Council members in Suisun City, California, are considering charging truck drivers $50 a night to park in an undeveloped lot behind a post office that currently accommodates about 8 semis.
According to councilman Mike Hudson, charging truck drivers for the spots that they currently use for free will generate over $100,000 a year in revenue for the cash-strapped town.
Hudson says he prefers exploring alternate methods of increasing revenue, before resorting to raising taxes. He came up with the idea to charge truckers for parking after discovering that the undeveloped city-owned plot behind the post office was filled with big rigs every night.
Not everyone supports the idea, however. The town’s mayor, Pete Sanchez, wants the semi trucks out at all costs — even if it means losing out on potential revenue. Sanchez cited safety concerns, the cost of enforcing the fees, and the possibility of hazardous material spillage. He said he was “sick and tired” big rigs parking in the undeveloped lots.
Hudson says he will bring the idea back up during future council meetings.