Moving Words – Weather and Parking

Timothy Brady

“The way humans hunt for parking and the way animals hunt for food are not as different as you might think.” – Tom Vanderbilt

With the increase in severe weather events in the last few years, now’s a suitable time to consider what your motor carrier’s policy is concerning harsh weather and potential disasters: when to continue to deliver or pick up, when to batten down the hatches and stay parked. Whether you’re a small moving operation or a large van line, your van operators are the ones facing the greatest danger. And that applies whether it’s a tsunami warning in Oregon, an earthquake in California, a tropical storm that floods bridges and highways in the South, or a Nor’easter in New England.

In Connecticut, just ahead of Sandy’s impact on October 29, 2012, the trucking association agreed with Governor Malloy that trucks hauling non-essential items needed to be pulled over. Service trucks and those hauling food, water, medical supplies, etc. were to remain on the roads and try to get to their delivery docks.

But then Michael Riley, president of the Motor Transportation Association of Connecticut, brought another factor into the mix:  “… His group, after studying the issue in recent years, concluded that an additional 1,200 parking spaces are needed statewide.” (See The Connecticut Mirror newspaper story here: https://www.ctmirror.org/story/17945/connecticuts-truckers-need-place-wait-sandy-out )

That leaves over a thousand truckers potentially having to depend on the kindness of strangers to be allowed to pull over and stop not only in mall parking lots but other places where our rigs are usually banned.

What happens in a nation-wide emergency? I well remember the situation on September 12, 2001. I had multiple deliveries to huge shopping malls in California and other states, after hauling the special retail displays from New Jersey. Chains across the roadway into one shopping mall and a polite but firm security guard let me know that not only were my deliveries going to be late, but that access was denied for my truck. No, I couldn’t wait at the dock until the shopping center re-opened, either. Luckily, I had a safe place down the road to pull over and await further developments. But it sure brought it home about the lack of parking for truckers during a crisis, whether weather-related, terrorist-caused or other origin.

So, to repeat: what’s your carrier’s policy for your van operators during bad weather or events out of anyone’s control? What plans do you have for your truckers, to keep them and their cargo safe during a blizzard, the aftermath of a major earthquake or tornado, or suspected terrorist activity? Plan now, when you can think calmly and take advantage of multiple resources. Call other moving companies and agencies and ask about their policies if need be. You could even propose a reciprocal agreement in times of disaster, if you have a big lot where more trucks than just your own could park. Have a plan ready for your trucking company as a whole and for each dedicated route or lane that your trucks run.

In an emergency, don’t leave your truckers to fend for themselves. Give your truckers and your dispatchers a set of clear guidelines, so everyone knows where to head in case of disaster, or when to pull over, or alternate places to park for the duration. You’ll certainly save yourself a lot of stress. And you could save your truckers’ lives someday.

Did Sandy do us all a favor, in spite of the flooding, destruction and unfortunately, the deaths connected with that monstrous storm? Were plans put in place before the next disaster hit? Did we learn any valuable lessons from Sandy and the dozens of other major weather events over the past 11 years? Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like it.

What’s your OTR Disaster Plan? As severe weather events and other local, regional and national disasters continue to increase in size and scope, it’s imperative we’re all prepared with a decisive plan of action to keep our van operators, equipment and shipper’s belongings safe from harm.

Or – maybe the biggest disaster is the failure of local, state and federal legislative bodies to address the need for safe parking for all trucks. What has your state done to address this crisis in the last 11 years? It’s time to contact those in power to do something substantive to ensure the safety of our truck drivers, not just during a disaster but every night they need a safe place to park.

Something to think about.

“Politics is not worrying this country one-tenth as much as where to find a parking space.” – Will Rogers