It's a Team's Life

Where do I park to sleep?

When we were in the semi one of my first concerns each morning was where we were going to park that night.   Obviously, we always found a place, but some of them were a little dicey and we did not sleep well.   In some places of the country, it is easy to find a place to park and in others, we are very glad we are in a short truck.

When Bob was driving solo in a semi, we would often try one truck stop after another as we were trying to find a parking spot after everyone had settling into bed or to watch TV.   Truck stops can be detrimental to the hood of the truck if we park in the wrong spot.   Parking at the end of the rows is scary, as a truck, cutting the corner to tight will line up their trailer our fender.   If the nose of the truck sticks to far out when our neighbor decides to leave they could catch the hood of the truck.  

When we pull forward into a parking spot, we protect the nose of our truck. If someone catches the edge of the box, it is not nearly as damaging as it would be if a truck caught our fender.   The problem with pulling into a spot is most truck stops are not set up for this.   When backing up all a solo can do is switch on their 4-ways and start backing out as they are blinded on both sides by other trucks.   It is also very hard to maneuver the truck backing from a tight spot as we can only go straight backwards.   If the travel lanes are wide, enough this is easily done.   As a team, one of us will get out and guide the other while backing and watch for oncoming traffic.

Most truck stops have very narrow lanes to park a rig as to maximize the amount of parking for their customers.   Truck stops can range from a few spaces to over 500 spaces and at times, all are full.  

Luckily, now many trucks have generators on them and do not idle all night.   Years ago, the sound in a truck stop parking lot was deafening with all the motors running and all of the refrigerated trailers running to keep their load cold.   Times have changed and we hear fewer and fewer trucks running as they have found alternative methods to keep cool or warm.

The bonus with running team and trying to find a parking spot is we are often looking for a place to park when others are pulling out or in the mid morning.   We no longer are a solo who at the end of the day is exhausted, frustrated and wondering about the futility of finding a safe place to park at the end of a day.

Bob & Linda Caffee
Leased to: FedEx Custom Critical
TeamCaffee
Saint Louis MO
Expediters 5 years been out here on the road ten years
[email protected]

 

Expediting isn't just trucking, it's a lifestyle;
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