Sometimes you’ve got to pull over before completing a run to Chicago, IL. In the near future, finding a place to park in the states surrounding Illinois will get a lot easier for weary drivers who want to get some rest, save money on fuel, or abide by the hours of service mandate with the new e-logging requirements.
Just next door, the state of Iowa is joining an 8-state initiative that will create a trucking parking information management system along the I-80 corridor. The other states participating include Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
The lack of big-rig parking has been recognized by government officials and the trucking industry as a growing problem with 3 million truckers on the road and around 300,000 safe places to park. The new system will offer drivers real-time information they can view in their cab on truck parking vacancies at public rest areas and truck stops.
Truck parking information is gathered using pavement and highway exit ramp sensors. In the case of Iowa, the parking availabilities can be found using the state’s 511 system and in a data feed sent to in-cab routing devices.
While it appears to be an idea with potential, the parking help is still a work in progress. Iowa’s DOT says it’s part of the system is expected to be switched on in early January of 2019, but it’s possible some of the bigger, private truck stops can offer parking assistance right now.
Pilot Flying J is announcing a new myPilot smartphone app to help truckers find parking spaces.
Thirty Pilot Flying J locations along the I-5 corridor from San Diego to Seattle, and an additional location in Knoxville, are ready to offer real-time parking availability info. Pilot Flying J expects to roll out the system to their other locations, including those in the Chicago area, in 2018.
Bay & Bay Transportation is always interested in safe and reliable delivery, and that includes stopping to get some rest or complying with tougher service rules. We’re a Minnesota-based trucking company that prides itself on reliability in the Chicago area, and on the many short and long-haul routes available to drivers across North America.
It’s why Bay & Bay is known as a quality driven tradition on roads around Chicago and on many miles of highway across the U.S. and into parts of Canada. To learn more about Chicago area opportunities, call (888) 801-3026, or visit our web page for more details and information about how you can join our growing team in the Chicago area.