Hold It in Virginia

[panther_art]

Rest areas in Virginia are closing so if you got to go you will need to hold it or find the woods.

[OntarioVanMan]

Rest areas in Virginia are closing so if you got to go you will need to hold it or find the woods.

OOIDA ramps up pressure on Virginia before rest area closures
There are just a few days remaining before nearly half of the rest areas in Virginia are scheduled to be shuttered – which is certain to be a “recipe for disaster.”
However, a U.S. lawmaker from Virginia, along with the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association and AAA Mid-Atlantic, is fighting to keep these vital rest areas open.
On Friday, July 17, OOIDA sent out an information alert to its Virginia members, urging them to contact their state lawmakers, as well as Gov. Tim Kaine, about the importance of keeping the rest areas open.
“While the decision to close certain rest areas has been made by the Virginia Department of Transportation, we believe that with enough pressure, it can be reversed,” said OOIDA Executive Vice President Todd Spencer.
Also on Friday, U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf, R-VA, proposed an amendment, which failed, to the House Transportation Appropriations Bill for 2010. The amendment would have lifted the federal law banning commercialization in an attempt to keep the rest areas open.
Spencer said he applauds Wolf’s efforts at both the federal and state levels, which shows his strong commitment to highway safety for truckers, as well as motorists, who pass through his home state of Virginia.
In a letter to Gov. Kaine, Wolf asked him to rethink “Virginia’s decision to close rest stops on interstate highways throughout the state.”
“Long-haul truck drivers are regulated on the number of hours they are supposed to drive before taking specific rest breaks,” Wolf wrote. “I worry to think that with fewer rest stops in Virginia, fatigued truckers may be forced to drive additional miles to find a place to stop for their required breaks. That scenario sets up a recipe for disaster.”
Besides opposition to closing the rest areas from OOIDA and Rep. Wolf, AAA Mid-Atlantic, which has more than 830,000 members in Virginia, is also calling on Gov. Kaine to “reconsider the decision and keep the rest stops open.”
“We urge you to reverse VDOT’s pending closures that are scheduled to start next week,” wrote Margaret M. Meade, manager of public and government affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic, in the letter Friday.
“That said, the $9 million expected to be saved by closing these rest areas must be weighed against the costs in lives and injuries from highway crashes that result from overly tired motorists who unwisely choose to keep driving because of closed rest areas.”
While Spencer said OOIDA supports Wolf’s efforts to pursue commercialization as a way to keep these rest areas open and offset the state’s expenses in maintaining the sites, one group doesn’t share this sentiment.
A coalition, called the Partnership to Save Highway Communities, has formed to encourage lawmakers to maintain the federal ban that prohibits commercialization, which could keep Virginia’s rest areas and vital truck parking open. The rest of Virginia’s rest areas are slated for possible closure by 2011 if the commercialization ban is not lifted.
Besides the National Association of Truck Stop Owners – or Natso – which opposes commercialization efforts, many national fast-food franchisee associations, including Burger King, Kentucky Fried Chicken and McDonald’s, among others, have signed up as well.
“The Partnership to Save Highway Communities believes this is a shortsighted approach that ultimately will destroy thousands of businesses located off the Interstate exit ramps,” according to their release.
However, OOIDA’s Spencer said that while some of the big players may oppose commercialization, this might be the perfect opportunity for truly small businesses to step in and provide a service that truckers, motorists and struggling states all need.
“Some businesses who ignore truckers’ and the motoring community’s desire for greater access to facilities along the interstates are devoid of reality,” Spencer said. “They are ignoring the tremendous growth opportunities that commercialization could provide. This may be an area where truly small businesses can stand out.”

By Clarissa Kell-Holland, staff writer
Landline Magazine

[MYGIA]

Virginia adds truck parking to offset 18 rest area closures
Finding a place to park in Virginia may be a little trickier with the closure of 18 rest areas – but the state says some changes were made so truck parking overall in the state did not take a hit.

The Virginia Department of Transportation made short work of closing 18 of the state’s 42 rest areas starting late in the day Monday, July 20, and finishing up the task by the early morning hours of Tuesday, July 21.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association has been critical of VDOT’s closure plan, highlighting the dilemma that truck drivers face in finding appropriate, safe parking facilities in order to comply with hours of service regulations.
OOIDA’s efforts, along with those of its members, mitigated the damage VDOT’s plan could have had on truck parking.
“Certainly the interest shown by truckers and knowledgeable lawmakers had an impact on the state’s decision,” OOIDA Executive Vice President Todd Spencer told Land Line.
Rather than just shutter the 18 rest areas – without accounting for truck parking – the state reconfigured parking at the remaining 23 locations.

In an effort to reduce the impact of these facility closings on trucks, VDOT implemented changes to its rest area truck parking restrictions on July 21.

