existing public
spaces. Because all of the respondents work in the public sector, it can be speculated that
their responses reflect recognition that a public role is appropriate— but the resources to
meet all needs are not available, and that the private sector is in a better position to
provide these resources” ( Trombly, 2003, p. 17). Two specific recommendations made by
the states include: ( 1) developing ITS deployments that provide drivers with real- time
information on the location and availability of parking spaces. For example, investigating
the use of mobile phones and radio frequencies to broadcast parking locations and
availability to drivers; and ( 2) distributing a “ truckers’ map” that pinpoints parking
facilities for drivers ( Trombly, 2003, p. 19).
National Transportation Safety Board Recommendations
The National Transportation Safety Board published a special report on truck parking-related
problems in May 2000. Following are the major conclusions:
• While guides and mapping programs may list the private truck stops and public
rest areas, they are not all- inclusive of available truck parking, such as alternative
locations like park- and- ride lots and weigh stations. Also, the Safety Board
concludes that some truck drivers do not have enough information on parking
locations and need access to all available parking in advance and during trips.
• In many large trucking companies, trucks are equipped with global positioning
systems ( GPS) that enable dispatchers to tell drivers where to pick up a load, drop
off, and get fuel, based on the truck’s precise location. GPS, combined with
electronic guidance, could enable dispatchers to notify truck drivers of the nearest
parking facility. ( NTSB, 2000, p. 23)
TRUCK SURVEY AND DATA ANALYSIS
As described in the previous section, the analysis of the available literature suggest that
that the provision of parking information related services may be a promising near- term
solution to the truck parking problem. As a result, the authors worked with researchers at
the University of California at Davis ( Drs. Nicholas Lutsey and Christie- Joy Brodrick) to
include questions related to truck parking information services in a statewide survey of
truckers conducted for the California Air Resources Board. Figure 1 documents the
survey instrument, and Figure 2 indicates the location where truckers were surveyed
9
during the summer and fall of 2006. In total, 433 surveys were collected through in-person
administration at various locations throughout the State.
Figure 1. UC- Davis Truck Survey
Reproduced from Lutsey and Brodrick, 2007.
10
Figure 2. Survey Locations
Reproduced from Lutsey and Brodrick, 2007.
As documented in Figure 1, respondents were asked “ If you had up- to- the- minute
information about parking areas and spaces available when you were deciding to rest,
would you use it.? The survey results are presented in Table 3 below. These results
indicated that 67.9 percent of respondents would use such a service, 19.9 percent said
they would not, 6 percent were unsure, and the remainder declined to answer the
question.
Table 3. Survey Responses on Use of Hypothetical Parking Information Service.
Regarding Question # 22a,
the percent of survey respondents who….
Origin
State
Highway Nearby City
Surveys
Collected Would use
parking
info
Would not
use parking
info
Are unsure
about use of
parking info
[ blank]
Oregon I- 5 Mt. Shasta, CA 68 77.9% 11.8% 8.8% 1.5%
I- 80 Truckee, CA 66 72.7% 16.7% 10.6% 0.0%
Nevada
I- 15 Yermo, CA 50 60.0% 30.0% 6.0% 4.0%
11
I- 40 Needles, CA 72 70.8% 22.2% 4.2% 2.8%
Arizona
I- 10 Banning, CA 73 64.4% 20.5% 9.6% 5.5%
SR- 7 Calexico, CA 33 57.6% 15.2% 0.0% 27.3%
Mexico
SR- 905 San Diego, CA 71 64.8% 22.5% 0.0% 12.7%
All
Trucks
433 67.9% 19.9% 6.0% 6.2%
Reproduced from Lutsey and Brodrick, 2007.
Among those respondents who indicated that they would use up- to- the- minute
information about parking areas and spaces, most indicated that road signs ( 47.2 percent),
mobile phones ( 21.6 percent), and radio ( 18.8 percent) were their preferred method of
accessing this information, as shown in Table 4. Respondents indicated less interest in
accessing this information by the Internet or GPS.
Table 4. Survey Responses on Preferred Method of Receiving Parking Information.
The percent of survey respondents who might use parking info (" yes" or
" unsure" to # 22a) that would opt to Origin receive such info by a …
State
Highway Nearby City
Road
Signs
Radio
Mobile
Phone
Internet GPS " Other"
Oregon I- 5 Mt. Shasta, CA 50.8% 30.5% 13.6% 6.8% 10.2% 15.3%
I- 80 Truckee, CA 54.5% 16.4% 14.5% 10.9% 9.1% 12.7%
Nevada
I- 15 Yermo, CA 60.6% 21.2% 6.1% 9.1% 3.0% 30.3%
I- 40 Needles, CA 70.4% 20.4% 13.0% 9.3% 7.4% 9.3%
Arizona
I- 10 Banning, CA 50.0% 27.8% 20.4% 9.3% 7.4% 35.2%
SR- 7 Calexico, CA 21.1% 0.0% 31.6% 26.3% 0.0% 21.1%
Mexico
SR- 905 San Diego, CA 4.3% 0.0% 58.7% 4.3% 0.0% 32.6%
All
Trucks
47.2% 18.8% 21.6% 9.4% 6.3% 21.6%
a More than one response to this question was allowed per survey
Reproduced from Lutsey and Brodrick, 2007.
