With truck crashes and fatalities on the increase over the last few years, and with more trucks on the road, there are many problems which need to be addressed, including the lack of enough parking areas for truckers to stop and rest.
“The trucking industry is well aware of the parking problems. Kevin Burch, president of Jet Express in Dayton and 2nd Vice Chairman of the American Trucking Associations, said drivers often are caught in the middle between the push to keep the wheels rolling and the need to abide by the rules of the road.
‘We are in a perfect storm of regulation of drivers’ circadian rhythm, if you will,’ he said. ‘The rest is important, but you’ve got to have a place to park.’
With 80 percent of all goods delivered by semi-trucks, Burch said retailers want products delivered on time but do not want to allow truckers to park on site.
‘These truckers have to have rest, so where do they go?’ Burch said. ‘The truck stops are full. The rest stops are full. The shopping centers have no parking. It is a big problem that no one seems to care about.’”
