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COLUMBIA - With the holiday season right around the corner, stop lights aren't the only signals slowing down drivers. Some drivers say being stuck behind the blinking red flashers on an eighteen-wheeler drives them crazy. "It's really annoying. Almost every morning I have to avoid downtown because the traffic is so bad," said Columbia driver Ashley Stout.

Stout also said Columbia should do something more to help with the traffic. "I think they should be ticketed just like any other truck driver would be if they parked in the middle of the street downtown."

Heidelberg Manager Dusty Walls said his business receives about 1-2 deliveries every day. "The majority of them park in our back alley and deliver through our back door. Maybe one or two of them deliver out front but that's about it."

The district has tips for delivery trucks.

• Always use a marked vehicle for deliveries-parking enforcement has different rules for official delivery vehicles than they do for someone running in for a quick cup of coffee.
• Businesses may park in the alley only if they are obviously loading and unloading. Do not leave your vehicle unattended or you will receive a ticket. This means you may carry something into your store, set it down inside and then immediately return to your car.
• Smaller delivery trucks and delivery vehicles are encouraged to use the east-west running public alleys for loading and unloading. This will get the truck out of traffic and closer to the back entrances of stores and restaurants.
• Larger delivery vehicles pull as far to the right of the street as possible for loading and unloading. Temporary double parking is allowed in this case, although blocking cars from entering or leaving a metered spot is never acceptable.

Drivers KOMU spoke with suggested future plans downtown include set delivery times and widening city streets.