Same parking rules for trucks and cars
In general, the same parking rules apply to trucks as to cars. In principle, cars and trucks may only park where they do not pose a hazard or obstruction, unless parking and stopping is prohibited by the regulations of the StVO or otherwise regulated by traffic signs. Incidentally, § 12 of the Road Traffic Regulations (StVO) defines for all road users when parking is involved. According to this, parking is considered to be when owners park their vehicle and leave it for more than three minutes.
Parking in residential areas
For some drivers, it would certainly be great if they could park their truck in front of their front door in the evening and drive off directly from there the next morning. But first of all this wish fails because of the dimensions of a truck; parking spaces of this size are rare, especially in residential areas. Secondly, parking in residential areas is also simply prohibited. Motor vehicles with a permissible total weight of more than 7.5 tons and trailers with a permissible total weight of more than two tons may not park in residential areas during the period from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. On Sundays and public holidays, this ban even applies all day. Anyone who is caught will have to expect a hefty fine. But beware: this rule only applies to regular parking. If, for example, you park your truck for only one night, the police will tolerate this. Trucks are always allowed to park in industrial and commercial areas and in so-called mixed areas.
Parking on the right and left of the freeway
The biggest parking problems for truck drivers are found along the German Autobahn. Around 31,000 truck parking spaces are missing there alone. This is despite the fact that new parking spaces are constantly being built year after year. The problem can hardly be hidden. For many years, the areas of the freeway service stations have been delivered. Some of the vehicles are parked right up to the freeway. Also one gives way more and more illegally into the residential and industrial areas near the freeway, at forest and meadow edges and as a new negative development meanwhile even on the hard shoulder of the freeway. It should not remain unmentioned that, in addition to a parking space, drivers are naturally also looking for opportunities for their meals and sanitary facilities. And since there are still gangs on the road that deliberately rob vehicles with high-value cargo, the question of safe parking spaces also arises.
Parking at service areas and car parks
However, parking potential can also be discovered off the highway. Only a few kilometers from the highway exits you will find the so-called "Autohöfe". These are mostly medium-sized companies that offer a similar service to the rest stops directly on the freeway: Parking, refuelling, food and drink, overnight accommodation and sanitary facilities for drivers. The prices are also more moderate here. One can search the locations of auto stations and their offers in the Internet for example under www.autohof.net.
Parking lot search via App
Without an app, very little will work these days. And so it is no wonder that there are parking lot search apps for cell phones. Both Apple fans with their iPads and the large Android fan community can find appropriate programs in the respective stores. TransParking displays free truck parking spaces in seconds. The app Trans Parking Europe works similarly. PrePark, Autohof Guide app or Systemparking also help finding a parking space for trucks.
Parking in multi-storey parking lots
The parking of trucks in multi-storey parking lots is not yet so common. However, the topic is very much in vogue. More and more companies are converting their own parking garages to make room for vehicles from their own fleets. While trucks are usually loaded with goods on the first floor, employee and customer vehicles fill the upper floors. The idea of a software company that wants to have trucks parked digitally controlled like in a high-bay warehouse is completely new. The project will offer a parking garage and driver hotel together.
