Two New Parking-Related Apps Offered to Help Drivers Find Spaces
Drivers are gaining two new options in the ongoing struggle to find a place to park during rest periods.
TravelCenters of America is enhancing its program known as Reserve-It! to allow drivers to make and pay for a space using a mobile app known as TruckSmart. In addition, Trucker Path is offering an app called Trucker Path Bro that is intended to give drivers faster access to parking space information.
The companies made the announcements amid growing attention to the nationwide shortage of parking spaces. Last month, American Trucking Associations, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance and the National Association of Truck Stop Operators launched a new effort to address truck parking, which was identified by more than 75% of drivers as a serious problem in a Federal Highway Administration survey.
TravelCenters CEO Tom O’Brien said the program helps “professional drivers increase their efficiency and productivity.”
The TravelCenters app allows reservations and on-line credit card payments as much as 30 days in advance. Previously reserved spaces were available only through a contact with the company’s customer service office or an on-site reservation with payment only at a location. It can be used with Android or iPhone smartphones that are available at Google Pay or Apple app stores.
Trucker Path’s statement said its Bro service, known as a chatbot, was designed to facilitate communications in the same manner as a CB radio. The company’s service known as Pro also is designed to collect and distribute information about locations of weigh stations and other facilities. Trucker Path services now are used by 430,000 drivers, or about 30% of Class 8 operators.
