Overnight Truck Parking Along Tennessee’s Interstate Highways and Rest Areas

Abstract

Truck parking spaces in the public rest areas and pull-out areas along Tennessee’s Interstate highways are filling up at night, and large trucks are parking along the shoulders of ramps to these areas. Trucks are also parking along regular interchange ramps and in some cases along through lanes. This is a potentially hazardous situation for travelers. A detailed survey was performed at public rest areas in Tennessee at night, covering all 7 days of the week, to learn about the occupancy characteristics of trucks. Availability of space in private truck stops near interchanges also was examined. This research presents the findings of these surveys in quantitative terms. Several truck drivers were interviewed and all neighboring states were contacted to learn more about why some drivers prefer to park along highways and what strategies are being used by other states to alleviate this problem. Findings related to these issues are presented in this research.