TDOT Completes Truck Parking Pilot Project

Nashville, Tenn. – The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) has implemented Truck Parking Availability System (TPAS) pilot technologies at its Interstate 40 Welcome Center in Smith County. The pilot project, a coordinated effort with Stantec and funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s SMART Grants Program, is designed to help commercial truck drivers find safe, reliable parking when moving essential freight across the Southeast.

The TPAS technologies are now fully integrated into TDOT’s SmartWay system and operational at the I-40 Welcome Center. Using QR codes on signage in the truck parking area, freight drivers are encouraged to submit feedback on the technologies to help TDOT determine the most reliable occupancy detection technology and overall systems standards. The technologies will be evaluated over the coming months to determine the recommended technologies and standards for future statewide scaling across all truck parking facilities.

Four different methods of monitoring technology have been deployed:

·         Magnetometers to detect the number of trucks entering and exiting the Welcome Center’s eastbound lot.

·         Radar-Camera Fusion Sensor to detect the number of trucks entering and exiting the Welcome Center’s eastbound lot, and to detect the number of available parking spaces in the Welcome Center’s westbound lot.

·         Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) to detect the number of available parking spaces in the Welcome Center’s westbound lot.

·         Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras to detect the number of available parking spaces in the Welcome Center’s westbound lot.

These technologies provide real-time availability information to commercial truck drivers through roadside signage and in-cab alerts via Electronic Logging Devices (ELD). Similar to TDOT SmartWay cameras, any camera deployed at the I-40 Welcome Center to monitor parking will not be recorded or used for enforcement purposes.

A shortage of commercial truck parking continues to be an issue across the country, and TDOT is implementing this program to find viable solutions in Tennessee. Drivers who cannot find safe or official parking areas often opt to park on shoulders and ramps, posing a serious safety hazard to themselves and the motoring public. By providing advanced notification of anticipated parking availability, drivers can make informed decisions on whether they can stretch to their hours-of-service limits or need to stop before reaching the I-40 Welcome Center to find adequate parking.

“By giving drivers early, reliable information through these innovative solutions, we help them make smarter decisions,” said TDOT Commissioner Will Reid. “Our goal is simple: to support the men and women who keep our freight moving, while protecting everyone who uses Tennessee roadways.”

A link to drone video of the I-40 Welcome Center in Smith County can be accessed here: https://bit.ly/4xX1uhM