Some good news.
After being kicked off the lot 6 or 7 times, sometimes within minutes of arriving, on Saturday morning (12/19/09) I called the TA Feedback Line on another issue (problem with the Web site and requesting a new card), but as long as I had them on the line I figured I'd inquire as to what the deal is with the Ontario TA's. I mean, especially with the new Expedite King Card, and the instructions telling you to ask the manager where the best place for expediters to park would be, it seemed a little odd that expediter vans would be routinely kicked off the lot by Security (and in my case twice by someone claiming to be the manager).
The lady from the Feedback Line was helpful, took down my questions and complaint, and said she would forward them to the higher-ups and than someone would get back with me. To my surprise, less than two days later, on Sunday night at 10:30PM, I got a call from the second shift manager from the TA East, and true to her promise, the general manager called me again this morning.
Apparently in the past they have had some problems with vans, mostly the package delivery type vans from companies like DHL, FedEx and others, but also others in vans who pretty much camp out there for many reasons, none of them good. But they now fully understand how an expediter van is the same as a big truck, that we do freight and not the more traditional package delivery, that after delivery we are looking for a safe place to park, and sleep, and wait on our next load. I also made it clear that vans, unlike most trucks, can be sitting for longer than 24 hours, especially if it's a weekend.
Vans are now very welcome at the TA East. I have not spoken to anyone at the TA West, but in all honesty they have a much smaller parking lot out front, and it's busier because of the gas fuel islands that East doesn't have, and you probably wouldn't want to park over there, anyway.
I was told that as long as you're in a parking space, you're fine (as opposed to taking up several of them as with a pickup and trailer or an RV, but the best place to park is near the building, on the northern side, kind of over there where the store's dumpster and that ramp is located.
If security gives you any problem, tell them that you have permission from the manager. The general manager is Kevin Clark, and the second shift manager is Dorothy (forgive me but I either didn't get her last name, or I did and failed to write it down). Dorothy is there most nights until 10PM, Kevin is there Monday-Friday all day. Both were very nice and very helpful. When you go there, it's probably a good idea to go in and tell them who you are and that you're there, even though neither manager mentioned it. But Dorothy said that if anyone gives me a problem to just go in and let her know. Kevin stated that if anyone has a problem with us being there that they should talk to him, even if it means calling him at home, day or night.
I know that some people have been there without incident or problems, but I also know that I and others have been kicked off the lot in short order for doing nothing more than putting up privacy curtains. It's great to know that is a thing of the past.
After being kicked off the lot 6 or 7 times, sometimes within minutes of arriving, on Saturday morning (12/19/09) I called the TA Feedback Line on another issue (problem with the Web site and requesting a new card), but as long as I had them on the line I figured I'd inquire as to what the deal is with the Ontario TA's. I mean, especially with the new Expedite King Card, and the instructions telling you to ask the manager where the best place for expediters to park would be, it seemed a little odd that expediter vans would be routinely kicked off the lot by Security (and in my case twice by someone claiming to be the manager).
The lady from the Feedback Line was helpful, took down my questions and complaint, and said she would forward them to the higher-ups and than someone would get back with me. To my surprise, less than two days later, on Sunday night at 10:30PM, I got a call from the second shift manager from the TA East, and true to her promise, the general manager called me again this morning.
Apparently in the past they have had some problems with vans, mostly the package delivery type vans from companies like DHL, FedEx and others, but also others in vans who pretty much camp out there for many reasons, none of them good. But they now fully understand how an expediter van is the same as a big truck, that we do freight and not the more traditional package delivery, that after delivery we are looking for a safe place to park, and sleep, and wait on our next load. I also made it clear that vans, unlike most trucks, can be sitting for longer than 24 hours, especially if it's a weekend.
Vans are now very welcome at the TA East. I have not spoken to anyone at the TA West, but in all honesty they have a much smaller parking lot out front, and it's busier because of the gas fuel islands that East doesn't have, and you probably wouldn't want to park over there, anyway.
I was told that as long as you're in a parking space, you're fine (as opposed to taking up several of them as with a pickup and trailer or an RV, but the best place to park is near the building, on the northern side, kind of over there where the store's dumpster and that ramp is located.
If security gives you any problem, tell them that you have permission from the manager. The general manager is Kevin Clark, and the second shift manager is Dorothy (forgive me but I either didn't get her last name, or I did and failed to write it down). Dorothy is there most nights until 10PM, Kevin is there Monday-Friday all day. Both were very nice and very helpful. When you go there, it's probably a good idea to go in and tell them who you are and that you're there, even though neither manager mentioned it. But Dorothy said that if anyone gives me a problem to just go in and let her know. Kevin stated that if anyone has a problem with us being there that they should talk to him, even if it means calling him at home, day or night.
I know that some people have been there without incident or problems, but I also know that I and others have been kicked off the lot in short order for doing nothing more than putting up privacy curtains. It's great to know that is a thing of the past.
