Secured Parking for Trucks

By 2020, European Union member countries are required to ensure secured parking areas for trucks every 100 km on European highways. Equally important is a complete intelligent transport system that ensures connectivity of parking areas for freight carriers.

This law comes in response to the high percentage of thefts from trucks in recent years, where unsupervised goods are stolen.

These types of parking lots have also started to appear in Eastern Europe as businesses in themselves, but also in Romania. The first and safest is in Lugoj.

How Do Secured Parking Lots Work?

Depending on the security features each parking lot has, it receives a number of locks – from 1 to 5 (minimum and maximum security).

The safest truck parking lot in Eastern Europe is located in Lugoj and is classified with a number of 4 out of 5 available locks (maximum possible on the scale that presents parking safety).

The secured parking market is one with potential that has not been exploited until now, but which will develop until the law is applied in 2020.

What Does a Secured Truck Parking Mean?

Truck parking lots have a different specific compared to classic vehicle parking lots, starting with the automatic booth.

The automatic booth contains elements that contribute to the safety of the truck. They are found through a set of sensors that detect both the height of the truck and the distance between trucks and trailers (there is no risk of the barrier closing between the truck and trailer).

However, the concept and operation of the parking lot are identical to those of a paid parking lot for small vehicles. The client takes a ticket, parks in the lot, before leaving, they go to the operator or automatic booth (payment by card, contactless), pays and, by scanning the ticket, is allowed to exit the parking lot.

Necessary Elements for a Secured Truck Parking

In addition to the classic elements and solutions of an automatic parking lot, for truck safety there are high-security elements, playing an important role in receiving the 5 locks:

Bollards (automated or hydraulic retractable posts) – If included in a parking system, retractable posts work in tandem with barriers – they can help in a secured parking lot to block the truck if the barrier arm is hit – eliminate possibilities of forced departure from the parking lot. Bollards are anti-terror, and rise 1 m from the ground.

Spike blockers: their purpose is to prevent reverse passage through the access area: at the entrance to the parking lot they are at ground level and rise after the truck passes to stop reverse movement.
Surveillance cameras– for photographing trucks, placed at the access points of the parking lot. They are used to keep track of how each truck looks both at entry and exit. The risk of a truck leaving the parking lot with another trailer is avoided. Cameras are also used for monitoring in cases of vandalism or accidents.
Intercom at all terminals and automatic booths (for direct communication with the operator)
Truck parking lots can be equipped with signage panels for available spaces, in real-time (optional)
Turnstile for pedestrian access (optional)

Additionally, the entry and exit terminals are very high, where sensors detect the presence of the truck, so that access for small vehicles is not allowed.