diesel lanes

We never use anything else when we have the trailer on.

Most truck islands have a marked entrance side and exit side. Going through the wrong way causes problems. When entering correctly, the pump on the left is the master and the one on the right is the slave. You want to use only the master. Over the road trucks can use both since they have tanks hung on both sides of the frame.

Pull up to the pump. Most still do not have card readers on the pump. Some will read transport company cards but not bank credit cards. Take your credit/debit card (or cash) inside and tell the fuel desk (usually separate from the convenience store cashier) that you are "Private user on pump number ??). On a card, they may ask for a limit. Tell them $200. That just sets a pump limit. They will run the correct amount onto the card after you cut the pump off.

Go out and pump your fuel. As soon as you finish, immediately pull forward so your trailer is clear of the pump island far enough so the next guy can pull in and get set up.

I have never had a problem with the larger nozzles on the truck pumps (on an 06 Chevy). You cannot accept fuel at the maximum rate that the pump can deliver, but it is still faster than an auto island pump when you hold it about half speed.

Go back inside and get your card and receipt (or change and receipt).

Go move to a parking area if you have other business (food, restroom, etc) in the store. Otherwise hit the road.

I have never had a trucker object to my using the diesel lanes. They understand having a trailer hung on the back far better than the meathead auto traffic out front does. I have had people in a compact car give me far more of a hard time than any commercial driver ever would.

I always use semi lanes and have no issue fueling

This topic has been bantied about often. I've been using the truck lanes for the past 8 years with no problems. All the truckers seem to accept us wherever we go. That said, there is etiquette to follow. Here's what we do.

We are Good Sam life members since 1983, and have the Flying J pump start card.

We pull into an empty lane and up to the pump.
My wife starts the pump and goes inside.
I fuel the coach, text her the amount so she can verify at the register.
I then pull the coach forward so the trucker behind me can pull up and use the pump.
Wife comes out with the receipt and off we go.

If we decide to weigh the rig, which I do regularly, she pays for that while at the register. I then pull the rig onto the scale, and she goes inside to get the ticket.

Pretty easy....just remember the truckers are WORKING. For every minute they have to wait for you, they are losing MONEY. Put yourself in their shoes. Most truckers get paid by the mile, so when they're waiting for you their clock has stopped....Dennis

If you are in Arizona, the pickups do not need to pay a 40 cent per gallon road tax, so you are better off fueling in the gas station section made for cars.

The truck stops normally have a 1.25" diameter fuel filler, designed to put out a minimum of 15 gallons per minute. If you have a pair of 150 gallon tanks, you don't want to wait for it to fill at the car rate of 8 gallons per minute, but instead fill up at 15 GPM per filler nozzle! Twin nozzles are the normal for truck filling stations! They can take on about 300 gallons in 10 minutes!

Your truck probably does not have the ability to insert a 1.25" diameter filler. It probably also has a bend in the filler line, and would not be able to accept 12 GPM or more! So you might be able to use some fillers, but not most.

I hear your pain! I was thinking of getting a F-450 as a retirement fifth wheel puller! Then in addition to the standard 40 gallon rear tank, I wanted to install a under the cab 53 gallon tank, so I could tow for about 900 miles without ever towing the trailer into the gas station! I could fill while the trailer is in a campground, or when the price is REALLY reasonable!

Depending on your tank size, you might consider a replacement tank?? Some 50 gallon in the bed fuel tanks can be filled at 15 GMP in the truck stops. IF that is enough fuel for you, then just fill the in the bed tank, as you leave the station, it will fill your main tank as you drive!

I would rather have my bed open to store whatever. . .

Good luck,

Fred.

The nozzle on the pumps in the semi truck lanes is larger than the auto diesel pumps. You can pump fuel, but it's a PITA. We just got home from pulling back from Florida and sometimes found at the diesel islands (those usually in the back or sides of the larger stations) that the first or second lanes closest to the store are auto diesel pumps with the smaller nozzles.