Fed up with its facility being treated as a parking depot for local trucks, a Perth truck stop has put a new parking system in place – and according to some, it’s proving to be a winner.
Puma Kewdale put new parking limits in place from September 20, with truck parking permits issued for up to 12 hours and customer car parking bays limited to two hours.
A new sign advises of the two-hour parking limit in the carpark, stating “automatic number plate recognition in use at all times”.
A month’s notice was given in store via posters and via staff advising customers of the changes.
The issue of local truckies using truck stops as holding yards for their trucks and trailers, and then parking their cars there all day as they set off in their trucks, is nothing new – and as many interstaters will attest, the issue is only getting worse.
A spokesperson for Chevron Australia Downstream, which runs the Puma network of service stations, says its recent parking improvements have received positive feedback from its customers, including interstate and regionally based truck drivers.
“The changes have been well received by customers, with a vast improvement to the flow of the car park,” it said.
Melbourne based interstate truckie Peter Edwards, 52, works for BT Transport & Logistics in SA and regularly visits Puma Kewdale on his runs into Perth.
“Locals were using it as their own personal depot. Even though signs said vehicles will be towed away, that wasn’t really enforced. Most of the time if you get in there during the day, you’re right, because locals weren’t parked up there. But at night it was always filled with local trucks,” Edwards said.
“I came in late one night and pretty much had to block a quarter of the driveway because there was nowhere left to park. I’ve known a few blokes that have had to leave there for that reason too.”
But since the new parking system was put in place at Puma Kewdale, Edwards says it’s made a big difference.
“There’s a lot more parking available – but I think it’ll take time for the interstaters to start coming over there again because they weren’t able to find parking spots there in the past. But now they got Wilson Parking in and have put in parking infringement notices,” he said.
“They have pretty good food there and the service is pretty good too. I could go there three months later and they still recognise me. I find the service a lot better than most of the servos. If they provide that sort of service, then I’m willing to pay a bit more too.
“I think more servos need to start enforcing something like this with their parking,” he added.