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Commercial Vehicle Driver Survey: Assessment of Parking Needs and Preferences

Publication Number: FHWA-RD-01-160
Date: March 2002

Commercial Vehicle Driver Survey: Assessment of Parking Needs and Preferences

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APPENDIX A. DRIVER SURVEY

For Office Use Only

Date: _____________________

Time: _____________________

Facility ID _________________

Road & Direction: __________

Nearest Mile Marker/Cross Road:

___________________________

Truck Parking Needs and Preferences

"TRUCK PARKING FACILITY"- an area designated for truck parking, including public rest areas, private truck stops, weigh stations, and pull-offs.

DIRECTIONS:

! PLEASE BE ASSURED THAT ALL RESPONSES ARE ANONYMOUS AND CONFIDENTIAL. You do not need to include any identifying information on this survey and your individual responses will not be reported to anyone.

! YOUR RESPONSES ARE IMPORTANT TO US! We appreciate your thoughtful feedback. Your responses will influence policy recommendations to improve truck parking.

! Please complete this survey alone. Do not confer with others about your responses.

! YOU CANNOT GIVE A WRONG ANSWER. We are interested in your opinions. Please respond to all items based on your experience and perceptions.

! If you have any questions, please call 1-800-986-9678 and dial extension 33384 for Kelley Pécheux or extension 33378 for John Farbry.

Section A: Background

1. Which of the following driver categories best describes you? (Please mark all that apply.)

independent owner/operator (1 power unit)
independent owner/operator (multiple power units)
driver for an owner/operator
driver for a small-sized carrier (carrier with 2-10 power units)
driver for a mid-sized carrier (carrier with 11-100 power units)
driver for a large-sized carrier (carrier with over 100 power units)
other, please specify ________________________________________________________

2. Do you participate in TEAM driving? (Please mark only one box.)

.----------- . ------------------ . ------------------- . ------------------------- .

Almost Always Frequently Sometimes Rarely Almost Never

3. What is your sex?

male
female

4. Are you TYPICALLY a LONG-HAUL/REGIONAL or SHORT-HAUL/LOCAL driver? (Please mark only one box.)

long-haul (sleep away from home for work)
short-haul (sleep at home)

Section B: Parking Patterns and Preferences

5. How many DAYS do you SLEEP AT HOME EACH MONTH? _____________ days

6. In a TYPICAL week on the road, HOW MANY TIMES do you park in the following places for longterm rest (at least 4 hours of rest)? (Please write the number of times per week next to each.)

I sleep...

in a rest area parking lot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ______ times per week

in a truck stop parking lot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .______ times per week

in a parking lot not designated for truck parking (e.g., park & ride) . . . . ______ times per week

on the shoulder of the highway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .______ times per week

on an entrance/exit ramp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ______ times per week

in sleeper birth while team driver drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ______ times per week

at a loading/unloading location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ______ times per week

in a location not shown above (please specify) _____________ . . . . . . ..______ times per week

7. Who TYPICALLY decides where you will stop to park? (Please mark all that apply.)

· I do

· my company does (e.g., dispatcher or other company employee)

· other, please specify _______________________________________________________

8. If you park to SLEEP AWAY FROM HOME, WHEN IS THE DECISION MADE about where you will park? (Please mark all that apply.)

· N/A-- I don't park to sleep away from home

· as I'm driving, the decision is made

· before I start driving, the decision is made

· other, please specify _______________________________________________________

9. On a scale from 1 to 5 ("Almost Always Important" to "Almost Never Important"), please rate how often the following features are important to you when you park at a truck stop or rest area.

When I park my truck, this feature is... (circle only one number for each feature)

Feature	Almost Always Important				Almost Never Important
convenience to highway	1	2	3	4	5
well-lighted parking lot	1	2	3	4	5
prepaid fuel cards accepted	1	2	3	4	5
travel info (e.g., info kiosks, maps)	1	2	3	4	5
entertainment facilities (e.g., arcade, movies)	1	2	3	4	5
Internet connections	1	2	3	4	5
security presence	1	2	3	4	5
showers	1	2	3	4	5
repair facilities	1	2	3	4	5
vending machines	1	2	3	4	5
restaurant	1	2	3	4	5
public phones	1	2	3	4	5
fuel	1	2	3	4	5
restrooms	1	2	3	4	5
other, please specify _______________	1	2	3	4	5

10. Trucks are sometimes parked on ramps or shoulders along the road. Why do you think ramps and shoulders are sometimes used for truck parking?

PLEASE MARK THE 4 MOST COMMON REASONS

· no nearby parking facility

· no empty spaces in nearby truck stops or rest areas

· nearby parking spaces have time limits that are too short

· hard to drive around parking lots

· empty nearby parking spaces are blocked by other trucks, cars, or RVs

· the ramp/shoulder is convenient for getting back on the road

· better lighting on ramp/shoulder than in lot

· less likely to be bothered by strangers (e.g., drug dealers, prostitutes)

· other, please specify____________________________________________________

11. Please indicate how often you encounter EACH of the following parking situations:

I encounter this parking situation... (mark only one box for each situation listed on the left)

Parking Situation	Almost Always	Frequently	Sometimes	Rarely	Almost Never
Truck stops have parking available.	.	.	.	.	.
Rest areas have parking available.	.	.	.	.	.
My next stop (e.g., shipper/receiver) has parking available.	.	.	.	.	.
Available parking is convenient to the highway.	.	.	.	.	.
The parking facility has the features I need.	.	.	.	.	.
Parking time limits allow enough time for me to park.	.	.	.	.	.
There is enough room for me to get in and out of available spaces.	.	.	.	.	.
Truck spaces are used only by trucks.	.	.	.	.	.
Other, please specify__________________	.	.	.	.	.

