OLYMPIA, Wash. — Truck drivers traveling along Interstate 5 in Washington state now have access to real-time and predictive information about available parking at rest areas and weigh stations.
According to a Sept. 2 release from the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), the agency has launched a new Truck Parking Information Management System (TPIMS) to help truck drivers find convenient and safe parking along the I-5 corridor. The system can help drivers plan up to four hours in advance of where to park.
“This helps ensure that truck drivers can find safe parking and that existing truck parking spaces are used to their full capacity,” the WSDOT statement noted, adding that 75% of the state’s truck drivers report having trouble finding safe parking at least once a week.
The first-of-its-kind system was created in collaboration with the University of Washington Star Lab. In addition, Drivewyze and ParkerTruck provide information for drivers either through in-cab displays in their trucks or through mobile apps on their phones. Truck drivers can find more details on how to access TPIMS information by visiting either vendor’s website.
The technology is currently in use at the following locations:
- Gee Creek Rest Area northbound (north of Vancouver, milepost 11);
- Gee Creek Rest Area southbound (south of Woodland, milepost 12);
- Maytown Rest Area (south of Olympia, milepost 93);
- Fort Lewis Weigh Station (near DuPont, milepost 117);
- SeaTac Weigh Station (between Fife and Federal Way, milepost 140);
- Smokey Point Rest Area southbound (south of Mount Vernon, milepost 207);
- Smokey Point Rest Area northbound (north of Marysville, milepost 207);
- Custer Rest Area northbound (north of Bellingham, milepost 267); and
- Custer Rest Area southbound (south of Blaine, milepost 269).
By the end of September, information will be available for truck parking at:
- Toutle River Rest Area northbound (north of Castle Rock, milepost 54) and
- Ridgefield Weigh Station (north of Ridgefield, milepost 15).
Additional locations along the I-5 corridor will be deployed through 2026.
Truck drivers are encouraged to provide feedback on how well the program is working by completing a short online survey that will help WSDOT continue to improve the program. Those interested in receiving email updates on truck parking activities can subscribe on WSDOT’s website.
Funding for the program is provided by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the federal Infrastructure for Rebuilding America, or INFRA grant program through the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Linda Garner-Bunch has been with The Trucker since 2020, picking up the reins as managing editor in 2022. Linda has nearly 40 years of experience in the publishing industry, covering topics from the trucking and automotive industry to employment, real estate, home decor, crafts, cooking, weddings, high school sports — you name it, she’s written about it. She is also an experienced photographer, designer and copy editor who has a heartfelt love for the trucking industry, from the driver’s seat to the C-suite.
