Most truckers do not make a habit of parking along highway on and off ramps when they are done driving for the day.
That’s what a Truckers News online survey found in reaction a new nationwide study of from Altitude by Geotab and HNTB which revealed that over 2.2 million parking events, including over 300,000 long-duration stops, occur annually on U.S. highway ramps.
Our survey found about one-third of drivers never park on highway ramps, compared to less than 5% who say they park in such locations every day.
We asked, “How often do you park on a highway on/off ramp?”
Of more than 300 responses,
- 45.75% said, “Occasionally when all else fails.”
- 32.35% said, “Never.”
- 5.56% said, “4 times a week.”
- 5.56% said, “3 times a week.”
- 4.9% said, “2 times a week.”
- 4.25% said, “Daily.”
- 1.63% said, “Once a week.”
The Altitude by Geotab and HNTB study identified locations where such “parking events” occur most often. Indiana, Illinois, Tennessee, California and Pennsylvania topped the list of the states where on/off ramp parking occurs.
The top five metropolitan locations include Atlanta-Athens-Clark County-Sandy Springs, Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, New York-Newark, New Jersey, Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, Virginia, and Los Angeles-Long Beach.
The study also revealed that the peak demand for unauthorized parking occurs mid-week on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.
The report outlines why solving the truck parking shortage is critical for drivers, motorists, and highway planners:
- Safety Risk: Overnight ramp parking significantly increases collision risks for all motorists
- Efficiency Impact: The search for parking erodes productivity and adds unpredictable delays to the supply chain
- Infrastructure Deterioration: Highway shoulders are not engineered to support the static weight of a 33,000+ lb Class-7 and 8 vehicle for 10 hours
“The 2.2 million annual parking events on highway ramps are not random occurrences; they are a clear, data-driven signal of where our infrastructure investment is critically needed,” said Nate Veeh, AVP, Business Development, at Altitude by Geotab.
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