How many bills will it take to fix truck problem here?

No matter where you look in the northwest Bronx, trucks, commercial vehicles, campers or recreational vehicles are parked overnight in a residential area.

The city transportation department claims truck activity is economically important to New York City. A study done in 2019 found 90 percent of the goods that enter and leave the city are imported by truck.

That means over the years, commercial vehicles have become more necessary than ever. But where do they go at night?

This is not only a Bronx issue but a city-wide one. Last week a city task force undertook a community survey about illegal truck parking, which they called a “longstanding problem.”

Participants took a three-minute survey that ended on Friday, Feb. 24 and were asked to check off a concern.

The options were blocked bike lanes, noise, pedestrian crossing and more.

Afterward, respondents could pinpoint on a map where illegal overnight parking is happening in their neighborhood — or where they have seen it.

The community’s input should improve and be able to accurately dive into finding a solution for the problem.

Skyview residents Larry Beck and Dawn Eaton said they are not the only ones who have been complaining.

“If I was (Mayor Eric) Adams, I would call my community officer at the 50th Precinct and I would say ‘Yo, what’s going on? What’s happening?’” Beck said. “

Why isn’t the 50th Precinct enforcing the law?”

He also encourages the 50th to send officers every shift to locations with the highest complaints for such vehicles parked overnight on residential streets.

“They’re only there because no one is forcing them to comply with the law,” he said.

Currently, the commanding officer, Capt. Filastine Srour, said in a community meeting in February that there is not enough manpower in the precinct to cover the entire neighborhood. Especially, if you compare the 50th to the neighboring precincts that have several more officers.

In New York City, commercial vehicles cannot park overnight on residential streets from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. The consequence can be a $65 ticket, with a higher price for tractor-trailers. That can be $265 for the first offense and $515 for subsequent tickets within six months.

In fact, commercial vehicles are allowed to be parked on any street for up to three hours unless signs say otherwise.

According to the transportation department, it is only lawful if there is proof the owner of the vehicle was actively engaged in business when the summons was issued. But this rule does not pertain to public utility companies.

On Henry Hudson Parkway, there is an out-of-state ambulance parked there.

Beck told The Riverdale Press he glanced inside the vehicle while the owner opened the door and he witnessed dozens of plastic bags.

“I don’t know what’s in the bags but it’s probably something that he is storing,” Beck said. “He’s basically using the van as a storage.”

Last year, Queens Councilman Riobert Holden sponsored a resolution with Councilman Eric Dinowitz calling on the state legislature to increase the cap on commercial overnight parking fines. According to Holden’s chief of staff, Daniel Kurzyna, this bill was introduced years before other local politicians thought about sponsoring such legislation.

The greater Riverdale councilman is also a co-sponsor of legislation introduced by Brooklyn Councilman Justin Brannan on Feb. 2. That bill will require an agency or office designated by the mayor by the end of the year to identify one location in each borough where it would be feasible and appropriate to create designated off-street parking for tractor-trailers by the end of 2025.

“Overnight problems are the worse. Besides the commercial vehicles illegally parked overnight, we’ve seen folks park their personal vehicles near hydrants, in crosswalks, and even on sidewalks,” Kurzyna said in an email.

“There’s less parking it seems, and more vehicles, so folks take it upon themselves to park where they please.”

“Parking is at a premium,” Eaton said. Although she pays for her parking at Skyview, she understands the struggle of others who must search far and beyond for parking.

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz calls overnight commercial parking a “chronic issue” that he is aware of along Henry Hudson Parkway, Jerome Avenue on the Major Deegan service road, Webster Avenue, Nereid Avenue and Van Cortlandt Park’s Bailey Avenue entrance.

Councilman Dinowitz, in a letter to constituents, said many trucks have been towed, but it is not enough.

Fines are not going to solve the problem.

Parking on the streets increases problems for the Bronx. Many of these are safety hazards and illegal dumping.

“The Henry Hudson RV and trailer park are right around the corner of multimillion-dollar houses,” Eaton said.

Besides for the large estates, there are plenty of apartment buildings nearby, including a church. But these “residents” park their “broken down” camper-RV nearby and don’t pay a dime for living there.

They take advantage of the neighborhood without alternate side parking.

People also wonder where the campers and tractor-trailer drivers put their garbage and bathroom waste.  “Some of the RVs have bathrooms but what are they doing with all of that? What do they do with their garbage and feces,” she said.

“These vehicles have not been moved in months if not years,” Beck said.