В Теннесси тестируют технологии для отслеживания свободных парковок для грузовиков

New TDOT technology aims to keep truck drivers off I-40 shoulders, ramps TDOT said the technologies will be evaluated over the coming months. What This Story Is About - TDOT is testing new technologies to track open truck parking spaces at the Interstate 40 Welcome Center in Smith County. Why It Matters - A national truck parking shortage leads to drivers parking dangerously on shoulders and ramps. What Happens Next - TDOT said the technologies will be evaluated over the coming months to determine the recommended technologies and standards for future statewide scaling across all truck parking facilities. SMITH COUNTY, Tenn. (WSMV) - The Tennessee Department of Transportation is testing new technology that tracks open truck parking spaces at the Interstate 40 Welcome Center in Smith County. The pilot project, which was a coordinated effort with TDOT and Stantec, was designed to help commercial truck drivers find safe, reliable parking when moving essential freight across the Southeast. Truck drivers can use QR codes on signs in the area and are encouraged to submit feedback on the technologies to help TDOT determine the most reliable occupancy detection technology. TDOT said the technologies will be evaluated over the coming months to determine the recommended technologies and standards for future statewide scaling across all truck parking facilities. TDOT deployed four methods of monitoring technology: - Magnetometers — to detect the number of trucks entering and exiting the Welcome Center’s eastbound lot. - Radar-Camera Fusion Sensor — to detect the number of trucks entering and exiting the Welcome Center’s eastbound lot, and to detect the number of available parking spaces in the Welcome Center’s westbound lot. - Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) — to detect the number of available parking spaces in the Welcome Center’s westbound lot. - Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras — to detect the number of available parking spaces in the Welcome Center’s westbound lot. TDOT said the technology helps provide real-time availability information to truck drivers through roadside signage and in-cab alerts through Electronic Logging Devices. Similar to TDOT Smartway cameras, any camera deployed at the I-40 Welcome Center to monitor parking will not be recorded or used for enforcement purposes. TDOT said truck drivers often cannot find safe or official parking spaces and opt for parking on the shoulders and ramps, posing a “serious safety hazard” to not only themselves, but the public. “A shortage of commercial truck parking continues to be an issue across the country, and TDOT is implementing this program to find viable solutions in Tennessee,” TDOT said. “By providing advanced notification of anticipated parking availability, drivers can make informed decisions on whether they can stretch to their hours-of-service limits or need to stop before reaching the I-40 Welcome Center to find adequate parking.” Copyright 2026 WSMV. All rights reserved.