Trucking is central to the economy of countries around the world, but behind every on-time delivery is a complex operational network that often goes unnoticed. To ensure that truck drivers can always take their breaks, which are mandatory every few hours behind the wheel, it is important to plan freight routes well and to know where they can count on free and safe parking spaces along the road. This is the only way to ensure the well-being of these professionals behind the wheel.
Saturation in truck service areas
Finding a free and safe space to rest during transport routes is not always easy, most service areas are saturated, especially on certain routes and at peak hours, but what are the causes?
1. Speed up the kilometers traveled
It’s no secret that there has been considerable growth in trucking since globalization and the rise of online shopping. There are many more truckers behind the wheel than we think, and the pressure to meet dead lines, especially if something unexpected has come up along the way, can lead truckers to push their driving hours to the limit.
This means that they have less room for maneuver to take their breaks, so depending on the area they are in and the time of day, especially if it is at the end of the day, it is easy for several trucks to coincide in the same rest area.
Lack of route planning
The lack of up-to-date information on the availability of parking spaces makes it more difficult to plan routes and, therefore, the stops truck drivers will have to make to rest on the way to their destination. They are forced to make decisions on the fly, having to check each area in person to find a free space that is also safe. In these cases, it is quite normal for carriers to opt to go directly to rest areas that they are already familiar with or located at strategic points.
3. Limited infrastructure
Rest areas have a limited number of parking spaces and, unfortunately, on many occasions they are not sufficient to meet the demand in areas with a lot of freight traffic or do not have the necessary services to guarantee drivers’ peace of mind. In spite of this, given that rest areas are necessary and mandatory, truck drivers may compete for the few free spaces, even in breach of regulations.
More than a logistical problem
The consequences of this situation are manifold, and affect both the welfare of truck drivers and the road transport network itself. First and foremost, the lack of rest for truck drivers increases the risk of traffic accidents, putting both their lives and the lives of other people traveling on the same roads at risk.
On the other hand, going from service area to service area and not finding parking spaces reserved for trucks in which to take their obligatory and well-deserved breaks can generate stress and frustration among truckers. This has a direct impact on their quality of life, productivity and attention on the road. In addition, this saturation of spaces can also cause traffic chaos, leading to risky maneuvers or parking in places not intended for this purpose, especially for such large vehicles.
From an environmental perspective, we have to take into account that more traffic means more greenhouse gas emissions, which increases air pollution. We are talking about vehicles that transport goods from one end of the country to the other and even from one end of the continent, so optimizing the management of the logistics network has global implications.
Lorries
Digitization of truck rest areas
The intelligent parking systems we offer at Urbiotica allow carriers to see in real time the occupancy of free truck parking spaces in the area. This information makes it much easier to plan routes and comply with breaks, without the need to personally check each service area one by one. Waiting and stress are reduced, so drivers are better rested and more productive.
Digitization is only the first step; work is already underway to enable these technological solutions to make increasingly accurate predictions about the availability of places, taking into account factors such as the time or day, the weather or events taking place in the area in question. To this end, historical occupancy data for the service area will be analyzed to identify usage patterns using artificial intelligence algorithms that can process large volumes of data.
Mowiz Truck: an example to follow
In the rest area sector, we are gradually seeing these advances and companies such as Mowiz Truck are a great example to follow. Their facilities are safe, have 24-hour surveillance, and are equipped with all the necessary services so that truckers can rest in comfort: ample parking for trucks, showers and laundries, among others. They are an inspiration for other rest areas that seek to offer the best service and incorporate advanced technologies in their strategy.
In short, the current problems of truck rest areas, from complying with mandatory rest periods to minimizing parking chaos, can be easily solved with the implementation of intelligent technologies. The information they provide to truckers about the availability of parking spaces is essential for them to plan their routes and ensure both their well-being and that of others behind the wheel.
At Urbiotica, we have intelligent parking systems that offer short-term results. They are easy to install, scalable and adaptable to any infrastructure. This valuable real-time information, in addition to benefiting truck drivers, also helps to better manage traffic and reduce the environmental footprint of road transport.