Among those respondents who indicated that they would use up- to- the- minute
information about parking areas and spaces, 45.9 percent indicated that they would use
the service to reserve a parking spot ( see Table 5) most preferably by mobile phone
( 56.6%), by Nextel( 24.6 percent), and by the Internet ( 9.7 percent) ( see Table 6).
Table 5. Survey Responses on Willingness to Use Parking Place Reservation Service.
For survey respondents who would use parking info (" yes" or
“ unsure” to # 22a), the percent of respondents who…
Origin
State
Highway Nearby City Would reserve a
parking spot in
advance
Would not
reserve a
spot
Are Unsure [ blank]
Oregon I- 5 Mt. Shasta, CA 49.2% 32.2% 13.6% 5.1%
I- 80 Truckee, CA 41.8% 52.7% 5.5% 0.0%
Nevada
I- 15 Yermo, CA 39.4% 48.5% 3.0% 9.1%
I- 40 Needles, CA 25.9% 59.3% 9.3% 5.6%
Arizona
I- 10 Banning, CA 33.3% 33.3% 18.5% 14.8%
12
SR- 7 Calexico, CA 68.4% 31.6% 0.0% 0.0%
Mexico
SR- 905 San Diego, CA 80.4% 15.2% 2.2% 2.2%
All
Trucks
45.9% 39.7% 8.8% 5.6%
Reproduced from Lutsey and Brodrick, 2007.
Table 6. Survey Responses on Preferred Method of Reserving Truck Parking Place. ( Lutsey
and Brodrick, 2007)
For survey respondents who might use parking info (" yes" or
“ unsure” to # 22a) and might reserve a parking spot (" yes" or
" unsure" to # 22c), the preferred means of making a
reservation are…
Origin
State
Highway Nearby City
Mobile
Phone
Internet Nextel a Other Blank
Oregon I- 5 Mt. Shasta, CA 86.5% 5.4% 0.0% 5.4% 2.7%
I- 80 Truckee, CA 88.5% 3.8% 0.0% 0.0% 7.7%
Nevada
I- 15 Yermo, CA 85.7% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 14.3%
I- 40 Needles, CA 84.2% 10.5% 0.0% 0.0% 5.3%
Arizona
I- 10 Banning, CA 57.1% 21.4% 0.0% 0.0% 21.4%
SR- 7 Calexico, CA 0.0% 30.8% 69.2% 0.0% 0.0%
Mexico
SR- 905 San Diego, CA 0.0% 5.3% 89.5% 5.3% 0.0%
All
Trucks
56.6% 9.7% 24.6% 2.3% 6.9%
a walkie- talkie- type mobile phone service
Reproduced from Lutsey and Brodrick, 2007.
CONCLUSIONS
This report began with a literature review of the commercial vehicle truck parking
problems in California and the U. S., including the distribution and frequency of current
and expected truck parking shortages and illegal parking, available evidence on truck
drivers’ parking preferences, and a description and evaluation of current and future
approaches to the truck parking problem. The results of this literature review indicated
that the provision of parking information- related services may be a promising near- term
solution to the truck parking problem. As a result, the authors worked with researchers at
the University of California at Davis to include questions related to truck parking
information services in a statewide survey of truckers conducted for the California Air
Resources Board. The results indicated that almost 70 percent of the truckers surveyed
would use up- to- the- minute information about parking areas and spaces when planning
their next rest. Among these respondents, most indicated that road signs, mobile phones,
and radio were their preferred method of accessing this information, and almost half
indicated that they would reserve a parking spot in advance, most preferably, by mobile
phone.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors would like to thank the California Department of Transportation and
California PATH for their support of this research. Matt Hanson and Nader Ebrahimi of
Caltrans and Steve Sowers, formerly of Caltrans, provided valuable expertise. A special
thanks to the California Air Resources Board and Nicholas Lutsey and CJ Brodrick for
13
allowing the inclusion of questions on parking information in their statewide trucker
survey. The authors would also like to acknowledge the assistance of Megan Smirti. The
contents of this report reflect the views of the authors, who are responsible for the facts
and the accuracy of the data presented herein.
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