American truckers face a critical shortage of parking spaces, and industry veteran Frank Sonzala aims to address this need by developing 100 fenced-in facilities along major U.S. travel routes. Each facility will feature 450 big-rig-size parking spaces and driver-centric amenities, designed to improve overall convenience and comfort for truckers.
At the Technology & Maintenance Council meeting in New Orleans, Sonzala emphasized the inadequacy of the current 365,000 truck parking spaces in the United States. His goal is to establish this network of facilities by 2032.
The facilities will adhere to a standardized design, featuring angled parking spaces for ease of maneuvering. Additionally, amenities will include restrooms, showers, television lounges, Wi-Fi, vending machines, eating areas, and adjacent convenience stores and hotels, facilitated through partnerships with companies like 7-Eleven and Hilton.
To address environmental concerns and reduce costs, Sonzala plans to use the GeoWeb soil stabilization system for the parking areas. Developed by the Army Corps of Engineers in the 1970s, this system utilizes a honeycomb-like structure made of high-density polyethylene to stabilize dirt and other materials, forming a durable base that allows rain and melting snow to drain through.
Bryan Wedin, chief engineer for Presto Geosystems, the originator of GeoWeb, highlighted its cost-effectiveness compared to traditional hard surfaces. The system, which has been used globally in various infrastructure projects, offers a quicker installation process and lower material costs.
Sonzala also aims to keep the project financially viable by acquiring rural properties with lower prices than those in urban areas. The first planned facility, branded Contrade after his holding company, will be located along Interstate 35 between San Antonio and Laredo, Texas.
Security measures for these facilities will include fencing around each property and thorough screening of trucks and drivers at manned gates.
“Ratty trucks with a lot of oil leaks won’t be let in,” Sonzala said. “We’ll scan license plates and driver’s licenses and have AI-based facial recognition equipment, so drivers known to have records also won’t be let in.” Excluded, too, will be “lot lizards and scam artists.”
Truck stop executives have expressed agreement and support for Sonzala’s initiative, recognizing the potential to alleviate the parking shortage and enhance the overall trucker experience.
“We’re not going to bother the truck stops,” he said. “They do fuel; we’ll leave that to them. They do truck servicing and restaurants; we’ll leave those to them. We will do parking. I think these will become magnets, drawing in fueling stops and other businesses around them. Drivers can use those to fuel up, eat and then come over to us and park.”
Source: Land Line
