Iowa has joined the list of states that are now included in Drivewyze’s Parking Alerts – a free service for Drivewyze PreClear weigh station bypass subscribers who activate Drivewyze Safety Notifications. The alerts provide drivers who travel through Iowa with an in-cab notification via the vehicle’s telematics device, that a rest area is open, plus it provides the number of parking spots available. In addition, Drivewyze is providing the number of parking spaces available at select truck stops and other locations that cater to truck parking.

A total of 22 Iowa locations, with more than 500 parking spots, are in the Drivewyze alert system – representing the state’s top sites. The rest areas and commercial sites, including the Iowa 80 Truck Stop, are located along I-80, I-35 and I-29. Drivewyze leveraged integrations with the Truck Parking Information Management System (TPIMS) data feed and utilized smart infrastructure to provide the real-time parking availability.

“This type of information is invaluable to drivers who are starting to look for parking at the end of their day,” said Brian Heath, CEO of Drivewyze. “By tapping into the parking availability data in Iowa, and presenting it to drivers in real-time, our alerts help address driver uncertainty.”

The in-cab notification alerts are strategically placed. Most alerts are 25 miles out, then updated again at 5 miles out.  For example, at 25 miles out from a rest area, or commercial lot, the alert might show “Open Spaces: 26,” or the notification might show very few spaces left for parking. “It’s information the driver didn’t have before,” said Heath. “It allows for less stress and better decision making. In Iowa, data shows that 80% of the parking spots are filled at peak times – generally overnight. So parking is never guaranteed and our alerts will help truckers figure out if they should continue on to that parking area, or start looking for an alternative.”

Iowa is the second state for which Drivewyze has added the actual number of parking spots available — Indiana was the first when it was added in April. Drivewyze also provides parking area open/close notifications for drivers travelling through Pennsylvania, Florida, Arizona, Virginia and Ohio. The alerts began in response to closures of rest areas back in March, due to COVID-19 and will remain in effect until rest areas are fully open.

“These type of alerts are exactly what we need,” said Tim Stueck, CFO of Foodliner, which is the largest bulk food grade carrier in the United States. “Proper trip planning is critical in the daily activities and success of our drivers.  One of the items on the checklist is finding adequate parking.  Having the Drivewyze Parking Area alerts assist in identifying where parking capacity exists will be a valuable tool in improving our drivers ability to trip plan and at the same time remove a bit of stress from their work day.”

In a statement provided by the Iowa Department of Transportation they said, “Accurate information on truck parking availability is essential to helping commercial drivers operate more safely and keep interstate commerce flowing. By making our data available to private companies such as Drivewyze, information becomes more easily shared with the commercial trucking industry, in turn enhancing the overall safety and flow of the transportation system.”

Brenda Neville, President of the Iowa Motor Truck Association, was in agreement. “The alerts benefit everyone and I know our members and their drivers who utilize Drivewyze will take advantage of the in-cab alerts. The availability of safe parking is always a top concern and this will help a great deal.”

Both the Drivewyze PreClear weigh station bypass service, and the Drivewyze Safety Notifications service, are available to carriers on supported ELDs and other in-cab telematics devices, through the Drivewyze partner network. Subscribers interested in deploying the Drivewyze Safety Notifications Service, a feature offered at no additional cost, should contact their ELD or in-cab device provider, or their Drivewyze Customer Success Manager.

About Drivewyze Inc.

Drivewyze Inc. is the leader in connected truck services and is on a mission to revolutionize transportation safety and efficiency. Drivewyze serves commercial drivers and fleets with innovative trucking services such as the Drivewyze PreClear bypass service, the Drivewyze Analytics Weigh Station Loss Reporting service, and Drivewyze Safety Notifications. Drivewyze was recognized by Frost & Sullivan with the North American Weigh Station Bypass Company of the Year Award for 2017, for its best practices and industry leadership. To learn more about Drivewyze, visit www.drivewyze.com.