DALLAS — Fleets that use the Drivewyze PreClear weigh-station bypass service, which includes the Drivewyze Safety Notifications service, now have in-cab notifications to inform drivers of the number of parking spots available at 10 rest areas throughout Indiana.
Indiana is the first state for which Drivewyze has included parking-spot availability data in the COVID-19 response alerts. The alerts program, run voluntarily by the Drivewyze team to help drivers during the COVID-19 crisis, recently started providing notifications of opened/closed rest areas for drivers in Pennsylvania, Florida, Arizona, Virginia and Ohio.
“This is a great example of delivering safety information to drivers where and when they need it most in Indiana,” said Brian Heath, CEO of Drivewyze.
“Truck-parking availability is a chronic problem in the trucking industry, made worse by the COVID-19 crisis,” he continued. “We’ve leveraged integrations with our state partner and utilized smart infrastructure data to help drivers and go one step further than previous open/close status sharing.
“The Drivewyze team has worked hard to add the availability of truck-parking spaces statewide so that drivers now approaching rest areas in Indiana will be shown how many parking stalls are reporting availability by the state system in real time,” he said. “Advance knowledge is a stress reliever when you are a driver and allows you to plan ahead. Parking-stall availability is a leap forward in our continuing development of the temporary Rest Area Notifications feature and is something drivers appreciate.”
According to Heath, rest areas in Indiana are some of the most modern facilities in North America, and they incorporate truck-parking detection technology that allows the Indiana Department of Transportation to monitor and share real-time parking-space availability.
“Drivewyze is now providing this parking-availability information directly to truck drivers via the Drivewyze service embedded in their vehicles’ telematics devices,” Heath said.
The in-cab notification alerts are strategically placed. Most alerts are delivered when the driver is 25 miles out and then updated again at 5 miles out.
“Some sites use customized distances to avoid duplication with state electronic signboards that display parking information or to add informational value by optimizing the time drivers can consider alternate parking areas when lots are full,” Heath said.
“The No. 1 focus and responsibility of the Indiana Motor Truck Association is safety,” said Gary Langston, president of the Indiana Motor Truck Association. “There’s no question that proper rest is an important factor in helping our industry to be safe. We appreciate this Drivewyze technology, which will give drivers valuable information about available parking in rest areas and help to address the ongoing driver-parking shortage issue.”
Drivewyze’s temporary rest-area notifications service will continue for the duration of the COVID-19 crisis.
“We’re continuing to work with our state DOT partners to support driver safety,” Heath said. “We’re not done yet. Our team is committed to making a difference and improving driver safety. Drivers do so much for all of us. This voluntary initiative is our way of giving something of value back to them.”
Both the Drivewyze PreClear weigh-station bypass service and the Drivewyze Safety Notifications service are available to carriers on supported ELDs and other in-cab telematics devices through the Drivewyze partner network. Subscribers interested in deploying the Drivewyze Safety Notifications Service, a feature offered at no additional cost, should contact their ELD or in-cab device provider or reach out to Drivewyze customer service.
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