12. When you stop FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS, where do you PREFER to park, at rest areas or truck stops?

Parking Facility Preference

(mark only one box for each reason listed on the left)

Reason For Stopping	REST AREA	NO PREFERENCE	TRUCK STOP
Take a quick nap (2 hours or less)	.	.	.
Rest for extended period (more than 2 hours)	.	.	.
Use vending machines	.	.	.
Get travel info (e.g., maps)	.	.	.
Use public phones	.	.	.
Perform minor maintenance on truck	.	.	.
Use the restroom	.	.	.
Eat a meal	.	.	.
Other, please specify__________________	.	.	.

Section C: Parking Solutions

13. What type of up-to-the-minute information on truck parking availability would help you plan your stops while you drive? (Please mark all that apply.)

. location of truck parking facilities along the road I'm traveling

. number of truck parking spaces available at upcoming parking facilities

. length of time limits on upcoming truck parking spaces

. features (e.g., food, fuel, phone) that are available at upcoming parking facilities

. other, please specify___________________________________________

14. How would you like to receive up-to-the-minute information on truck parking availability? (Please mark all that apply.)

. electronic visual display in vehicle

. radio in vehicle (e.g., CB, low-power FM, DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communication))

. the Internet

. other, please specify___________________________________________

15. Below is a list of possible truck parking improvements.

PLEASE MARK THE 5 IMPROVEMENTS THAT YOU THINK WOULD HELP THE MOST.

· improve lighting

· increase security presence

· landscape to minimize hiding places for criminals/criminal activity

· improve amenities at rest areas

· build more truck stop parking spaces

· build more rest area parking spaces

· separate truck, car, and RV parking

· use car parking for truck parking during peak overnight hours

· enforce time limits on truck parking

· eliminate time limits on truck parking

· improve parking layout/configuration (e.g., more diagonal pull-through)

· improve signs and roadway information for parking facilities

· up-to-the-minute information on parking space availability

· adopt standard spacing between rest areas

· provide alternative parking (e.g., at weigh stations, Park-N-Ride, private parking lots)

· stop enforcement officers from waking driver

· educate drivers/dispatchers about planning parking stops before trip

· other, please specify ____________________

Section D: Information About This Trip

PLEASE NOTE: The following items pertain ONLY to THIS TRIP - from the time you left home until the time you return home.

16. Where did you pick up (or drop off) your last load? City __________ State __________

17. Where will you drop off this load (or pick up the next load)? City __________ State __________

18. Where is your home base (normal work reporting location)? City __________ State __________

19. Right now, about how far are you away from home base (to the nearest mile)?

· 0-199 miles

· 200-499 miles

· 500-999 miles

· 1,000-1,999 miles

· 2,000 miles or more

20. On this trip, where did you last park your truck to sleep?

· I have not slept yet

· truck stop

· rest area

· ramp

· loading dock

· other __________________

21. Where is the next place that you plan to park your truck to sleep?

· home

· truck stop

· rest area

· ramp

· loading dock

· other ________________

22. How many days will you be away from home on this trip? ___________ Days

23. Please indicate how often you have encountered EACH of the following parking situations ON THIS TRIP.

ON THIS TRIP, I have encountered this parking situation... (Mark only one box for each situation listed on the left)

Parking Situation	Almost Always	Frequently	Sometimes	Rarely	Almost Never
Truck stops have parking available.	.	.	.	.	.
Rest areas have parking available.	.	.	.	.	.
My next stop (e.g., shipper/receiver) has parking available.	.	.	.	.	.
Available parking is convenient to the highway.	.	.	.	.	.
The parking facility has the features I need.	.	.	.	.	.
Parking time limits allow enough time for me to park.	.	.	.	.	.
There is enough room for me to get in and out of available spaces.	.	.	.	.	.
Truck spaces are used only by trucks.	.	.	.	.	.
Other, please specify__________________	.	.	.	.	.

24. In which towns/cities are you scheduled to PICK UP or DROP OFF loads on this trip (including your origin and final destination)?

Please list all towns/cities here:

_________________________________________________________________________________

THANK YOU !

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Page Owner: Office of Research, Development, and Technology, Office of Safety, RDT

Topics: research, operations, climate change
Keywords: research, operations, truck parking, commercial motor vehicles, truck driver survey, truck parking preferences, parking studies, human factors, rest area, truck stop, parking supply
TRT Terms: commercial vehicles, parking, truck drivers
Scheduled Update: Archive - No Update needed

This page last modified on 03/08/2016