Our poll finds most truckers do not often use on/off ramps for parking
A recent poll found that most truckers say they do not often use highway on-ramps or off-ramps as a place to park.
While the poll results do not explain the reasons behind each driver’s choice, the outcome matters because ramp parking is a recurring topic across the industry, tied closely to safety concerns, enforcement attention, and the ongoing challenge of finding legal parking when hours are running out.
On-ramps and off-ramps are not designed to function as parking areas. Even when a shoulder looks wide enough, ramps can bring higher risk because of merging traffic, limited sight lines, and the potential for stopped trucks to become hazards for drivers entering or exiting the highway.
The results also highlight a broader reality most drivers already know: parking decisions often come down to what is available, what is legal, and what is safest in the moment. When a majority of drivers report that they do not often use ramps, it suggests many are actively trying to avoid that option when possible, even as parking availability remains a daily operational issue in many corridors.
In the bigger picture, ramp parking is often discussed alongside truck parking shortages at rest areas and truck stops, local restrictions on overnight parking, and the pressure drivers face to manage hours-of-service limits while still delivering on time. The poll adds another data point to that ongoing conversation by showing that ramp parking is not a routine choice for most respondents.