Category: Self Storage

This post by Andrew Jones originally appeared on Toy Storage Nation

Truck parking isn’t glamorous. It’s not the shiniest asset class or the one making headlines at the SSA conference. But make no mistake, it’s growing. In Midland, TX alone myself and one other operator were the only guys in town two years ago.

Now there are 12 separate locations. 

Here’s a quick-start guide to take you from dirt lot to dependable income

1. Understand the Opportunity
Truck parking is in chronic short supply—especially safe, secure, reservable parking. The rise of e-commerce, regional distribution hubs and tightening regulations on hours-of-service have made legal, reliable truck parking more critical than ever.

Most existing options are word-of-mouth yards or overcrowded rest stops. That’s where you come in. I’ve already written about this on another blog post here.

2. Find the Right Dirt
Before you clear the land, make sure it’s in the right place.

• Highway proximity is key — ideally near logistics corridors or urban perimeters.
• Zoning matters. Look for industrial, heavy commercial, or even certain agricultural overlays that allow for vehicle storage. 
• Look for the “white tops” a.k.a. the distribution centers. If you can find a plot of land near a highway and next to distribution centers then you are onto something.

You don’t need a perfect site but you do need one where demand is present.

3. Start Simple, Scale Smart
You don’t need to pour concrete on day one. Some of the best-performing lots start with:

• Stabilized dirt or gravel
• Perimeter fencing and gate
• Lighting, restrooms and garbage can
• Cameras
• Access controls (I use Truck Parking Club’s) 

From there, you can scale up with other amenities and more as demand (and revenue) grows.

4. Know What Truckers Actually Care About
Forget frills. Here’s what truck drivers and fleet managers look for:

• Security: Fencing, lighting, and gates
• Space: Wide lanes, angled spots, no tight squeezes
• Access: 24/7 availability
• Supply: The number one thing that truckers ask for at Truck Parking Club is more locations

If you can deliver these basics, you’re already ahead of most.

5. Use Platforms That Do the Heavy Lifting
Platforms like Truck Parking Club allow you to list your property and start generating income with minimal overhead. It handles bookings, payments, marketing and customer service—while you keep control of your site.

Think of it like Airbnb for trucks — but with better margins and fewer broken wine glasses.

6. Avoid Common Pitfalls

• Don’t overlook insurance and liability — talk to your agent early.
• Make sure you’re compliant with local codes before you accept a single truck.
• Talk to your drivers on your yard once you start. One of my first customers, Ramon, is now my business partner.

7. This Is Just the Beginning
Truck parking is still the Wild West, but there is a quote from Ken Woolley that lives in my head every day: “In the late 1970s, we thought that demand was 1 sq ft per capita and we had no way to measure that. But now it’s about 11 square feet per capita and it can be measured!”

Whether you’re testing the waters with five spaces or building out a 200-truck yard, the opportunity is here. You don’t have to go it alone; I love talking to new operators. I remember the butterflies and, I’ll tell you, it’s worth it. 

Interested in getting started?
Reach out to me at [email protected] or visit www.truckparkingclub.com to learn more.

The trucks are coming either way. It’s just a matter of whether they’ll be parking at your lot–or someone else’s.

Andrew Jones is the Contributing Editor of Toy Storage Nation’s Truck Parking Blog.  Andrew has been in the self-storage business for the last decade working for Yardi, Extra Space and JustStorage before co-founding OTR Truck Parking, where he remains co-owner. He currently serves on the Toy Storage Nation Advisory Board in addition to serving as Vice President of Property Member Optimization at Truck Parking Club, Andrew can be reached at [email protected].

Interested in learning more about truck parking or listing your facility in a nationwide truck parking locator database? Visit Truck Parking Club.

To view all installments of the TSN Truck Parking Blog, sponsored by Truck Parking Club, visit here.

This post initially appeared on the Toy Storage Nation truck parking blog.

If you’re looking for an easy, buttoned-up investment, commercial vehicle storage might not be for you. There’s no 40-year playbook like there’s been in self-storage.

Truck parking is new. It’s raw. It’s real estate at the edge of the map. It’s unzoned, unpaved and often misunderstood.

But for those with a little heart and a lot of grit? This is where the future lives.

When I first stepped into this space, I saw what others missed: a growing need, a broken system and an opportunity to build something better. Truck drivers were parking wherever they could: rest stops, off-ramps, behind gas stations, and not because they wanted to, but because the industry gave them no other choice. Meanwhile, acres of untapped land sat idle across the country.

That disconnect? That’s where we come in. And we can do it better than anyone else.

Commercial vehicle storage–whether it’s for semis, work truck or last-mile delivery vehicles–is about solving a real problem in real time. It’s not glamorous, but it is necessary. And when done right, it’s impactful, profitable and sustainable.

We’re not just storing trucks; we’re stabilizing supply chains, giving drivers a safe place to rest and breathing new life into underutilized land. It takes vision. It takes navigating zoning laws that haven’t caught up with reality. It takes listening to drivers, thinking like a logistics operator and acting like a builder.

And yeah, it takes heart.

Every gate we install, every acre we convert, every fleet we support, it’s one more step toward legitimizing a new asset class that doesn’t just store vehicles, but moves America forward.

So if you’re wondering whether commercial vehicle storage is for you, ask yourself this:
Do you want to follow the herd, or do you want to help build the road they’ll follow next?

This ain’t for the faint of heart, but it just might be for you.

