Analytical Framework for Evaluating Potential Truck Parking Locations

Abstract

As the number of trucks on the road continues to increase, mandatory rest periods combined with a decreasing number of parking spaces and amenities geared towards truck drivers have created a paradoxical yet often overlooked issue of truck parking shortage. Especially within the urbanized landscape of New Jersey, truck stops are rarely considered as the highest and best use form of development and those that exist are often expensive to operate. Most of the existing research on this issue has focused on parking demand modeling or applications of the intelligent transportation system technology to improve the use of existing truck stops. Nonetheless, limited previous research has focused on expanding truck parking capacity. This study develops a methodological framework for evaluating some of the important social, economic, and environmental factors when planning the development of a new truck parking facility. With an example application to the State of New Jersey, this study presents a step-by-step analytical process to help prioritize potential truck parking locations.