Brad Stacks is an Orlando-based truck driver and has been driving trucks for the last two years.

  • FDOT constructing Truck Parking Availability System
  • Goal is to help truck drivers find place to park, sleep
  • By law, drivers have to park after certain number of hours

He says one of the worst feelings is when you are trying to park for the night at a rest stop and realizing that there are no parking spots left.

"There have been times where I’ve got to park on the shoulder where there's a bunch of 'No Parking' signs, and sometimes I get harassed by Highway Patrol," said Stacks. "They say 'Hey, you can't park here.' And I have to reply, 'I can't go anywhere else because of federal law.'"

Legally, truck drivers have to park after working a certain number of hours. That makes it even more important for drivers to find places to stop.

"In Central Florida especially, there are not a lot of places to safely park a truck," Stacks said. "I have seen quite a few trucks park around where I live that will just park on a patch of grass that's long enough."

The Florida Department of Transportation is starting to construct a way for drivers -- called Truck Parking Availability System -- to be able to plan ahead by installing in-ground sensors in parking spots at weigh stations and rest areas as well as detection devices at the entrance and exit ramps.

"There have been times where I’ve got to park on the shoulder where there's a bunch of 'No Parking' signs, and sometimes I get harassed by Highway Patrol. They say 'Hey, you can't park here.' And I have to reply, 'I can't go anywhere else because of federal law.'" - Brad Stacks, truck driver

"It's going to make the roads safer and also show the truckers what's available as far as inventory, places where they can park their trucks and get off the road," said Steve Olson from the FDOT.

The technology will be able to alert drivers through message boards but eventually include a third-part app that drivers will be able to access through their phones. Construction has already begun and is expected to be fully operational by next spring.

As for Stacks, he says the relief can't come soon enough.

"That would just be an immense help for me," he said. "That way I could plan what I'm doing and have someone come pick me up when I get here. Cause I can't drive home in this thing."

The first seven locations to have this technology permanently installed in Florida are in Brevard, Flagler and Seminole counties in Central Florida. The specific locations are:

Brevard County:

  • I-95 northbound rest area located about 5 miles south of State Road (S.R.) 514 (Exit 173)
  • I-95 southbound rest area located about 4 miles south of S.R. 514 (Exit 173)
  • I-95 northbound rest area located about 2 miles north of Exit S.R. 46 (Exit 223)
  • I-95 southbound rest area located about 3 miles north of S.R. 46 (Exit 223)

Flagler County:

  • I-95 northbound Truck Comfort Station (Weigh-in-Motion station) located about 2 miles north of S.R. 100 (Exit 284)
  • I-95 southbound Truck Comfort Station (Weigh-in-Motion station) located about 3 miles south of Palm Coast Parkway (Exit 289)

Seminole County:

  • I-4  eastbound rest area about 2 miles east of S.R. 434 (Exit 94)