Have you noticed?

ATeam · Sep 17, 2007

Like many expediters and other truckers, we sometimes park in Wal-Mart Supercenter parking lots while shopping or to spend the night. Until recently, it seemed that most lots were patrolled 24 hours a day by roving security guards in cars with yellow flashing lights on top. Where they permitted trucks to stay, this provided some comfort and helped us feel more secure.

(Note to any Wal-Mart people that may read this. Truck parking at Wal-Mart has attracted thousands of dollars that we would have spent at other stores. We never shopped at Wal-Mart before we became truckers. Now, because of truck parking, we shop at Wal-Mart all the time. Oil, filters, groceries, some tools, cleaning supplies, office supplies, greeting cards, and sometimes even haircuts...we buy it at Wal-Mart.)

It has been a while since I have seen a security car active in any Wal-Mart parking lot, at any time of the day or night. I'm wondering of any of y'all have seen any lately?

rmctt2 · Sep 17, 2007

Phil;
Not sure why but I do know that they now have roaming security cameras on every light pole !!
Could that be be the reason ???

highway star · Sep 17, 2007

From what I've seen, it just seems like some have patrols and some don't. I don't know how they decide which ones have it and which don't. I've seen stores in relatively rural areas that have it, places that would seem like lower crime areas. I've seen stores in the city that have none. I do appreciate the ones that let us park and I spend my money accordingly. I bought Streets and Trips '08 at one in Memphis yesterday.

arkjarhead · Sep 17, 2007

I know north little rock,ar wal mart of off mccain dr. has security. But then again a couple of months ago a guy was pistol whipping an old lady, and a guy stepped up to try to stop it. He got shot and killed in front of his wife and 2 kids.

romoore245 · Sep 17, 2007

We see the security trucks as often as not. Around Memphis a while back the security truck was there, but no driver. Stayed all day driver never showed up. Has anyone watched the walmart special on stars? "Walmart is Killing America" At the end it listed all the assaults in the country on wal mart parking lots. Some were pretty bad one was 40 miles from home in east TX. We were shocked. They went on to say that walmart has all those cameras in front, but no one watching the feed. The security guard is about the same just someone to run off trucks and call 911 if someone gets hurt.

dhalltoyo · Sep 17, 2007

Obviously, every store is different.

No new thing under the sun. The Bible tells us that things are managed and operated differently. Paul writing to the Corinthians said, 1Co 12:5 And there are differences of administrations,...1Co 12:6 And there are diversities of operations...

Therefore, folks manage their stores differently. Yep, the Bible is not out of date...we are!

I am more concerned about the vacuum truck keeping me awake, or worse yet, running into me.

As far as running trucks off...If you park in my driveway and leave trash and urine bottles; spill oil, brake fluid, transmission fluid (all of which destroy the asphalt); act like your at a tailgate party (I saw a guy firing up a bar-b-que); play your TV or stereo at full blast; park vertically across 6 horizontal spaces; race your RC cars across the lot; don't spend a dime in my store and never thank me personally for allowing to park in the driveway; I would be inclined to say no as well.

A few kind words to the store manager go a long way in building public relations. Tell them you are parked in their lot and you intend to purchase some items while you are there. Tell them that you will make sure the area is free of any litter before you leave.

greg334 · Sep 17, 2007

I have noticed a lot of managers at wal-mart don't want FedEx trucks in their lot. No really... Well sort of....

OK, here is what I found out when I was at the Wal-Mart headquarters.

I talked to a miss Bundy at the headquarters, she is some VP or senior director or something like that of public affairs and what she told me is that the stores DO NOT have the right to form their own policies when it comes down to travelers. The company policies about travelers has not changed at all and the store managers know this during some of their training. But there are two exceptions, one is the fact that the municipalities do have parking laws and regulation that forbids people from parking there, the other is when a store has to put up with the idiots (her words) who make a mess and camp out in the parking lot. She also pointed out that Wal-Mart recognizes the need to park and rest for truckers and want them to use Wal-Mart when they need to but do it with some courtesy and respect for others.

I have gone rounds with a manager in Atlanta once about this and had him call the regional manager to get an answer - needless to say I stay there the night.

dieseldiva · Sep 17, 2007

Greg, I would be interested in knowing which Walmart you are speaking of in Atlanta as we recently had problems in one south of there.

pelicn · Sep 17, 2007

Different locations have different rules it seems. We've tried going to a few that have HUGE NO TRUCK signs posted all over the parking lot. And others that have the barriers over the entrances that are 9ft or something. We don't park there, or shop there.
We try not to use business parking lots to park and sleep, because unless we are using the product or service that the business provides, we don't feel that we should be in their lot.

FIS53 · Sep 17, 2007

Just a note about up here in Canada. Most of the wal-mart lots are leased locations and therefore parking of commercial vehicles overnite is not allowed (well not supposed to be).

I have noticed a couple of times that trucks have been parked overnite and I didn't notice any problems. I used one in Quebec on the south side of Levis by autoroute 20 and had zero problems.

Some of the stores here do enforce the overnite no parking. Mississauga is a city that has a very strict commercial vehicle parking rules. Toronto is very close behind with lots of restrictions as well.

Fis

swiftyexp · Sep 17, 2007

use my policy................. if i am not wanted i leave........ and Never go back period......... My last one was Pilot

dhalltoyo · Sep 17, 2007

FIS53

If not a Walmart in Canada, what would be your next choice?

Last week I went 401 to 416 past Ottawa and I do not remember seeing any truck stops on 416.

OntarioVanMan · Sep 18, 2007

On 416 I used the car pool parking lots just outside Ottawa. No toilets but nice and quiet. till morning.

pelicn · Sep 18, 2007

OVM, you mentioned car pool lots, and you're in a van right? Are big trucks parked there as well? Just wondering.

baracade · Sep 18, 2007

As far as the security question at Walmart, the location near my home had a kidnapping of a young female worker last year. She got off work around midnight and walked out to her car,the video cameras showed her attacker following her and he grabbed her from behind before she could get in. She was found 3 days later in west Texas dead on the side of the road. Her family has filed a lawsuit against Walmart and I agree! The management should not allow employees to leave the safety of the store late at night without an escort, this would be a good use of the security patrol.
The authorities did find the killer and he is in jail awaiting trial!