MACON, Ga. — Calling all truckers!
In our coverage back in January, some truck drivers said they had trouble finding places to park their rigs.
Macon Bibb's Planning and Zoning had just started to enforce their ordinance banning drivers from parking trucks in their neighborhoods.
13WMAZ’s Jessica Cha says some folks saw the need and are trying to help the truck-parking crisis.
“Truck parking is so limited,” says Ken Martin, who's lived in Macon driving trucks for over 20 years.
“I haul out of the port of Savannah usually 10-11 hours per day,” he says.
Martin says he's seen a lot in his career, but one thing that's never changed is the lack of parking for trucks.
“You see guys finding abandoned buildings, some parking on the side of the road from Walmart and different things,” he explains.
Martin says he and other truckers used to use parking areas, but rules like not being allowed to leave your personal vehicle has left them with little options, especially since Bibb County started enforcing its ordinance. Truckers can't even park in their yards.
So where can the big rigs go?
“We give those guys peace of mind,” says Don Holtz.
There are over 200 spaces available at Terry's Truck Parking located on Industrial Boulevard.
Co-owners Don Holtz and Veronica Terry opened up their space in October.
“We came from the trucking industry. When we moved down to Macon, we really couldn't find that,” he explains.
If they found spaces, they saw they weren't fenced, there were no lights, places had no cameras, no bathrooms, or it just wasn’t affordable.
“We designed this place to make sure that when the drivers came back from being on the road for days or weeks at a time, they felt safe and secure that their truck was here, because this is hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of equipment here,” Holtz says.
Their 24/7 facility has fences, security cameras, plenty of lighting, a code to get into the front gate, assigned spaces, a restroom, and you’re allowed to leave a personal car there, all for around $5 a day.
“It’s $175 a month for a tractor-trailer. If you just have a tractor, it’s just $150 for a month. We also do weekly rates for about $100,” Holtz says.
However, Terry’s Truck Parking isn’t the only place opening up.
“We're making sure those truckers have a convenient place to park,” says Chris Dunn.
Dunn is the Middle Georgia Industrial Park's Head of Security. He says he knows trucks parking anywhere is a problem.
“Those trucks become a distraction and a hazard in those neighborhoods,” he says.
Dunn is now working security for Macon Truck Park on Pio Nono.
“They had the space for it and, like I said, it's up to 500 trucks I think they can park there.”
The Middle Georgia Industrial Parking lot will be open 24/7, will be fenced, with in-person security personnel, in the center of west Macon.
“This allows those truckers an avenue to park their trunk close to home, convenient to home, and it’s not in the neighbors' way or blocking any roadways or anything. It’s just a good idea,” says Dunn.
They’re charging $99 a month as an introductory rate.
Truckers like Martin, who was Terry’s Truck Parking's first customer, are glad places like this exist.
“I park here. I don’t have to get up in the middle of the night to check my load. I would pay double that for the security that it offers,” Martin says.
According to the P&Z website, there are a couple of other locations opening up, too -- one on Old Gray Highway, Jeffersonville, and even on Gray Highway.
Planning and Zoning says many people have complied with the ordinance, but have still ticketed at least over 20 people for having a commercial vehicle in their yard since January.