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|  Motorists Parking a Truck or Commercial Vehicle |  | |||
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| *Note: The full listing of regulations for parking, stopping and standing a vehicle in New York City can be found in Section 4-08 (pdf) of the New York City Traffic Rules. The following rules outline those that apply to commercial vehicles. For the purposes of parking, stopping and standing, a truck is considered a commercial vehicle. What are the rules for parking a truck or commercial vehicle?
Pursuant to Section 4-01(b) of the New York City Traffic Rules, a commercial vehicle is defined as the following:
For the purposes of parking, standing and stopping rules, a vehicle shall not be deemed a commercial vehicle or a truck unless:
For the purposes other than parking, stopping and standing rules, a vehicle designed, maintained, or used primarily for the transportation of property or for the provision of commercial services and bearing commercial plates is considered a commercial vehicle. Vehicles from other states or countries bearing commercial or equivalent registration plates from other states or countries shall not be deemed trucks or commercial vehicles unless they are permanently altered and marked as required in the above bulleted list. Parking, standing and stopping regulations for commercial vehicles in
*Note: Restrictions apply to these rules, especially in midtown Manhattan. Scroll down to the "Additional parking restrictions: Blue Zone, midtown and other special zones" section for more information.
New York City Parking of unaltered commercial vehicles prohibited. No person shall stand or park a vehicle with commercial plates in any location unless it has been permanently altered with all seats and rear seat fittings, except the front seats, removed except that for vehicles designed with a passenger cab and a cargo area separated by a partition, the seating capacity within the cab shall not be considered in determining whether the vehicle is properly altered, and has the name and address of the owner as shown on the registration certificate plainly marked on both sides of the vehicle in letters and numerals not less than three inches in height, in compliance with Section 10-127 of the Administrative Code and is also in compliance with the definition of commercial vehicle . No standing except trucks loading and unloading. Where a posted sign reads "No Standing Except Trucks Loading and Unloading," no vehicle except a commercial vehicle, or a service vehicle as defined in the Section 4-01(b) (pdf) of the New York City Traffic Rules, may stand or park in that area, for the purpose of expeditiously making pickups, deliveries or service calls, and except that in the area from 35th St. to 41st St., Avenue of the Americas to 8th Avenue, inclusive, in the Borough of Manhattan between the hours of 7 am and 7 pm, no vehicle except a truck as defined in Section 4-13(a) (pdf) may stand or park for the purpose of expeditiously making pickups, deliveries or service calls. Angle standing or parking of commercial vehicles. Commercial vehicles standing or parking in authorized areas shall not be placed at an angle to the curb unless such positioning is essential for loading or unloading and then only for such period of time actually required for such purposes provided that a sufficient space shall be left clear for the passage of a vehicle between the angle parked vehicle and the center of the street, the opposite curb or a vehicle parked or standing thereat, whichever is closest. In no event shall an angle-parked vehicle occupy more than a parking lane, plus one traffic lane. Parking of trailers. No person shall park any trailer or semi-trailer on any street or arterial highway, except while loading or unloading at off-street platforms, unless such trailer or semi-trailer is attached to a motor vehicle capable of towing it. Notwithstanding these provisions, where posted signs permit, a trailer or semi-trailer may park while unattached to a motor vehicle capable of towing it on streets in industrial zoned property as defined in the Zoning Resolution . Such trailers or semi-trailers may park for the length of time indicated on the posted signs. An owner of a trailer or semi-trailer parked pursuant to this provision shall protect the streets from damage that may be caused by parking the unattached trailer. All doors located on such trailers or semi-trailers must be locked while the trailers are parked. Street storage of commercial vehicles prohibited. When parking is not otherwise restricted, no person shall park a commercial vehicle in any area, including a residential area, in excess of three hours. Nighttime parking of commercial vehicles prohibited. No person shall park a commercial vehicle on a residential street, between the hours of 9 pm and 5 am In the case when a commercial vehicle is parked in violation of this rule, the burden of proof is placed on the person who received the summons, to prove that he or she was actively engaged in business at the time the summons was issued at a premises located within three City blocks of where the summons was issued. This paragraph shall not apply to vehicles owned or operated by gas or oil heat suppliers or gas or oil heat systems maintenance companies, the agents or employees thereof, or any public utility. Vehicles equipped with platform lifts. Commercial vehicle may not be parked on any City street with a platform lift set in a lowered position while the vehicle is unattended. What is "double parking?"
