Rest areas

Every year, commercial vehicles travel will travel almost three times as many kilometers as passenger vehicles (Statistics Canada, 2010).

Rest areas for commercial motor vehicles address the issues of driver fatigue and load securement, and they reduce roadside stopping that may pose hazards to other road users.

A comprehensive literature review about truck parking at rest areas in Canada, the United States, and Australia (Montufar et al., 2009) revealed that a shortage in commercial vehicle parking may exist in Canadian and U.S. jurisdictions. This problem was expected to escalate in both countries in the future as a result of increasing truck traffic flows. The authors of the report noted that while shortages in truck parking capacity may contribute to truck drivers driving while fatigued and/or parking illegally, both of which can cause collisions, limited information existed which specifically identified benefits associated with the provision of truck parking for commercial vehicles. Short- and long-term strategies proposed by the authors of the study included the development of national-level guidelines for the spacing and design of public truck parking facilities, addressing driver security concerns at parking facilities, and the provision of additional truck parking spaces, where needed and financially and/or commercially feasible.

A survey of commercial vehicle drivers regarding their views on rest stops in Canada that was carried out by Polytechnique Montréal (Trepanier et al., 2010) reiterated the findings of the Montufar et. al., (2009) study. Survey respondents indicated that the lack of rest stops contributed to drivers’ running over their allowable hours-of-service. More than 60% of truck drivers surveyed indicated that they frequently had trouble finding parking or places to rest and that basic amenities such as telephones, washrooms, adequate lighting and drinking water were lacking from existing public rest areas. Overall, 88% of drivers surveyed indicated that there were insufficient rest areas, roadside pullouts, or turnouts.

Researchers conducted a benefit-cost analysis to determine the value of public rest areas, including welcome centres, along freeways and other major roadways in Michigan. The benefits associated with rest areas include: travel diversion cost savings, comfort and convenience benefits, increased tourism spending, and crash reductions. The costs associated with rest areas included amortized construction costs, operating costs, and routine maintenance costs. The benefit-cost ratio for all rest areas and welcome centres combined was estimated at 4.56:1. Most of the benefits emanated from a combination of comfort and convenience (i.e., the “value” to users), a reduction of targeted fatigue-related crashes (estimated at 3.37 crashes per facility per year), and tourism. The study found evidence of major night-time truck capacity issues at both rest areas and commercial truck stops along a number of interstate highways, which suggested the potential need for additional facilities along extremely busy routes (Gates et al., 2012).

Scope of the Problem

• Statistics Canada (2010). Canadian Vehicle Survey: Annual 2009. (Catalogue No. 53-223x). Retrieved from http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/53-223-x/53-223-x2009000-eng.pdf
• Montufar, J., Regehr, J.D., Rempel, G., Jablonski, J., and Blatz, G. (2009). Truck Parking Needs at Rest Areas Environmental Scan. University of Manitoba Transportation Information Group. Winnipeg, MB. Retrieved from http://www.bctrucking.com/sites/default/files/truck_parking_needs_at_rest_areas_environmental.pdf
• Trépanier, M, and Morency, C. (2010). Analysis of the Commercial Vehicle Driver Survey Results (Rest Areas Research Project-Phase 1). Prepared for Transport Canada by Polytechnique Montréal. Montreal, QC.

Evidence

• Gates, T. J., Savolainen, P.T., Datta, T.K., Todd, R.G. and Boileau, S. (2012). Evaluating the Appropriate Level of Service for Michigan Rest Areas and Welcome Centers Considering Safety and Economic Factors (Report No. RC-1570). Prepared by Wayne State University-Transportation Research Group for Michigan Department of Transportation, Lansing, MI. Retrieved from http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdot/MDOT_Research_Report_RC1570_387400_7.pdf