All eight states participating in the Midwestern Trucks Park Here initiative are expected to fully launch their Truck Parking Information Management Systems (TPIMS) by the end of this month.
Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota and Kansas DOTs each announced earlier this month they have launched their versions of the truck parking space counting system, joining Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin in rolling out the program.
The states, part of the Mid America Association of State Transportation Officials (MAASTO), have been working on getting the systems up and running since they were awarded a $25 million grant in 2015.
Most of the eight states are using on-highway digital signs, as well as a technology-based approach to get the parking information to drivers via mobile app or website, while some are using one method or the other.
Public rest areas are the primary source of truck parking information that is being made available, but the states are still working to add parking information for private truck stops and other businesses.
Locations being tracked, by state, include:
Indiana: Indiana DOT will monitor 19 locations along I-65, I-69 and I-70. Ten of the sites Indiana will be monitoring are along I-65, while three are on I-69 and six are on I-70. Indiana’s data is not yet available online, but when it is, it will be available on various apps, as well as the state’s real-time traffic site.
