Introduction to the Issue
The city Department of Transportation has launched a pilot program to deter commercial trucks from parking illegally in residential areas — but those efforts will not reach many neighborhoods most affected by the issue, according to a data analysis by THE CITY. This irony was not lost on the residents and elected officials of Southeast Queens, who gathered along a truck-lined street in Springfield Gardens to urge the transportation department to make them a part of the pilot.
The Impact on Southeast Queens
The people who live in Southeast Queens deserve better than to have their neighborhoods treated as an afterthought, said City Council transportation committee chair Selvena Brooks-Power, who represents parts of Queens Community District 13. That area logged 2,438 complaints about overnight commercial parking last year through 311 reports — second citywide only to Maspeth, Queens. Councilmember Selvena N. Brooks-Powers (D-Queens) speaks on Rockaway Boulevard, March 27, 2025. Credit: Ben Fractenberg/THE CITY
Rising Complaints and Proximity to JFK Airport
Complaints about the issue have increased consistently across the city over the last decade along with the rapid proliferation of e-commerce warehouses and distribution centers, 311 data shows. And Southeast Queens locals say they have borne the brunt of that burden, in large part due to their proximity to John F. Kennedy Airport, the busiest hub for international cargo in the northeast. “Children are not safe in a community where trucks are parked all along our boulevards, and they can’t even see how to cross from one side of the street to another to get to school, to get to the park to play,” said community organizer Gloria Boyce-Charles. “There’s no reason why Southeast Queens should not have been included in this pilot project.”
The DOT Pilot Program
The DOT pilot, launched earlier this month to introduce 45 parking spaces made for tractor trailers, covers just two of the 10 community districts with the most complaints about overnight commercial parking last year: Maspeth in Queens and Flatlands in Brooklyn. Hunts Point in The Bronx — located in a community district that logged just 104, or 0.3%, of those citywide complaints last year — was selected as the third. Southeast Queens Councilmember Nantasha Williams, who in February introduced legislation to establish overnight parking spaces in industrial business zones across the city, lamented how DOT had failed to consult local residents and elected officials while planning for the pilot project.
Lack of Consultation and Proposed Solutions
“When I got into the Council, one of the requests I gave was to have an interagency task force to address trucking related issues. I didn’t get any feedback on that — then all of a sudden, the administration created this and didn’t tell us,” Williams said. DOT spokesperson Vincent Barone said the department has reached out to both Brooks-Powers and Williams upon learning of their interest in the pilot program, but said there are few opportunities in Southeast Queens where overnight truck parking could be legalized without encroaching on spaces outside local homes and businesses. “We are aware and working on the freight challenges in Southeast Queens — including supporting a dramatic expansion of truck parking at JFK — and will review any proposed locations from local officials for a pilot expansion,” Barone said, adding that the project at the airport would provide more truck parking without having to put more trucks on local streets in the neighborhood.
Long Haul Parking
Just blocks away from JFK on Thursday, dozens of oversized trucks lined both sides of Rockaway Boulevard, blocking bus stops, obscuring local businesses and jamming up traffic. Some of the trucks donned parking tickets on their doors and windows, while others had their license plates removed entirely to avoid enforcement. Many of them have been parked there for days, even months, locals say. A truck parked along Rockaway Boulevard in Southeast Queens had several faded parking tickets on its windshield, March 27, 2025. Credit: Ben Fractenberg/THE CITY
Community Impact and Economic Concerns
“See that green truck right there? That’s a bus stop. That truck has been parked in the bus stop for a week now,” said Craig Grant, 54, who lives just blocks away from a Q6 bus stop at the intersection of Rockaway Boulevard and 144th Terrace. Grant’s 72-year-old mother often misses her stop because the parked trucks cover it completely, he said. For 53-year-old Navin Jaimangai, a seafood wholesaler near Rockaway and Baisley boulevards who relies on truck drivers to deliver his goods, the inundation of illegally parked trucks — along with the scarcity of legal parking space — have also increased the cost of doing business. “We’re getting issues from truckers that are saying, ‘We’re not coming to New York because we have nowhere to park’… Now they’re sending smaller trucks to do the pick-ups, and it increases shipping costs,” Jaimangai said. At a local deli, 57-year-old manager Mary Kim said sales there often come and go with truck drivers. And business has been hurting over the last year, she added, because there’s nowhere for them to park. Southeast Queens deli manager Mary Kim speaks about trucks parking in her neighborhood, March 27, 2025. Credit: Ben Fractenberg/THE CITY
Conclusion
The exclusion of Southeast Queens from the truck-parking pilot program highlights the need for a more comprehensive approach to addressing the issue of commercial truck parking in residential areas. The community’s proximity to JFK Airport and the resulting influx of trucks have created a unique set of challenges that require tailored solutions. By working together with local residents, elected officials, and business owners, the city can develop effective strategies to mitigate the impact of commercial truck parking and create a safer, more livable environment for all.
FAQs
Q: What is the main issue addressed in the article?
A: The main issue is the exclusion of Southeast Queens from the truck-parking pilot program, despite being one of the areas most affected by commercial truck parking in residential areas.
Q: What is the impact of commercial truck parking on the community?
A: The impact includes blocked bus stops, obscured local businesses, jammed traffic, and increased costs for businesses that rely on truck deliveries.
Q: What solutions have been proposed to address the issue?
A: Proposed solutions include the expansion of truck parking at JFK Airport and the establishment of overnight parking spaces in industrial business zones across the city.
Q: Why was Southeast Queens not included in the pilot program?
A: According to the DOT, there are few opportunities in Southeast Queens where overnight truck parking could be legalized without encroaching on spaces outside local homes and businesses.