Pursuant to Section 4-08 (f) (1) of the New York City Traffic Rules, double parking is when the operator of a vehicle stands or parks that vehicle on the roadway side of another vehicle that is stopped, standing, or parked at the curb.
Under what circumstances are commercial vehicles allowed to double park?
In most situations, a person may stand a commercial vehicle alongside a vehicle parked at the curb at such locations and during such hours that stopping, standing, or parking is not prohibited, while expeditiously making pickups, deliveries or service calls, provided that:
What is the proper way to double park/stand a commercial vehicle next to a bicycle lane?
Trucks and commercial vehicles, when permitted to double park, must not obstruct a bicycle lane. In addition, an operator shall not drive a motor vehicle across a designated buffer zone except when it is reasonable and necessary to enter or leave a legal curbside parking space or driveway. Obstructing a bicycle lane is illegal and subject to a fine. The images below depict the right and wrong way to double park near a bike lane:
 
Click here to learn more about the proper way to park or stand near a bicycle lane (pdf). Additional parking restrictions: Blue Zone, midtown and other special zones
Special midtown rule: standing time limit. Except where otherwise restricted, between the hours of 7 am and 7 pm daily, except Sundays, from 14th to 60th Streets, 1st to 8th Avenues, all inclusive, in the Borough of Manhattan, no operator of a vehicle or combination of vehicles used for transportation of merchandise shall stop, stand, or park in any of the streets herein designated, other than parallel and close to the curb, and occupy no more than ten feet of roadway space from the nearest curb, and in no case shall any such vehicle be backed in at an angle to the curb.
Special midtown rule: method of parking. Except where otherwise restricted, between the hours of 7 am and 7 pm daily, except Sundays, from 14th to 60th Streets, 1st to 8th Avenues, all inclusive, in the Borough of Manhattan, no operator of a vehicle or combination of vehicles used for transportation of merchandise shall stop, stand, or park in any of the streets herein designated, other than parallel and close to the curb, and occupy no more than ten feet of roadway space from the nearest curb, and in no case shall any such vehicle be backed in at an angle to the curb.
Blue Zone (in Manhattan). No person shall park a vehicle upon any of the streets within the area designated as the "Blue Zone", Monday through Friday from 7 am to 7 pm, except as otherwise posted along the perimeter of and inside the designated area, or when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with law or upon the direction of any law enforcement officer authorized to enforce these rules. Said area is indicated by a blue line painted parallel to the curb and is bounded by the northern property line of Frankfort Street, the northern property line of Dover Street, the eastern property line of South Street, the western property line of State Street, the centerline of Broadway, and the centerline of Park Row.
Parking in garment district restricted to trucks and vans. Notwithstanding any provisions of these rules to the contrary, no vehicles except trucks and vans bearing commercial plates shall stand at the curb for the purpose of expeditiously loading and unloading between the hours of 7 am and 7 pm, daily, including Sundays, from 35th Street to 41st Street, between Avenue of the Americas and 8th Avenue, all inclusive, in the Borough of Manhattan. For the purpose of this paragraph (4), passenger vehicles or station wagons bearing commercial plates shall not be deemed trucks or vans.
Parking restricted in limited truck zones. No operator of a truck shall stop, stand or park his/her vehicle upon any streets designated as "Limited Truck Zones," except for the purpose of making a delivery, loading or servicing within said zone, and except as otherwise provided in Section 4-13(d)(3) (pdf) of the New York City Traffic Rules.
Commercial vehicle parking requires payment in certain "No Standing Loading & Unloading" zones in Manhattan. Commercial vehicles are required to pay for parking in "No Standing Loading & Unloading" zones in Manhattan on east and westbound streets as well as the avenues from 23rd Street to 59th Street and from 2nd Avenue to 9th Avenue and on Canal Street on both sides between Bowery and West Broadway. These rules are in effect Monday through Friday from 7 am to 6 pm unless otherwise posted. Commercial vehicles must stand or park at parking spaces controlled by muni-meters, purchase parking at muni-meters located on these streets, and display the receipt on the dashboard. The maximum time for such metered parking on a single block is a total of three hours, unless otherwise indicated by a posted sign. Both sides of the single street constitute a block. Rates for commercial vehicles are $2 for one hour, $5 for two hours, and $9 for three hours of parking for loading and unloading. Muni-meters accept coins and NYC Parking Card and many accept credit cards.
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