Big Apple: Big Problems, Big Potential
Everything about New York City is big: the buildings, the metropolitan area, the population, and the demand for goods that make it all possible. These goods arrive from all over the world as freight that must be distributed to the millions of people and businesses in the city. Trucks are the primarily means of delivering goods to the densely populated area, making the management of unloading zones and truck parking an immense challenge to efficient logistics.
The Event
On July 9th, New York City DOT hosted a Truck Parking Workshop facilitated by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). This event is part of a series of workshops with a local/regional focus which are targeted to produce a plan and solutions for truck parking. Some may remember previous FHWA workshops on truck parking which in comparison were much larger in scope and geared primarily toward information gathering; FHWA is now taking those inputs and narrowing them down to find specific solutions for specific locations.
Searching for Solutions
A room filled with local and regional transportation officials and advocates clearly recognized that truck parking solutions are long overdue for NYC. With the clear challenge being the incredible lack of readily available land to park trucks, different approaches were considered which ranged from public, to private, and partnerships. One consideration was to use older shopping centers which are currently not fully utilized. A second approach was to use sports stadium parking lots. This presented the task of identifying which of those lots may present the most realistic option to pursue, with public ownership possibly presenting an easier path for officials to pursue. TSPS is able to help ensure the trust that truckers would know exactly if and when spaces would be available, before they arrive, and have the security of a reservation.
For Truckers
You have heard this before and it’s still true: your input is needed. These focused workshops can use truckers with a real-world perspective on the area. If you regularly pass through the area or deliver or pick up in the area, you are an expert. Recognizing this is not always an easy thing to do, so try to find the opportunity to attend one of them as they are announced. Reno, NV on September 17 will be the next one. If you have knowledge of that area, you could help us find truck parking solutions.
Scott Grenerth is part of the TSPS team and while he primarily drives a desk today (but does occasionally utilize his CDL) he has over a million accident-free miles behind the wheel of over-the-road trucking experience.
He can be found helping to lead initiatives with the FHWA Truck Parking Coalition, providing input (and listening to concerns) at Truck Parking Roundtables around the country and working with TSPS customers to provide truck parking solutions.