(This article has been modified from its original publication following the receipt of a formal statement by Mayor Adams’ office).
New York state’s primary trucking association is criticizing a crackdown on overnight truck parking in New York City, saying that “we cannot ticket our way out of this problem.”
News reports emerged late Monday that the city had begun a ticketing blitz in southeastern Queens, near John F. Kennedy airport. That is generally a working-class part of the city, and election information website Ballotpedia said the population of the 5th Congressional District, which covers southeast Queens as well as other areas, is 45.5% African-American.
“This type of parking is not happening in affluent areas,” Mayor Eric Adams was quoted as saying by local CBS affiliate WCBS on its website. “This is a residential community. They deserve the same level of quality of life that we give to other parts of the city.”
Overnight truck parking is banned between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., WCBS said.
The initiative began Aug. 15, according to the WCBS report. But Adams went out with police Monday evening as tickets were being handed out, bringing publicity to the project dubbed Operation Heavy Duty Enforcement.
According to a statement released by Adams office, the first five days of Operation Heavy Duty Enforcement, between, August 15 and August 19, resulted in 597 summonses, 89 wheel boots and 55 towings.
In a statement, Kendra Hems, the president of the Trucking Association of New York, said the organization “in no way condone[s] parking on residential streets where it is illegal to do so.”
But she said that “heavy enforcement alone has not worked in the past and will not work now absent available commercial vehicle parking.”
Hems’ statement goes on to highlight the problem that is bedeviling drivers nationwide: a lack of alternatives.
“The reality is that drivers, many of them our neighbors, family and friends, simply have nowhere to park,” Hems said in the statement. “This is not their personal vehicle but the vehicle that embodies their livelihood and provides for their family.”
She added that the city of New York should work with the industry to “address the underlying issue of inadequate trucking parking in all five boroughs … and finally find meaningful long-term solutions that benefit all New Yorkers, drivers included.”
In the WCBS story, Adams was reported as saying that there are areas in the city where trucks can park and that he plans to work with trucking companies to have drivers park there.
There was no such reference in Adams’ press release. But he was quoted as saying in it: “We cannot let our neighborhood streets turn into illegal parking lots.”
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Charles Byrd
We just need to stop delivering to these places
Mike Vacciano
I’m a former Police Officer from Alabama now been trucking 11 years. City like New York is heavily congested. I would just suggest that Major trucking companies need to be able to drop loads outside of New York and have relay teams in smaller expedite vehicles relay the products without overnight parking. Offsite warehouse storage facilities need to be built to accommodate. Best Regards
Breezly B.Transport
You all will not be satisfied until everything is too expensive,and life is brought to it’s needs because of ignorance and foolishness.32 years I’ve served the needs of this nation.and sorrow ,murder and tears will be delivered to it’s people with no sound solutions.example .look at the great shut down COVID 19 caused.who do you think made sure everyone needs were met.thats right truckers and all involved in pick up and delivery of all goods needed for and ungrateful bunch of scared people at home doing nothing.,and complaining about everything.but truck drivers never took a break and were dependent on to make all needs were met.this most recently happened ,and look what our ungrateful nation is doing to those who make things happen by doing the real work.Mr Mayor surely you can do better than this foolishness. The time of sorrow is headed for an ungrateful nation.
Al
You can rape, rob, murder in New York city but don’t be a criminal and park your truck. Adams is just another on a long line of jerkoffs that have killed the city. My trucks will not enter the city or long Island period, let others chase the money pay tolls out the ass and put up with the BS.
Hopefully the unless mayor will get monkeypox and disappear for a while.
Sharon Gorenflo
Trucker for 20+ yrs & parking is worse than ever ! But straight up – world wants, wants, wants for self without any thought to who brings it or exhaustion to that driver YET – the world is up in arms of safety of accidents with commercial equipment???????? Does anyone have common sense upon this situation? Where’s the middle ground of safety within sleep but servicing needed goods ? Pay is lowering, deseil is sky rocket, load pays is sad , parking costs raising – Is the community trying to break drivers & this industry …because you are ! What do you think eventually happens within that large ripple affect cascading down upon all others that transportation industry services ???????
Nicholas Lopez
Amazing put everything on to the driver’s wallet
James bond
Well truckers stop delivering to those places that cry about trucks parking around queens