COMMUNITY IMPACT | capitallogistics

Our Vision: To create a thriving, sustainable community where our business actively contributes to the well-being of our city's residents, fostering a shared sense of prosperity and positive social impact through collaborative initiatives and responsible practices.

Capital Drop Yard LLC has applied for rezoning and approval from the City of Memphis to develop 7 acres of land on East Shelby Drive - Parcel ID: 060232022229 (4 miles west of the Lamar Corridor) into an environmentally friendly, highly secured, completely fenced and gated, lighted and monitored, full-service semi-truck parking facility. This 200-space facility will be the only facility in the country to offer truckers truly idle-free parking solutions enabling them to turn their trucks off and still have the comforts of electric and HVAC in their sleeper cabs.

Capital Drop Yard implements an innovative and environmentally friendly approach to handling the stresses on the city’s outdated transportation infrastructure. Our first of it’s kind public drop yard combines a unique combination of technologies and best practices that will significantly alleviate 4 critical short-falls in our transportation infrastructure:

CRIME & CARGO THEFT: Traditional truck stop parking is the PROBLEM, not a solution to our city’s CRIME, CARGO- THEFT & PROSTITUTION.
TRUCK PARKING SHORTAGE & CONGESTION AROUND LAMAR AVE CORRIDOR: Memphis is suffering from a critical shortfall in the availability of truck parking, particularly environmentally sustainable truck parking. Lack of secure parking drastically reduces driver efficiency & increases cargo theft.
IDLING TRUCKS CREATE HARMFUL EMISSIONS & NOISE POLLUTION: Drive through any truck stop with your window down and you will hear almost every truck engine idling. Thousands of trucks sit idling in our city every day, polluting the air typically in lower income neighborhoods. Memphis has the highest rate of pediatric asthma in the state and among the highest in the country.
OAKHAVEN FOOD DESERT: The USDA interactive map shows various overlays of food insecurity & access issues. Fresh food and a healthy diet are often more dream than reality for many in the Oakhaven area.

Memphis is North America's Logistics Capital because of its access to runway, rail, road, and port. We are one of the few inland ports in the country with 5 Class I railroads (BNSF, CN, CSX, NS and UP). A few miles away, the Memphis International Airport (MEM) is the busiest cargo airport in North America and the second-busiest in the world. The vast majority of this logistics is in district 3 in or near the Lamar Avenue Corridor.

Our market analysis underscores a critical shortfall in the availability of environmentally sustainable truck parking in the Memphis area. The U.S. Department of Transportation reported last year [2023] that for the roughly 3.5 million truck drivers in the U.S., there are only about 313,000 truck parking spaces (that's one spot for every 11 trucks). Until this year Memphis had just two major truck stops (Pilot Travel Center & Loves on Lamar Ave) to service driver's needs for things like diesel fuel, food, showers and overnight parking. Last year one of those 2 truck stops (Pilot Travel Center) was demolished leaving just one major truck stop to serve 20,000 truckers that come to or through Memphis on a daily basis. Drivers are legally required to rest 10 hours for every 11 on the road, so they rotate in and out of the parking spaces at different times as spots come available. However, due to the parking shortage you often see these trucks parked along Interstate exit and entry ramps, in vacant lots and other unsafe locations, particularly at night.

Challenge #1: Cargo Theft and Crime in the Lamar Avenue Corridor

Truck stops such as Loves and Pilot provide a lifeline of essential resources for hard working truckers, particularly for long haul truckers that live in their cabs while over the road. Due to the severe shortage of overnight parking in the Memphis area many of these truckers are forced to park illegally and in unsecured areas that are not designated for trucks. The very few truckers that are fortunate to find an overnight parking spot at the Loves Truck Stop on Lamar Ave often find themselves victims of cargo theft and crimes against drivers due to the unsecured nature of these truck stops.

While filling a valuable void, truck stops lack the fencing / gates, electric fencing, adequate lighting necessary to safely secure the valuable cargo that is parked on their lots. Data Hub reports that in the past year Love's Truck Stop on Lamar was the site of 137 police reports, dozens of which were related to semi trailer break-ins. These thefts are often tied to highly sophisticated organized crime operations, some even located in other countries. Memphis is in the top 10 cities in the country for cargo theft according to FBI statistics. Countless shooting deaths and serious injuries take place at the Lamar Ave Loves on a regular basis. This year alone shooting deaths were reported at the truck stop on March 17 and July 2.

