There are few things worse for truck drivers than pulling into a perfectly planned and timed rest stop only to find that there aren’t any spaces to park. Suddenly you go from feeling ready to relax to highly stressed as you try and decide whether to wait or push on to the next stopping point. Even worse, finding an alternative place to refuel and rest can mean taking an unplanned detour, adding time and extra miles to your journey.
Luckily, companies are working on ways to avoid this issue. Read on to learn about the arrival of new book and pay technology to UK stores, and what it could mean for you.
There’s an App for That
Billing itself as “Europe’s leading booking platform for safe and secure lorry parking areas”, Truck Parking Europe (TPE) is a crucial app for truck drivers. With information on more than 34,000 parking locations across the continent and in the UK, the app allows hauliers to find information on stopping points near them quickly and easily. Plus, it also allows you to rate and review each one and to see ratings from other users.
Best of all, it’s free on Android and iOS.
Book and Pay
TPE has much to offer still. More than just a database, it increasingly allows users to book a parking space remotely. This book and pay feature is exactly what it sounds like, offering truck drivers the chance to prearrange parking in advance, with payments taken via invoice, credit or debit card or PayPal.
In the words of TPE managing director Niels de Zwaan, the feature lets users “experience the ease of booking a parking in twelve countries with the press of a button.”
Currently, only 35 locations have signed up to this feature, but increased use is likely to create a snowball effect, with more and more businesses adopting the technology as its benefits become clearer and hauliers come to expect it. The feature has just been made available for use in the UK.
Two Truck Stops
As of this year, truck drivers can enjoy TPE’s book and pay at two locations in the UK: the Chippenham Pit Stop and the Red Lion Café & Truckstop.
• Chippenham Pit Stop
Where is it? Just off the M4, junction 17
Major routes?Between Bristol and Swindon
With 95 parking spaces close to the filling station and even an outdoor gym for hauliers who like to stay active, this rest stop has more than earned its 4.5-star rating on TPE.
• Red Lion Café & Truckstop
Where is it? Northampton
Major routes?Between Birmingham and London
Hauliers working between the Midlands and London are in for a treat at this recently renovated, four-star rated truckstop. Make sure to try the homecooked food, which accounts for a lot of the best reviews on TPE.
The benefits of book and pay should be obvious to all, and the more truck drivers that use the system, the quicker it’s likely to spread around the country and beyond. TPE’s latest feature could be just what you need to make your journeys easier and more convenient.
Norman Dulwich is a Correspondent for Haulage Exchange, the leading online trade network for the road transport industry. Connecting professionals across the UK and Europe through their website, Haulage Exchange provides services for matching truck drivers with jobs in road transport and haulage work, and is now the fastest growing Freight Exchange in the UK.
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