Truck stops.

I use truck stops or fuel stations with separate diesel truck pumps when possible. I just find that to be easier and a way to avoid unexpected problems. I plan my fuel stops ahead and usually look at a Google satellite overhead and ground level picture to get a mental idea of the approach and egress.

I have found most truck stops require you to go in and run your credit card. No pay at the pump. You usually have to pre-designate a dollar amount, so you have to do a little quick math based on you tank capacity, fuel gauge reading and the fuel price. You guess a little over, they run the card, then apply a credit when the actual transaction occurs. You may have a hold on your card for the full amount for a day or two, but I have never had a problem getting the credit (and I usually guess pretty accurately).

In some cases the smaller, non-truck stop stations that have the diesel for trucks under the same major brand (Exxon, Shell, etc.) will allow using the oil company card at the pump, but often these too are even sold by a different distributor and don't have pay at the pump, even when the automobile lanes under the major brand have pay at the pump at the same location.

I do use Flying J/Pilot's RV plus card for pay at the pump convenience. You use it by putting in a PIN at the pump, either in the RV aisles or at the big rig diesel pumps. Payment is by draft monthly from your bank account that you initiate & authorize using an on line account. I actually prefer the trucker pumps to the RV aisle at Flying J.

Much to my chagrin, T/A and Love's do not have a RV program, so obviously they are not courting our business. Therefore I preferentially use Flying J or Pilot when I have a choice to direct my business to them.

All the time buy from a good brand gas station,don't buy from small gas station.

Using a busy truck stop does not guarantee good fuel. Filled up, both tanks, in Amarillo, TX. at a very busy truck stop.

1.5hrs later on 287 in the TX panhandle the truck died. Got flat towed to next town, lucky it was only a few miles north. Guy plugs in analizer box pushes a few buttons, truck starts. Off we go. 1.5 hrs later truck dies again. This time in the middle of the OK panhandle. Another tow. This time to the local big truck garage. Old school mechanic pokes around, checks fuel filters. Does not find any significant dirt or water. Gets truck started & I go top off tank we have been running on then continue to Seibert, CO. without issue.

Nobody has figured out what the problem is.

Next morning I switch tanks, onto the 100% Amarillo fuel tank, & head off for Denver. 1.5hrs later, you can guess, it died again, right on the acceleration lane of the very busy I25. I was like Capt Sullenburger who landed in the Hudson. No power & needing somewhere to stop quick.

No tow this time. I am no trained mechanic but have 25 years of marine diesel ownership behind me doing most of the routine service. Diesels are basically simple beasts. Short of catastrophic part failure not much stops them besides a problem with the fuel or the air.

I switched tanks back to the now Amarillo/OK mixed tank & after some coaxing got the engine started & running smoothly again. Figured out what the magic computer thinghy & 2 mechanics could not.

Bad fuel. You can get it anywhere. I did not need one but it is always a good idea to carry a spare fuel filter & know how to change it.

I don't use them for diesel they more expensive and most of them you need to go inside to pay first.The DEF is ok because the price is cheaper than the store buying by the container.

padredw wrote:
I would not tell anyone else to follow my example, but I can certainly tell anyone what my practice is.

In over 100,000 miles of towing I almost totally avoid truck stops and use regular fuel stations.

My point to the OP is to say, you don't HAVE TO use truck stops. Some of us almost never use them. It is a choice you can make.

I do use care in planning at which stations I should stop and then even more care in planning how to get in--AND GET OUT.

X2 I do this even when pulling doubles and have not had an issue. Truck stop trucker pumps are usually a mess also.

Butch50 wrote:

Wild Card wrote:
I prefer truck stops for convenience. 5-10c a gallon doesn't put in poverty and it saves me in stress.

5 to 10 cents wouldn't bother me either but right now Springdale, AR has diesel at $2.29/Phillips 66 to 2.47/Harps grocery. Pilot in the same town is $2.96 per gallon. This a $.49 a gallon difference. I have the Flying J/ Pilot credit card (deducts straight from my bank account) and even with my discounts it still doesn't come close to how much more they are charging. I was just in MO a few days ago and seen the same thing.

Using even the $2.47 to the 2.96 price if you pump 30 gallons that equates to almost $15.00 more for one fill up. I don't know about you but after a little over 4 fill ups at Pilot I can get my 5th for free at the other stations that is a big difference.

I'm retired and don't get any increase in my pension or very little in SS so I have to make all of mine count in order to travel the way I like. Been officially retired for over 15 years, retired at 53. We are still able to travel the way we like and at this time don't see any reason that we won't be able to continue. If Pilot/Flying J is the only place handy then so be it I will fill up there and keep on trucking.

This is IMO.

Right now my local price is $2.80 a gallon. Checked my usuall stops to the mountains at Fly J amd Loves..
They are $2.90 to $3.

I agree that .40-.50c a gallon would turn me off...but that hasnt been my findings in the past.

bpounds wrote:

Wild Card wrote:
I prefer truck stops for convenience. 5-10c a gallon doesnt put in poverty and it saves me in stress.

Price doesn't matter much to me either. But I don't get how they are more convenient. Not in my experience, but that's JMO.

Most of my travels are interstate...not by choice just my area. So for most part 6hrs to 10hrs of my trips are on I95, I64, I40. They are right off the HWY. Other stations are down further from HWY and crowded. I can get in, get fuel, walk dog, eat, pee etc and have plenty of room to do so. I also utilize an app on my phone called truckers path. I can plot distance to next fuel stop in comparison to miles per tank. I can run full tanks of fuel stop to stop vs stopping when ever and without worry or additional planning via satelite imagery or if they even have a diesel island.

Also 10 min off Interstate and back plus down time over the coarse of 3-4 fill ups equals alot of down time.

Now that being said if I pull off for a truck stop and there is a smaller place nearby that I sniff out I will forgoe the smaller spot...but my target is the truck stop.

Wild Card wrote:
I prefer truck stops for convenience. 5-10c a gallon doesnt put in poverty and it saves me in stress.

Price doesn't matter much to me either. But I don't get how they are more convenient. Not in my experience, but that's JMO.

Wild Card wrote:
I prefer truck stops for convenience. 5-10c a gallon doesn't put in poverty and it saves me in stress.

5 to 10 cents wouldn't bother me either but right now Springdale, AR has diesel at $2.29/Phillips 66 to 2.47/Harps grocery. Pilot in the same town is $2.96 per gallon. This a $.49 a gallon difference. I have the Flying J/ Pilot credit card (deducts straight from my bank account) and even with my discounts it still doesn't come close to how much more they are charging. I was just in MO a few days ago and seen the same thing.

Using even the $2.47 to the 2.96 price if you pump 30 gallons that equates to almost $15.00 more for one fill up. I don't know about you but after a little over 4 fill ups at Pilot I can get my 5th for free at the other stations that is a big difference.

I'm retired and don't get any increase in my pension or very little in SS so I have to make all of mine count in order to travel the way I like. Been officially retired for over 15 years, retired at 53. We are still able to travel the way we like and at this time don't see any reason that we won't be able to continue. If Pilot/Flying J is the only place handy then so be it I will fill up there and keep on trucking.

This is IMO.

If you use a regular station watch for overhead clearance...my 5th wheel is 13'4 from the front AC...many old stations are lower than this...and a lot of them have no clearance signs.