Truck parking has become one of the industry’s most pressing operational and safety issues. While the debate often centers on whether parking should be free or paid, the deeper issue is how to create safe, secure, accessible rest options for drivers without putting fleets and cargo at risk.

Drivers are often left scrambling for space, circling lots in violation of their hours of service. Worse, they risk getting cited, towed, or having a fatigue-related crash — simply because there was nowhere to legally or safely park. 

For every 11 trucks in the United States, there’s one parking spot. The industry has long wrestled with solutions, such as public-private partnerships and services like Truck Parking Club or Freight Ninja. But whether parking is monetized or free, the cost of being unprepared is always higher.

That’s where Motive steps in.

A high cost to safety and operations

There’s no such thing as “free” when a driver is booted, towed, or forced to park somewhere unsafe. Many fleets and drivers pay dearly, not just in dollars but in time, violations, and risk exposure. Fatigued drivers searching for parking is a dangerous mix that tends to result in hours-of-service (HOS) violations, if not serious crashes. In New York’s Hunts Point, even designated truck parking zones have become a minefield for theft, vandalism, and predatory enforcement.

The problem is universal, but it hits small and mid-sized fleets hardest. Without dedicated route planners or the construction of new lots, drivers have to rely on availability and luck. And luck isn’t a strategy.

Motive — your parking and trip planning partner

While Motive can’t build parking lots, it can build awareness, and that’s often half the battle. Here’s how Motive helps fleets avoid chaos and take control.

Trip planning with visibility into rest locations

With Motive’s GPS insights, fleets can plan routes with verified rest stops, avoiding last-minute scrambles. Fleet managers can proactively assist in finding locations, ensuring that drivers take mandated breaks in safe, secure areas. The days of “just find somewhere when you’re tired” are over. Advanced planning equals full compliance and better protection for drivers.

Geofencing and location tagging

Fleets can geofence known rest areas or private truck parking lots. Then, they can monitor when drivers arrive, how long they stay, and when they depart. Taking these steps helps track compliance and gives operations teams real-time updates on trip flow. Fleets can build a network of reliable parking options by geotagging secure or high-quality lots, including paid services.

With Motive’s live vehicle tracking and location alerts, dispatchers can guide drivers away from dangerous or over-enforced zones, such as truck-restricted residential neighborhoods or meter-based street parking.

Real-time alerts for unsafe parking

Motive’s new AI-powered Unsafe Parking Detection feature addresses the issue of unsafe truck parking head-on. Available with all Motive AI Dashcams, AI detects when drivers are parked on the shoulder of the road for too long and immediately alerts managers with video evidence. Managers can quickly assess the situation, guide drivers to safer locations, and reduce the risk of high-speed collisions.

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Vehicle parked on a narrow shoulder

Unsafe parking is flagged when a vehicle is stopped:

  • For at least 3 minutes, to avoid false unsafe parking events caused by stop-and-go traffic.
  • On a highway shoulder, on-ramps, off-ramps, or other high-risk areas where the posted speed limit is 45 mph or higher.

Fuel card integrations and location-based spend monitoring

Many drivers already spend money at truck stops, but Motive’s fuel card data can help fleets offer parking incentives tied to fleet spend. Want to offset the cost of a $15 paid parking spot? Tie it to the driver’s fuel or food spend and create a credit system that motivates more innovative planning while managing cost.

Common sense solutions backed by data

Technology alone can’t fix a national parking shortage, but can help fleets operate smarter within those constraints.

Truck parking is often dismissed as a “driver problem,” but that’s a dangerously shortsighted view. Truck parking is a business issue. It affects nearly every measurable risk and cost category a fleet faces.

When drivers are left searching for parking after a shift — often in dark or strange areas — it triggers a chain of costly consequences. Consider these real-world implications:

  • Legal exposure increases when fatigued drivers violate hours-of-service (HOS) rules or park illegally out of desperation. One crash tied to driver fatigue or an improper parking location can result in a nuclear verdict, costing millions.

    The potential for infractions increases when drivers park on ramps or in rest areas.
  • Insurance premiums and renewals are affected when underwriters see excessive CSA violations, driver fatigue claims, or improperly documented stops. A poorly managed parking strategy can signal to insurers that the fleet lacks control over its operations.
  • Safety ratings and CSA scores suffer when drivers are written up for HOS violations, unauthorized parking, or unplanned dwell times. These scores are visible to brokers, shippers, and insurance underwriters, and they directly affect contract eligibility and renewal.
  • Driver turnover rises when drivers feel unsupported and forced to choose between risking a ticket or compromising their safety. Parking-related stress, especially near delivery zones or at the end of a long shift, is a pain point that pushes drivers to look for other work.

By integrating trip planning tools, real-time location tracking, and geofencing, fleets can better plan and predict parking needs and guide drivers to the safest options.

By taking this proactive approach, fleets can experience:

  • Fewer HOS violations
  • More on-time deliveries
  • Less insurance friction during renewals
  • Better retention and less driver burnout
  • A better reputation with shippers and brokers

Safer parking starts with smarter planning

If fleets can use technology to help drivers avoid tickets, tows, and unsafe locations, then the occasional $10 to $20 for reserved, secure parking is a worthwhile investment. If a parking spot prevents a crash or a compliance penalty, it pays for itself 10 times over. 

Fleets should consider:

  • Covering paid parking as a benefit
  • Building paid options into TMS and dispatch planning
  • Using Motive data to determine where paid parking is most often needed

Control what you can, prepare for what you can’t

The lack of truck parking is becoming a national crisis, but with the right tools and planning, your fleet doesn’t have to suffer from it. With Motive, you can build smarter routes, reduce risk, and empower drivers for better fleet safety. Don’t let poor planning derail your business. See how Motive transforms fleet operations at www.gomotive.com.