Commercial Truck Parking Analysis: Method to the Madness or Madness in the Method?

Parking is often a controversial topic. Truck parking, which has reverberations on land use and economic development, was brought to the forefront through TEA-21 Section 4027 that required the Federal Highway Administration to analyze commercial vehicle parking along highways and the Interstate highway system. This paper argues that varying methodologies yield different findings in the assessment of truck parking availability. To examine the impact of different methods on assessing truck parking availability, the paper includes a review of literature, a discussion of methodologies, a case study from Nebraska, and a discussion of planning implications.