Truck Parking

Virginia Public Rest Area Truck Parking Information

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Inspiration

Many trucks have limited maneuverability for navigating rest area parking lots, so it is critical that drivers do not pass the last available spot in search of a better one. If they do, they could end up either parking illegally along the shoulder or exceeding their allowable driving hours. Both situations decrease public safety, and the former can shorten the pavement lifecycle. A trucker who has access to real-time parking occupancy info before driving through the rest area will be able to make better decisions.

What it does

This app will provide information regarding truck parking at Virginia rest areas using the truck parking feeds through VDOT's smart cities data portal. Truck drivers can plan their trips ahead of time when and where to stop depending on the parking availability by a simple click on their smartphones.

How I built it

Using VDOT SmartRoad's Truck Parking feed and OpenStreetMap API (Python)

Challenges I ran into

Building app in 24 hours

Accomplishments that I'm proud of

Occupancy status on individual truck parking spaces. The idea can be easily implemented on commercial parking lots and in shopping mall parking lots.

What I learned

Transportation and data fusion

What's next for Truck Parking Information

  • Historic demands on truck parking using historic feeds data and machine learning tools
  • Recommendations on rest area parking facility management
  • Parking recommendations for truckers
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