TAXI IN DAMAGE TO TRUCK PARKED AT GATE AREA.

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SCHEDULED FLT XX CVG MSP ON SEP/XX/94 ARRIVED MSP AT RR20. MD-88 PUSHING BACK FROM OUR GATE. WE WAITED. RAMP ASKED US TO TAXI IN AND WE SAID IT WAS TOO CLOSE. MD88 TAXIED OUT AND RAMP PEOPLE RETURNED TO GATE TO TAXI US IN. WE PROCEEDED. TAXIING ON #1 ENG WITH A FAIRLY TIGHT TURN IN. TAXI DIRECTOR'S DIRECTIONS WERE GOOD AND I LINED UP ON CTRLINE. FO MENTIONED THAT A TRUCK LOOKED CLOSE. I SCANNED IT BUT FELT IT WOULD BE OK. I WAS FOCUSSING ON DIRECTIONS NOW. NORMAL STOP SIGNAL AND WE STOPPED. WAITED FOR CHOCKS AND EXTERNAL PWR SIGNAL. DIRECTOR NOW GAVE ME A STRANGE SIGNAL LATER TO BE DETERMINED AS PULLBACK. THEN THE FO FROM OUTBOUND CREW CAME INTO COCKPIT AND SAID WE HAD HIT A TRUCK WITH #1 ENG. I SHUT #1 DOWN AND WENT OUT TO INVESTIGATE. #1 ENG HAD CRUSHED R FRONT FENDER OF TRUCK; ABOUT 3 INCHES. PICTURES WERE TAKEN. TRUCK WAS PARKED WELL WITHIN SAFETY PAINT. THOROUGH INSPECTION BY MAINT DETERMINED NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. THERE WAS NO IMPACT FELT ON FLT DECK AT ALL. TAXI SPD WAS VERY SLOW AND NORMAL. R WING WALKER LATER SAID HE WAS YELLING BUT COULD NOT BE HEARD OVER ENG NOISE. THE NEXT MORNING I WAS DISTRESSED TO SEE ANOTHER TRUCK PARKED IN SAME SAFETY ZONE WITH A 727 AT GATE. RECOMMENDED KEEP THESE AREAS CLR; AND PERHAPS PAINT THEM WITH MORE DISTINCTION LIKE GATE NEXT DOOR. (WHITE/RED/WHITE.) PAINT IS CHEAP. ALSO RECOMMENDED BETTER TRAINING FOR PART TIME HELP DIRECTING AND WORKING AROUND ACFT. ALSO MY OWN VIGILANCE WILL INCREASE AND FO WILL BE MORE ASSERTIVE IF HE SEES OR FEARS SOMETHING I DON'T. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 284917: CORRECTIVE ACTION: PARK THE TRUCK FAR AWAY FROM THE GATES; MARK THE ACFT PARKING AREA TO DESIGNATE NO PARK ZONES FOR GND EQUIP. WING WALKERS ARE INEFFECTIVE BECAUSE THE PERSON OPERATING THE STOP LIGHT OR WANDS IS FOCUSING ON THE NOSE WHEEL STOP SPOT AND CAN'T SEE WING WALKER IN A TIMELY MANNER. AUDIBLE SHOUTS NOT POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF SET NOISE. ONLY SAFE BET IS TO KEEP PARKING AREA CLR.