Welcome to the Front Lines
It's Official...No More 2 Hour Parking Time Limit
We want to thank each and every one of those who stood up and spoke out with us regarding Virginia's two hour parking time limit at rest areas. Today it was made official that the two hour commercial parking rule was replaced with "no overnight parking." Before anyone gets freaked out thinking this is worse...I will say, it is not. Trucker's can now remain compliant with hours of service regulations in Virginia rest areas. As it's been explained to me by Mr. Jeffrey Caldwell, VDOT Chief of Communications, truckers locating a legal parking spot in a rest area before dusk may remain parked without interruption til day break. Truckers locating a legal parking spot after dark may remain parked without interruption til the following day's day break (the morning of the next day.)
I will be speaking with Mr. Caldwell to obtain this definition in writing from VDOT. The intentions of the Commonwealth Transportation Board is to assist the truckers ability to maintain their mandated ten hour rest period. This has been expressed to me in a personal letter from Secretary of Transportation Pierce Homer...as well as within the report released this evening.
Following is a link to a full report regarding CTB's decisions on VDOT's proposal, and an excerpt specific to the rest areas and parking time limit issue...
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WHSV.com "Transportation Board Adopts VDOT Budget and Cuts"
...
- Rest Areas
VDOT will reduce the total number of rest areas it operates from 42 to 23, electing to retain six rest areas initially slated to close. These include four facilities along the I-81 corridor (Radford south, Ironto north, Fairfield south and New Market north) and two truck-only facilities in Dale City.
These changes represent $9 million in annual savings. Details about closure schedules and additional information will be made available in late June.
The department will address truck parking concerns by retaining the two Interstate 95 Dale City truck-only facilities in Northern Virginia and replacing the “two-hour” commercial parking rule in rest areas with “no overnight parking.” This will allow truck drivers to better manage their mandated ten-hour rest periods so long as they do not park in any facility from dusk through dawn within any 24-hour period.
VDOT will replace 225 truck parking spaces lost to facility closures by reconfiguring parking lots at some remaining facilities.
The Commonwealth will continue to pursue federal legislation changes necessary to allow future rest area commercialization, currently prohibited by law.
...
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My brother, JB, and I fought hard to bring about a positive change for our brother and sister truckers regarding the serious issue of truckers being forced to violate HOS regulations and drive tired...and many of you stood up with us and spoke out. Again thank you for the support and efforts. We truly hope this demonstrates to all our brother and sister truckers that we can bring about positive change...that we can get serious issues addressed and fixed. Virginia has always been know to be a very tough state to get cooperation from, yet we have accomplished just that...cooperation.
This time limit rule has been around for a very long time, and NTSB addressed this issue with 19 states over 9 years ago with no success. Organizations have claimed to have been speaking out about this issue for many years and achieved no success. I know this may sound a little like blowing our own horn...but it actually took a couple of average joe truckers, with the help of other average joe truckers, to get a state to remove an incompatible and unsafe rule. What I'm trying to clearly impress upon y'all is the fact it was us...not a big organization or safety group...but us average joe truckers that got the job done.
On to the next state. On to the next issue.
Stand Up, Speak Out or Accept What Comes!!!
Safe Trails and God Bless,
~SilverSurfer~
I will be speaking with Mr. Caldwell to obtain this definition in writing from VDOT. The intentions of the Commonwealth Transportation Board is to assist the truckers ability to maintain their mandated ten hour rest period. This has been expressed to me in a personal letter from Secretary of Transportation Pierce Homer...as well as within the report released this evening.
Following is a link to a full report regarding CTB's decisions on VDOT's proposal, and an excerpt specific to the rest areas and parking time limit issue...
**********
WHSV.com "Transportation Board Adopts VDOT Budget and Cuts"
...
- Rest Areas
VDOT will reduce the total number of rest areas it operates from 42 to 23, electing to retain six rest areas initially slated to close. These include four facilities along the I-81 corridor (Radford south, Ironto north, Fairfield south and New Market north) and two truck-only facilities in Dale City.
These changes represent $9 million in annual savings. Details about closure schedules and additional information will be made available in late June.
The department will address truck parking concerns by retaining the two Interstate 95 Dale City truck-only facilities in Northern Virginia and replacing the “two-hour” commercial parking rule in rest areas with “no overnight parking.” This will allow truck drivers to better manage their mandated ten-hour rest periods so long as they do not park in any facility from dusk through dawn within any 24-hour period.
VDOT will replace 225 truck parking spaces lost to facility closures by reconfiguring parking lots at some remaining facilities.
The Commonwealth will continue to pursue federal legislation changes necessary to allow future rest area commercialization, currently prohibited by law.
...
**********
My brother, JB, and I fought hard to bring about a positive change for our brother and sister truckers regarding the serious issue of truckers being forced to violate HOS regulations and drive tired...and many of you stood up with us and spoke out. Again thank you for the support and efforts. We truly hope this demonstrates to all our brother and sister truckers that we can bring about positive change...that we can get serious issues addressed and fixed. Virginia has always been know to be a very tough state to get cooperation from, yet we have accomplished just that...cooperation.
This time limit rule has been around for a very long time, and NTSB addressed this issue with 19 states over 9 years ago with no success. Organizations have claimed to have been speaking out about this issue for many years and achieved no success. I know this may sound a little like blowing our own horn...but it actually took a couple of average joe truckers, with the help of other average joe truckers, to get a state to remove an incompatible and unsafe rule. What I'm trying to clearly impress upon y'all is the fact it was us...not a big organization or safety group...but us average joe truckers that got the job done.
On to the next state. On to the next issue.
Stand Up, Speak Out or Accept What Comes!!!
Safe Trails and God Bless,
~SilverSurfer~
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jason Cox on
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Thanks Fred, for what you and JB have done. You, guys have been a big inspiration to a lot of us! I am sure glad you guys are for us!
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Permalink Reply by TruckerDesiree on
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Thank You Fred & JB for you relentless work on this issue.
You stayed focused and dug into the facts and presented a clear cut case.
This truly is the first step for the remaining challeges ahead in rectifying the Virginia issues and overall Trucking Industry Negligence that has been permitted to occur from a lack of unity.
I am proud to know you.
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