It's a Battle Royale for Truck Parking Spots: Auto Club Slams Overcrowding on Motorways
Insufficient truck parking spaces face criticism from motor associations - Competition escalating for allocation of truck parking spaces
Here's the lowdown on the chaos unfolding on Germany's motorways. The Auto Club Europa (ACE), in a recent control at rest areas, uncovered a significant danger to traffic—a dire shortage of thousands of truck parking spots!
From April 15 to June 3, the traffic club counted the number of trucks parked at motorways each day after 20:30. The situation on the southern Berlin Ring (A10) and the A24 in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, particularly in Eastern Germany, was risky with incorrectly parked trucks.
Chaos ensues as night reduces visibility, with drivers struggling to find a parking spot, beginning as early as 4 PM, as Dirk Engelhardt, the chairman of the Federal Association of Goods Transport, Logistics and Disposal (BGL), puts it. The federal government is attempting to alleviate the congestion, citing the increase in the number of parking spots since 2018.
ACE Sounds the Alarm on Rest Area Overcrowding in Eastern Germany
Although the ACE's truck count serves as a snapshot, it highlighted overwhelming overcrowding at 31 inspected rest areas in eastern German states. A grand total of 2,168 parked trucks were counted, while only 1,412 parking spots were available, leading to a whopping 50% overcrowding!
On 21 of the 31 inspected rest areas, traffic hazards, especially during night hours with limited visibility, were prevalent. Trucks were often parked in entrance and exit lanes, and sometimes on parking spaces intended for cars. Surprisingly, no truck was parked on the hard shoulder of the motorway on any rest area.
Troublespots on A10 and A24
The rest areas Fichtenplan Süd on the A10 - located in the district of Dahme-Spreewald on the southern Berlin Ring - and Stolpe Nord on the A24 stood out for numerous traffic hazards, according to the control. The ACE conducted the sample of parked trucks at rest areas in anticipation of the "Day of Traffic Safety" on June 21.
The BGL frets that due to the lack of truck parking spots, drivers often lack access to sanitary facilities, and vehicles parked at the entrance and exit of rest areas endanger themselves and other road users.
The association advocates for creating more parking spots off the motorways and simplifying approval procedures for new parking spots. When designing new industrial areas, truck parking spots should be mandatory, according to Engelhardt.
Will More E-Charging Stations Make Things Worse?
The association is concerned that the situation might worsen in the coming years due to the expansion of charging infrastructure for electric trucks. Dirk Engelhardt claims that then, three truck parking spots without a charging station will become two truck parking spots with a charging station.
A 2023 survey by the Federal Highway Research Institute revealed more than 19,500 regular truck parking spaces are missing nationwide on and off German autobahns. With 102,000 trucks parked overnight, the institute reports only 82,490 parking spaces available.
The Federal Association of Freight Transport, Logistics and Disposal views the parking shortage more severely, estimating around 40,000 missing parking spots. The association demands that the issue becomes a top priority in the Ministry of Transport.
The Federal Ministry of Transport reports that around 3,000 parking spots have been added between 2018 and 2023. Additionally, telematic parking systems are being implemented to optimize the use of parking areas.
These findings pinpoint a crucial issue for the trucking industry in Germany, necessitating urgent action to address the overcrowding and ensure safety for all road users.
- Amidst the scarcity of truck parking spots on Germany's motorways, particularly in eastern regions, the association of goods transport, logistics, and disposal proposes creating more parking spots off the motorways and simplifying the approval process for new parking spots to alleviate the issue.
- The trucking industry in Germany faces a significant challenge as the shortage of truck parking spots persists, with concerns that the installation of e-charging stations for electric trucks may exacerbate the problem, causing a decrease in available spots for traditional trucks.