Our Solution: Our plan is to provide truckers with a safer, more secure alternative to overnight parking at truck stops & illegal parking spots that lack necessary deterrents and barriers to keep thieves and prostitution out. Our public drop yard will be available to all drivers in the area.

8ft High Chain Link Fencing with Barbed Wire & Razor Wire
Electric Fencing (7,000 Volt)
Gated Entrance and Exits
Extremely Bright LED Lighting (80,000 / 60,000 lumens)
Perimeter Motion Sensors & Camera Systems with 60-day Backup, AI for intruder detection & linked to MPD Real-Time Crime Center
Backup Bumpers to prevent thieves from opening doors of loaded trailers

Challenge #2: Congestion in Lamar Avenue Corridor & Lack of Semi Truck Parking

Congestion in and around the I-55 at I-40 connection ranked No. 42 on the American Transportation Research Institute’s list of top 100 worst bottlenecks in the country for 2022. The congestion and parking shortage is particularly acute along the heavily trafficked 5 mile stretch of Lamar Ave in the Lamar Avenue Corridor. To address the severe congestion in the area, The Lamar Avenue Corridor project was recently funded in part by a $71.1 million grant from The U.S. Department of Transportation to alleviate congestion and improve the flow of commerce through our "logistics corridor." The U.S. Department of Transportation reported in 2023 that for the roughly 3.5 million truck drivers in the U.S., there are only about 313,000 truck parking spaces (that's one spot for every 11 trucks). For this reason truck drivers give up an average of 56 minutes of their available 11 hour drive time per day parking early rather than risking not being able to find parking down the road. The time spent looking for available truck parking costs the average driver about $5,500 annually in lost compensation and thousands of dollars in overnight parking fees charged by truck stops, according to American Trucking Associations. The shortage of safe and environmentally sustainable idle-free parking and resources for these drivers is occurring in the context of a burgeoning freight transportation sector which is set to intensify the demand for additional parking solutions. Last year [2023] the Arkansas Department of Transportation opened an 84-space commercial truck park in West Memphis. The $6 million facility provides a rest area for the more than 20,000 commercial trucks that pass through West Memphis each day.

On any given day there can be hundreds of truckers that are contracted to provide time sensitive ad hoc freight services to Fedex or UPS. These drivers are required to be in close proximity to the Memphis Airport to provide immediate service for shipments that cannot be shipped by air. Due to the time sensitive nature of these shipments truckers generally sit at or around the Loves on Lamar idling their engines awaiting dispatch from FedEx / UPS, further exacerbating the congestion in the area.

Our Solution: Capital Drop Yard, if approved by the City of Memphis, will be conveniently located 4 miles west of the congested Lamar Corridor yet in close proximity to the Memphis Airport. We will provide a full-service drop yard facility that leverages many years of relationships with local vendors to provide on-site services to truckers. The full service nature (see below) of the parking facility means drivers will be on local roads less, resulting in greater driver efficiencies and considerably less congestion in and around the Lamar Corridor. The additional parking spots also means driver efficiency improves since drivers no longer have to navigate the uncertainty of whether or not they can find a parking spot meaning they can spend more time working and less time searching for a parking spot. The site location sits less than 1/8 of a mile from the Memphis International Airport, this will serve as a perfect location for Fedex and UPS ad hoc drivers.

Drop Yard Services Available to Truckers (onsite):

DOT Inspections -- Rescue Repair Service
Tire Pressure Management
Truck and Trailer Wash -- Rescue Repair Service
On-site Cross Dock & Freight Storage (in rental trailers)
Windshield Repair / Replacement -- Universal Glass Repair
Brake & Tire Service for trucks and trailers -- Rescue Repair Service
Full Service Trailer Shop (partner / vendor on site) -- Rescue Repair Service
Pre & Post-Trip Inspections (trucks and trailers) -- Rescue Repair Service
Safety & Compliance Services -- Thompson DOT Safety & Compliance
Permitting / Tag / Fuel Tax Services available to carriers -- Perfect Choice Permitting
Insurance -- MidSouth Truckers Group / Lipscomb & Pitts Insurance
Dispatch / Load Planning Services to maximize driver efficiencies
Regular peer group meetings with guest experts / leaders from the industry to discuss best practices for small trucking business - 90% of small trucking companies fail
Partnership with The Transformation Doctor to help educate drivers on diet & fitness

Our onsite Driver lounge will be available to all drivers that pay to park with us:

