Geospatial truck parking locations data for Europe

Area of Science:

• Transportation Science
• Logistics Management
• Geographic Information Systems

Background:

• Limited data exists on real-world truck parking availability and suitability across Europe.
• Heavy-duty trucks (HDTs) require specific parking facilities for safety, rest, and regulatory compliance.
• The transition to alternative powertrains necessitates strategic placement of new refueling and charging infrastructures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a comprehensive dataset of European truck parking locations.
• To classify parking sites based on public accessibility and suitability for HDTs.
• To support research and planning for logistics, traffic science, and alternative energy infrastructures.

Main Methods:

• Systematic generation using OpenStreetMap (OSM) data for parking areas, rest areas, and fueling stations.
• Filtering and validation using commercial truck routing/geocoding software for accessibility and suitability.
• Refinement through Mean-Shift clustering and integration of supplementary datasets (traffic flow, land use).

Main Results:

• A dataset of 19,713 designated truck parking sites across Europe.
• Classification into four archetypal categories based on accessibility, suitability, and supplementary data.
• Inclusion of core information (category, coordinates, size, country) and supplemental data (traffic, network proximity, land use).

Conclusions:

• The dataset provides a valuable resource for identifying real-world stop options for HDTs.
• It facilitates the strategic deployment of alternative charging/refueling infrastructures along European transport networks.
• The data supports diverse stakeholders including logistics companies, truck manufacturers, and public authorities.