Why Does There Seem To Be A Truck Parking Problem In California (and Other States And Cities In Our Nation)?

Actual conversation with a weekend dispatcher years ago:

Dispatcher: Why did you drive all the way to Ripon for your 10 hour break instead of just parking the truck in San Francisco?

Pacific Pearl: You've never been to San Francisco, have you?

I can drive from Oregon to Maryland and get called into two weigh stations - I-84 at mm 41 outside of Hood River and the fake weigh station in WV (more of a brake check). If I go south there are a half-dozen between Portland and Sacramento and I usually get called into at least TWO. The 55 mph limit for trucks, the right lane only (for trucks) and the many anti-truck laws (no idling, no parking near a residential area, etc) show they tolerate trucks, but they're not happy about it.

The unholy trinity of a shortage of cheap land, the anti-trucker mentality and the environmentalism trumps ALL mentality all contribute to the lack of truck stops in Mexico's Gay District (some of the old-timers still call it, "California"). Whatever you call them, they're the most anti-truck state in the nation. The good news is that we won't have to put up with it much longer:

California Gov. Newsom executive order bans gas, diesel cars by 2035

California Looks to Ban Diesel Trucks at Ports by 2035

California seeks to ban sales of diesel commercial trucks effort to fight pollution, climate change

It's only a matter of time until trucks are banned completely there. I have a morbid curiosity about how long it will take them to realize bicycles aren't going to be able to keep the vital supplies of avocado toast and leather pants they need to survive on the shelves. I (and many other others) will breathe a deep sigh of relief when that day comes.

Greetings Pacific Pearl,

Thank you for taking the time to respond to my friend’s question. I will send your response to him. WOW! What you have shared has been a big eye opening experience chocked full of great and useful information. Based on what you have shared, it will be very interesting to see how California copes with all of these upcoming rules and laws as they apply to big rig truck drivers.

On the behalf of my friend, thank you for your help, it is greatly appreciated.

Kind Regards,

Nick S.

Pfffft Climate change is another full on BS way to try and capitilize and make billions off of. Anyone with 5 brain cells, knows, our climate is a constantly changing thing. From 1 year to the next, some mild winters, then BAMM, next years is a real PITA bad one. Same with summers, this has happened every year of my life on earth, I remember em well (IN Calif)......Powers that be in Calif. are all friggin MORONS, continually, repeating the BS agenda they roll on. Same with the smog pollution in Calif. What has bi-annual vehicle inspections done to fix it? NOT a DAMN thing !

Take a ride up into the mountains, overlooking San Bernardino/Fontana/Colton area, you can see, the smog blanket lingering over it. All that's changed, is the smog has spread east from LA.in the last 40-50 years ! I know and seen this since I grew up there, since I was 6 years old. All Calif has done, is rip the public off in fee's for smog checks and emission BS....Car's run cleaner now days as well, hell my VW beetles, even with built Hi-Perf, non-smog engines, ran ZERO emissions.

Newsom, needs to leave office, right with Nancy POOlucy lol......

Hello Stevo Reno,

Thank you for sharing your views of California (with regard to climate change).

On the behalf of my friend, thank you.

Kind Regards,

Nick S.

My company doesn't go to California, but I will say, Western Washington thus far has been the worst. And its ironic because I used to live there. They have like 3 truck stops for the entire area and most are paid parking where the TA on i-90 fills up to the brim all the way out to the interstate. The truth of the matter (at least in my observation) is that some states that are run by a particular political class just hate trucks and truckers (or so it feels that way). It isn't just the parking issue but also being able to idle in certain places without getting a fine despite weather conditions being way subpar etc.

My work around to the problem has been to start early and plan plan plan! If you know you are going through a place with horrific parking, try to budget time to shut down for a quick 10 so you can find a better spot the following night.

I haven't had many issues with parking myself but I really go far out of my way to ensure I don't get screwed as much as possible. Even if it means sacrificing the extra couple hours or sleep in the morning to make sure I get prime real estate later.

Hello there Drew D.,

Thank you for taking the time to respond to my friend’s question. I will send your response to him. Thank you for sharing your parking experiences and tips on dealing with parking.

On the behalf of my friend, thank you for your help, it is greatly appreciated.

Kind Regards,

Nick S.

It's always the same no matter what year, time or place. A lot of areas do not want or like trucks or truck drivers. This attitude has partially been caused by truck drivers who do not respect the area in and around the truck stop. Trash, pee bottles, feces, idling trucks and noise are just some of the reasons locals do not want trucks in their towns.

If some truck drivers cleaned up their acts it might help. We used to be known as "Knights of the road" many years ago but that will never happen again. I just use a few basic rules for an area that is unfriendly or unwelcoming to trucks and truckdrivers. If you are anti truck and drivers that is your right and opinion but I will never drive in or through your area, I will never vacation in your area, I will never deliver or pick-up any freight in your area and I surely will not buy any goods or services from your area.

It will not take long before their economy crumbles and they are crawling and begging for trucks to deliver goods to them. See if they will go directly to the farms for groceries. Just like Buccee's that is growing fast throughout the south. They will not any trucks on their properties unless they are delivering to Buccee's no matter what. So with that attitude I never stop there for any reason even with the 5th wheel. There are too many businesses that welcome you and want the business.

Hi Navypoppop,

Thank you for taking the time to respond to my friend’s question. I will send your response to him. What you have shared has been very enlightening.

On the behalf of my friend, thank you for your help, it is greatly appreciated.

Kind Regards,

Nick S.

I quit going to cali years ago because of all the mess, as well as the rates dropped in 2019 and have not come back.

Buccee’s is expanding rapidly in the south. I don’t patronize them either since they ban trucks.

Last year we went to Myrtle Beach for bike week. We were at a nice restrauant waiting for our table and were involved in a conversation with another couple. They were both exec’s with buccee’s and asked if we ever have visited one. I told them nope, you discriminate against folks like us. They looked shocked and said they do not discriminate against anyone. I said oh yes you do, we are truck drivers. They said OH, and changed the subject.

Greetings PJ,

Thank you for taking the time to respond to my friend’s question. I will send your response to him. What an amazing experience running into those Bucee's executives. I learned a few years ago in this forum, truck drivers are not welcome there . . . unless they are making a delivery. As large as those places are, it is too bad that they don't all have a giant big rig truck driver parking lots to welcome "all" drivers.

On the behalf of my friend, thank you for your help, it is greatly appreciated.

Kind Regards,

Nick S.

I've always wondered why a public/private partnership wouldn't work in rural areas.

Huge swaths of woods and just fields along interstates. Get something like EZ Pass and charge $5-20 or whatever it costs to keep a restroom staffed, some semblance of security and trash picked up for the night. Have them every 50 miles. Have signs about 25 miles before them X total spots, Y available (if you're using an ez pass like system you can log spots as drivers come in and go out)

Certainly won't work in urban areas but if widespread you could allow HOS extensions in areas that are truck parking unfriendly to get to the nearest open parking at one.

Hello Travis,

Thank you for taking the time to respond to my friend’s question. I will send your response to him. It sounds like you have a very good idea there. It sounds like it would work well. Maybe one day, we will come to see this good idea happen.

On the behalf of my friend, thank you for your help, it is greatly appreciated.

Kind Regards,

Nick S.