Free Private Showers
Free Laundry
Restrooms
Conference Room / Business Center / Free Wifi
Fitness / workout room
Kitchen - meal prep recipes and healthy eating classes for drivers
Free WIFI

Challenge #3: Idling Trucks create Harmful Emissions & Noise Pollution in our Communities

Drive through any truck stop with your window down and you will hear almost every truck engine is idling. On any given day thousands of truckers that deliver to Memphis shippers and receivers are parked and idling their engines as they take their 10-hour break, await appointment times or their next dispatch. In addition to the noise pollution, each idling truck consumes about 1 gallon of diesel fuel per hour which emits 18 - 25 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) and countless cancer causing air pollutants into the air. Diesel truck idling is among the worst sources of pollution for our community and the atmosphere. The EPA estimates that a typical 100-space travel plaza, with an average 66% occupancy rate, generates over 2,500 tons of emissions at that location each year from idling, burning over 240,000 gallons of diesel fuel.

At this time there is no truck parking facility that offers drivers of diesel powered trucks idle-free parking solutions; not in Memphis and not in the country! Some truck stops offer electric hookups for trucks (TSE) however electricity alone does not provide essential air conditioning or heating to the driver's cab since virtually all diesel powered semi trucks on the road today require that their engines be running in order to provide air or heat to the driver's cab.

Studies show that low-income people are disproportionately impacted by air pollution. The EPA has reported that people living near sources of air pollution including major roadways, ports, rail yards, and industrial facilities [such as those facilities concentrated in District 3] are at higher risk of falling victim to health effects like asthma, reduced lung function, cardiovascular disease, and premature death.

Our Solution: Capital Drop Yard will provide diesel powered truckers with the only truly idle-free truck parking facility in the country. Our easy to use proprietary HVAC & Power stations will allow truck drivers to park in our safe and secure yard, turn off their diesel engines and connect the window mounted control module to the passenger window. The control module provides the driver with 120-volt electrical outlets, a thermostat, carbon monoxide / smoke detector and a fresh air vent. The driver simply sets the desired temperature on the control module and the system pumps fresh / filtered air conditioning or heat through the hose so that the driver can remain comfortable with their engine turned off.

Our HVAC system is a 12,000 BTU closed filtered system that draws air from inside the cab and filters it about once a minute. The filtered air is then cooled or heated and treated with ultraviolet light to kill bacteria, viruses, and spores. Use of the system will greatly diminish both air and noise pollution and increase fuel conservation and will therefore have beneficial effects not only for the environment, but also for neighborhood residents and drivers. Truck drivers save money and get better sleep without the engine noise, vibration, and exhaust fumes from idling. Better rest for drivers will make for safer drivers. Electric hookups for refrigerated trailers will be phased in as well.

Together, we can save millions of tons of dangerous emissions from polluting our environment and contributing to climate change.

What’s Next? Our next step is to implement renewable energy resources [such as solar] to use in providing our services. Renewable energy is good for the environment and good for our community.

Challenge #4: OAKHAVEN FOOD INSECURITY The USDA interactive atlas and map shows various overlays of food insecurity and access issues in the Oakhaven / South Memphis area. Fresh food and a healthy diet are often more dream than reality for many in the area. You’re more likely to discover streets packed with fast food options, dollar stores with limited fresh food and a plethora of corner stores packed with cold cuts, junk food, alcohol and an assortment of overpriced loaves of bread and gallons of milk.
Note: The USDA defines a food desert as a community where at least 500 people or 33% of the population live more than one mile from a grocery store and don't own a car.

Solution #4: Oakhaven Community Gardens

Our Mission: Oakhaven Community Gardens

Promote food security and food self-sufficiency in the Oakhaven community, providing space and resources for individuals and households to garden, regardless of income level, using environmentally sustainable organic practices.
Promote physical and mental health in our community by offering an opportunity for practical exercise for all ages and a space to enjoy companionship with other gardeners, quiet the mind, relax and relieve stress.
Work to strengthen our community by providing an inclusive environment, reaching out to and encouraging participation by all who have an interest in gardening.

To achieve our Vision and Mission we will:

encourage garden members to set and achieve their goals
allow members to participate in decision making and to consider the social and community impacts of the decision
work with and through others committed to building healthy and active communities
develop partnerships and networks with government, community, public and private sector
focus on the sustainability of programs and initiatives over the longer term
act against discrimination – treating everyone as “equal” and with respect
be well governed, effectively managed and a sustainable not-for-profit community organization