Andrew Jones is the Contributing Editor of Toy Storage Nation’s Truck Parking Blog.  Andrew has been in the self-storage business for the last decade working for Yardi, Extra Space and JustStorage before co-founding OTR Truck Parking, where he remains co-owner. He currently serves on the Toy Storage Nation Advisory Board in addition to serving as Vice President of Property Member Optimization at Truck Parking Club, Andrew can be reached at [email protected].

Interested in learning more about truck parking or listing truck parking at your facility? Become a Property Member today.

To view all installments of the TSN Truck Parking Blog, sponsored by Truck Parking Club, visit here.

By Andrew Jones

Howdy, folks. Andrew Jones here — Owner at OTR Truck Parking, VP at Truck Parking Club, and proud board member at Toy Storage Nation. I’ve spent my career helping operators squeeze every ounce of value from their land, and lately, I’ve been asking a simple question:

What if that RV and boat lot you’re running could double as a lifeline to America’s truckers?

Why Truck Parking? Why Now?
Over 90% of long-haul drivers report daily struggles finding safe parking. That’s not a small problem; it’s a crisis! Meanwhile, many storage facilities, especially in suburban and rural areas, have underutilized land, longer lease-up times or seasonal boat/RV slumps.

That’s where truck parking can flourish. Whether it’s overnight, long-term or fleet deals, truck parking can bring in consistent revenue and year-round demand. And the best part: You don’t have to give up your core business to do it.

The Conversion Playbook
Here’s what I tell operators every week:

• Access is everything. Can a 75’ rig make a clean swing in and out? Consider separate gates for trucks if needed.
• Surface counts. Gravel works fine, but make sure it’s compacted and level. Pavement or concrete is a plus, but not a dealbreaker. Remember, truckers don’t have a lot of places to park so they aren’t picky.
• Visibility matters. Good signage and Google Maps placement are key. Most drivers are booking from their cab at 8 PM, not walking into an office.

At Truck Parking Club, we handle the reservations, payments, driver support … the whole nine yards. Operators just need to unlock the gate, and we’ll do the rest.

Don’t Miss the On-Ramp
I know RV and boat storage is already a booming business, but the best operators I know are thinking one step ahead. They’re asking, “What else can this land do for me?’ If you’ve got unused space, or even a back lot that stays empty six months out of the year, truck parking might be your next big win.

Got questions? Thinking about converting part of your facility? Reach out anytime. If you’re already operating truck parking, I’d love to hear your story.

Andrew Jones is the Contributing Editor of Toy Storage Nation’s Truck Parking Blog.  Andrew has been in the self-storage business for the last decade working for Yardi, Extra Space and JustStorage before co-founding OTR Truck Parking, where he remains co-owner. He currently serves on the Toy Storage Nation Advisory Board in addition to serving as Vice President of Property Member Optimization at Truck Parking Club, Andrew can be reached at [email protected].

Interested in learning more about truck parking or listing your facility in a nationwide truck parking locator database? Visit Truck Parking Club.

To view all installments of the TSN Truck Parking Blog, sponsored by Truck Parking Club, visit here.

This post originally appeared on Toy Storage Nation.

By Andrew Jones

If you read my first post, you know I got into truck parking by accident. However, just like a new hire in self-storage seeing all the storage facilities around them, I started seeing trucks parked everywhere. I knew then I had to solve this growing national crisis. 

But I want to take this post a step further. Because if you’re a storage operator sitting on vacant land, this isn’t just an opportunity — it’s a signal. A silent one, sure. But it’s getting louder every day.

The math is simple, and if you don’t believe me, watch the American Trucking Research Institute’s video on it. 

Across the United States, it’s estimated we’re short over 300,000 truck parking spaces. That’s not a future problem — it’s now. Every night, week and month truckers are forced to park on highway shoulders, in retail lots or wherever they can find space. That’s not just inefficient — it’s unsafe.

Now think about this: The average self-storage facility has 30–40% of land sitting idle. A good portion of that could be converted into commercial vehicle parking overnight.

If just a third of those sites added 20–30 truck spaces, we’d put a meaningful dent in the shortage and create a new revenue stream overnight. Monthly rates can hit $200+ per space, with fleet deals and daily stays adding even more upside.

Not only that but if a third of facilities added 20-30 truck spaces per site then we would more than double the supply of current truck parking available.

Why Storage Operators Are Perfectly Positioned

You already know how to run a secure, clean, and well-managed property. Truck parking doesn’t require you to reinvent the wheel — just to shift your perspective.

It’s not about paving paradise. It’s about using the space you already have to support the logistics backbone of this country — and yes, grow NOI and reduce cap rates while you’re at it.

The best part? You don’t have to go it alone. Platforms like Truck Parking Club make it turnkey — they handle reservations, driver communication, and help you market your spaces to a growing base of truckers nationwide.

Let’s Look at Land Differently

If I can leave you with one takeaway, it’s this: Commercial vehicle storage and truck parking is an asset class in the making. 

If you’ve got land and want to explore truck parking, I’m happy to chat. I’ll be posting more insights in this space and contributing tools to help operators get started, maintain and expand. 

As my dad would say, “It’s another day in paradise.” So go out and help somebody.

Andrew Jones is the contributing editor for Toy Storage Nation’s Truck Parking Blog.  He has been in the self-storage business for the last decade working for Yardi, Extra Space and JustStorage before co-founding OTR Truck Parking, where he remains co-owner. He currently serves on the Toy Storage Nation Advisory Board in addition to serving as Vice President of Property Member Optimization at Truck Parking Club, Andrew can be reached at [email protected].

To view all installments of the TSN Truck Parking Blog, sponsored by Truck Parking Club, visit here.

This post originally appeared on Toy Storage Nation.