Where Is Your Truck Going to Sleep at Night?

If you’re on the road, you can never be quite sure when you need to pull over for the night. While you may know your route, traffic delays, quick unloading, or even the weather can change how far you get over the course of your day. It has become even more unpredictable since the ELD regulations went into effect because there are hard cut-offs for drive times even if you haven’t reached your planned destination. Here’s how to make a plan with several backups so you always have a safe and legal place to park your truck at night.

Plan out multiple truck stops.

Trucks stops are the go-to destination, especially if you to refuel or you’re in a rural area with few options. But truck stops are getting more and more crowded. Truck drivers have more standardized stop times just due to the nature of routes and hard stop times. Make sure you know where multiple truck stops are in the area so you can quickly make it to an alternative if the first stop is too full.

Know what stores and parking lots are open for overnight parking.

Even if truck stops are the preferred option, almost any parking lot can do in a pinch. Big box stores, warehouses, and major shopping complexes often expect truck drivers to pull over for the night in their parking lots, especially if they just dropped off a last-minute delivery.

But some parking lots aren’t zoned properly for semi-truck traffic. Even though stores like Walmart have been the go-to example of stores with lenient overnight parking policies, some cities countermand the policy with local ordinances. Counties can also use strict regulations and safety warnings to prevent semi-truck parking, so make sure you check the lot’s allowances. Stores may file a claim to transfer fines onto you, or the safety concerns may result in a traffic accident and suit.

Go to J.E.B. Insurance Services, LLC. for more suggestions and the right coverage to keep your company safe. We provide commercial truck insurance in the states of Florida, Georgia, Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Illinois, Iowa, and Nebraska.

David Ott

David Ott