CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The City of Charlotte has launched an online tool to help truck drivers find safe parking locations in the Charlotte area and address illegal parking.

What You Need To Know

  • The City of Charlotte launched a new tool to help truck drivers find safe parking

  • In Charlotte, the city has issued 3,135 truck parking violations since October 2023

  • The new tool has parking locations, information about costs, amenities

  • Truck drivers say the tool could be helpful to address a nationwide concern

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, truck parking shortages are a concern nationwide. 

In Charlotte, the city has issued 3,135 truck parking violations since October 2023. That same year, fines for illegal truck parking increased from $25 to $100. 

In the city, it's illegal for commercial trucks to park in any city streets, unless they are loading or unloading. 

“I think it has helped a little bit. I think the challenge is that, they're just, there's a lack of parking in general,” City of Charlotte’s Division Manager for Admin and Innovation Jane Taillon said. 

The Commercial Truck Parking tool aims to give truck drivers information on places to park, costs and amenities. 

“It has an opportunity to make sure that they know where safe, legal parking is and then that will mitigate the illegal parking we have happening throughout the community,” Taillon said. “It has an opportunity to make sure that they know where safe, legal parking is and then that will mitigate the illegal parking we have happening throughout the community,” Taillon said. 

CL Driving School Lead Instructor John Payne, who was a truck driver for more than 30 years, said truck parking has been a concern nationwide. 

“When I started in the '90s, it has always been a problem. It’s not just in Charlotte area. You will see it any states you go to: no truck parking here, no truck parking there,” Payne said. 

During training truck parking comes up often. 

“A former student contacted us asking she needed a place to park her truck so all the instructors were scrambling trying to find a place where she could park her truck in the Charlotte area and just for five days,” Payne said. 

Marcus Howard owns BullRush Transport, a company moving commercial freight in the eastern part of the country. He’s sometimes behind the wheel and agrees truck parking is an issue everywhere. 

“It’s stressful because truck drivers only have a certain amount of hours that we are allotted. Most of those hours were spent on the road,” Howard said. “Most of the times when I’m getting toward the end of my day, I got 30 minutes to an hour to find me a good parking space, and that can be challenging. Most truck stops fill up after sunset.”

He parks his trucks at two parking lots coincidentally listed on the city’s new commercial truck parking tool. 

He added having a tool like this for drivers based in Charlotte is paramount for them having a great experience. 

“When you are on the road for a week, and you are tired, and you are ready to get home to your family, knowing where you are going to go, knowing your truck is going to be safe, that’s the way it should be,” Howard said. 

Payne said this tool is a good first step.

“More available apps, billboards like I said, advertisement of where we can park may help with the problem,” Payne said. 

The tool also provides an interactive map where you can see where the citations for illegal truck parking have been issued. 

At the national level, a bill has been reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives to address nationwide shortage in safe, accessible parking spaces for large commercial trucks.