The agency removed a number of no parking signs at the remaining 23 rest areas and welcome centers to provide more than 225 legal truck parking spaces. Jeffrey Caldwell, VDOT spokesman, says this move replaces all the truck parking spaces lost in the closure of the 18 rest areas.
“We have tried to address truckers’ concerns by adding 225 legal parking spaces,” Caldwell told Land Line Now. “This will offset every parking space lost at one of the facilities that was closed.”

In another move to address the quandary that truckers face in complying with HOS rest periods in Virginia, the state revamped its parking rules for trucks.

“Previously, we had a two-hour parking limit here in Virginia,” Caldwell said. “That has now been lifted, and truckers are able to get their 10 hours and more.”

While the changes to truck parking locations and time restrictions are not all bad, Spencer said Virginia has still failed to address the bigger problem.

“The rest of the story is that we started with a shortage of places for trucks to park,” Spencer told Land Line. “Closing any that are actually used by drivers is shortsighted and very detrimental to highway safety going forward.”
“Again, in this instance they’re penny smart and pound foolish,” Spencer said.

That may not continue to be the case for long. Both candidates for governor in Virginia say they will reopen the closed rest areas if elected in November.

Democratic candidate Creigh Deeds says he supports commercializing the areas by bringing in private vendors to maintain them.Republican Bob McDonnell suggests having private organizations participate in an “Adopt-a-Safety-Rest-Stop” program.

Both contend they would reopen the rest areas within a few months of taking office.In the meantime, truckers needing a place to park in Virginia can see the list of open – and closed – rest areas here.
– By Jami Jones, senior editor

[wellarmed]

Virginians have never been concerned with commercial vehicles other than to get rid of them. I live near exit 35 off I81 and there have been several articles in the Bristol Herald (news paper) over the years to put trucks on trains to get them through SW Virginia or the I81 corridor. They have also discussed turning I81 into a toll road to maybe divert some of the truck traffic. The truth is that Virginians in the Bristol area seem to think that the interstate was built for them to get to WalMart the racetrack or any were else "they" wish to go, trucks just hold them up and get in their way and of course when there is an accident that is just more fuel for the fire,closing rest areas could create a lot of fuel. I would really be curious to see if I81 would have more closers than I95.

[Turtle]

From the link above:
I-95, 9 rest areas, 4 closed
I-81, 14 rest areas, 7 closed
I-64, 7 rest areas, 2 closed
I-85, 5 rest areas, 4 closed
I-66, 2 rest areas, 2 closed (1 not until Sept)
I-77 3 rest areas, 0 closed




If you come up I-85 to I-95 and then on north, that puts 171 miles between rest areas. Of course, there are truck stops along the way, but that's a long way between rest areas. And on I-81 it puts about 2 hours between rest areas instead of 1 hour.

[Tennesseahawk]

The agency removed a number of no parking signs at the remaining 23 rest areas and welcome centers to provide more than 225 legal truck parking spaces. Jeffrey Caldwell, VDOT spokesman, says this move replaces all the truck parking spaces lost in the closure of the 18 rest areas.

“We have tried to address truckers’ concerns by adding 225 legal parking spaces,” Caldwell told Land Line Now. “This will offset every parking space lost at one of the facilities that was closed.”

So Caldwell is saying that the 23 closed areas had an average of only 10 truck spaces each? I doubt that! More like 2-2.5x that number.

[wellarmed]

I did hear a rumor of a new Loves at the Meadowveiw exit, I think thats exit 24 or 25, I do know its two exits south of the petro at exit 29 (Glade Spring Va.) That idea was shot down about five years ago do to drugs,drinking,prostitution and of course noise(you know how us over sexed drug addicted boozing noise making truck drivers are) I also heard that they would be building a super Walmart at exit 17 (Abingdon Va.) that would delete the truck parking at a very small stop there and who knows if us booze hound skirt chasing truck drivers will be able to park there. I am a firm believer in WalMart travel centers but since Sam died trucks are not as welcome as they once were, they still cater to the campers as the J had in the past. I guess I'm getting off subject a bit.

[MYGIA]

So Caldwell is saying that the 23 closed areas had an average of only 10 truck spaces each? I doubt that! More like 2-2.5x that number.

Good point. I was just sharing the information presented in the article. But as we know, little in the media today is accurate, regardless of the source. Too much spin!

[wellarmed]

True or not thats would be at least 230 trucks without a place to park when there is already a shortage of parking I don't see how he thinks that justifies the closings. There are many truck parking areas across the country with no facility's, why could these rest areas not be the same. Some truck rest areas only provide outhouses for truck drivers yet the traveling public get the clean restrooms, are we all not humans or does a CDL make us less than human.

[theoldprof]

Heard on the news that Indiana is closing or discussing closing of several rest stops. Didn't catch the details.

[danthewolf00]

thank god for the portapotie!!!!!

[Dakota]

Heard on the news that Indiana is closing or discussing closing of several rest stops. Didn't catch the details.

they have already closed 4 that i know of in Indiana
I like what they have in Kentucky, Truck only parking no facilities, if the upkeep of the facilities are the big expense, why not just have parking places for the trucks