The German Federal Ministry of Transport is initiating measures to improve parking conditions for truck drivers across the country. Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU) announced a pilot program for a digital truck parking space search service, aiming to alleviate the current difficulties in finding available parking.
The new service, known as the Truck Parking Information Service (SID), will utilize real-time data from the toll system to provide information on the occupancy of parking spaces at Autobahn rest areas. Initially, approximately half of the roughly 1,900 public rest areas will be included, with plans to expand coverage rapidly. The ministry intends for all rest areas to be integrated by 2026.
This data will be made publicly accessible, allowing truck navigation application providers to integrate it into their platforms. Alongside the digital search tool, Minister Schnieder emphasized the ongoing efforts to increase the number of physical parking spaces, acknowledging challenges related to land acquisition, bureaucratic planning processes and construction.
The ministry is also focusing on the expansion of telematics for parking spaces. Currently, only five parking spots nationwide are connected to this system, but the goal is to increase this number tenfold by 2030. In some instances, telematics has already led to capacity increases of over 50 percent.
Minister Schnieder underscored the importance of recognizing the work of logistics professionals, stating that adequate rest areas are crucial for their well-being and safety.
Mark Erichsen, CEO of Toll Collect, hailed the digital parking search as a “significant milestone”. Christian Hoffmann, President of the Federal Office for Logistics and Mobility, anticipates enhanced safety and a reduction in unnecessary traffic congestion resulting from the new service. He also believes it will facilitate adherence to driver rest regulations.
According to data from Autobahn GmbH, Germany currently offers approximately 82,500 truck parking spaces at 1,900 public rest areas and around 260 private truck stops. A 2023 count identified a shortage of roughly 20,000 truck parking spaces alone. Recent research by the Auto Club Europa (ACE) revealed an average parking space occupancy of 51 percent at 132 Autobahn rest areas, with some locations experiencing occupancy rates as high as 300 percent.