The trucking industry’s tensions over adequate parking can be seen as a backdrop to an incident Friday in Oklahoma that left a truck driver in the hospital after being shot by a security guard at a truck stop.
According to several local news reports, the incident took place at a TA Truck Center in Oklahoma City, near the intersection of South Council Road and Interstate 40. The shooting occurred in a section of the truck stop with reserved truck parking.
Sgt. Brad Gilmore of the Oklahoma City Police Department, quoted by local news outlets, described the incident as occurring when the security guard for the truck stop was checking the reserved spots. “Apparently the security guard was out there checking that when a disagreement happened,” Gilmore was quoted as saying. “A physical altercation took place. The security guard discharged his firearm.”
The driver, who was not identified in the news stories, was taken to a local hospital. Charges were not filed against the security guard, though Gilmore indicated evidence could be presented to the local district attorney, who could pursue further action.
The report on the shooting from local television station KWTV quoted a truck driver on the scene named Jimmy Combs. His comments seem to sum up the issue with parking that truck drivers face every day.
“That’s pretty severe force when you’re taking somebody down for parking in somebody’s parking spot,” Combs was quoted as saying. “Most of the time long-haul truck drivers are tired. They run eight, 10, 12 hours and when they want to go to sleep, they go to sleep. You wake them up, I mean if I get woke up, I’m kind of in a bad mood.”
In last year’s annual survey of the biggest issues facing trucking from ATRI, the research arm of the American Trucking Associations, drivers put parking as the No. 3 issue. A year earlier, it was second. In the 2018 survey, management listed parking as the ninth biggest concern. In the most recent survey, it didn’t place in the top 10 in the view of management.
Melanie west
My husband will not patronize any truck stops that charge for parking.. We usually patronize Loves.. We have not ever run into a Loves that charges to park. If like has been stated earlier, spending $400-$500 on fuel, being charged $2& up for coffee, outrageous prices for food and other supplies, a truck stop doesn’t appreciate our business enough to let us park for free when tired, driving for 11 hours being awake for 14 plus hours, then we should boycott them. Even mom and pops truckstops allow you to park for free..there was absolutely no reason for this driver to be shot., why does a parking lot ticket checker even carry a gun. These drivers pay his minimum wage salary. If he could work like a real man, he wouldn’t be walking around playing RoboCop.. Get a real job and quit harassing these hard working men and women drivers , who keep America rolling. God bless you guys and God bless America.
Albert
I think the security guard should had called State Troopers and let them handle it.
Talley H Talley
Its bullshit with all the reserve parking these truckstops have,they should do like some of these places like macdonalds, just purchase anything, this is pathetic, petro in north little rock hsve cut back,cause I did complain about their greedy asses having over 100 paid parking spots,hell these places makes enuff money off drivers,these reserve spots should be banned,if DOT really cared about safety……and these greedy,cheap trucking companies will not pay for parking, even if you have a late night delivery and nothing but paid parking available which is at least $13-$15
Purkey
We go in spend $20-30 on meals and supplies that we need ( which are way over priced) then have to pay for parking too. Started out 10 parking spots that you could pay to reserve, now it’s half the parking lot that’s reserved. TA truck stop is especially bad about it. Greed is making the best of a bad situation.
Joel Duclos
Make sure to check in at the fuel desk to confirm your reservation or you run the risk of being woke up. Simple. If you didn’t pay purposely plan on getting shot by either the security guard or the driver who actually reserved it
David Poe
Since when you do at any pilot and a TA with a gated lot you can park if you spend 20 but there reserved spot you can not get unless you pay cash for itif you ask me I don’t think they should have reserved parking who ever gets there first should be the one gets it
John
You are saying that a truck driver gets shot by a security gaurd over a parking spot and dont get arrested what type of B S is that
John H. Glover
Return flexibility to h.o.s. 2 hr sleeper break to stop clock..
Peter Turner
It what we have in canada
Roy Lee Spicer
Aint. It enough when you spend at these places , these guys deserve a place to park, remember one thing , if it wasnt for the truck dryer the fuel lines and gas stations would run out of everything in a week think about it.
Dan Haifle
That’s because the truck stop chain is so greedy they charge $20 to park by doing that they limit parking for people who just dropped $4 or $5 hundred on fuel.its not 1or2spots it’s 20 or 30 screw you .I won’t even stop at a t/a
Richard N
You don’t pay for reserved parking if you buy fuel.