What about the "other" truck stops

Dutch_12078 wrote:
Pilot/Flying J gets more mentions because they cater more to RV'ers and there's just plain more of them. P/FJ has over 550 locations, Love's has 300 plus, and TCA/Petro has 249 at last count.

Roady's Truck Stops has 350 stops, but we never hear about them. They are larger than Loves.

No, Pilot / Flying J is not the "hot topic" on these forums so much because they are RV friendly, they are "hot topics" because Good Sam has an affiliation with Pilot / Flying J. In other words, Camping World, Motor Home Magazine, Trailer Life, RV.net, Good Sam, Coast-to-Coast .... all belong to the same parent company. Pilot / Flying J also have an affiliation, thus the reason for the Good Sam discounts at the pumps. I think that's the REAL reason Pilot / Flying J are discussed so much on these forums.

I don't do truck stops, and not just Pilot / Flying J. But smetimes, occasionally, am in a position to use one. I still don't like them. But when I have used them, the car pumps have always been convenient for RV's and not near as dirty and grimy as the big rig truck pump bays.

Now, there is only 1 truck stop that my wife insists on stopping at whenever we pass there. If we don't stop, get out, and visit the shops inside, I NEVER hear the end of it. We do usually plan on getting diesel there, and we do use the car pumps, and that's the Iowa I-80 truck stop (click here). This really is a pretty interesting truck stop. It's more than just a truck stop, it's a complete truck-stop, shopping mall and a museum all rolled into one!

I find truck stops are often gathered together like ducks on a lake. If that is the case I pick the one with the easiest MH access and egress.

Pilot/Flying J gets more mentions because they cater more to RV'ers and there's just plain more of them. P/FJ has over 550 locations, Love's has 300 plus, and TCA/Petro has 249 at last count.

Right before I put our motorhome in storage in California, I stop and fill up at the T/A station at Dillion road and the I-10 in Indio, CA. It's not the cheapest but the most convenient.

I usually look for Flying J's/Pilots when en route. The 'Prevost' group have a deal with Love's to get a nice discount on fuel. I'm just not excited about giving them my checking acct. number. You know how hackers can get personal information now-a-days, I just want to be careful.

We normally avoid Love's as they always seem to be dirtier than the others.

MM.

holstein13 wrote:
Driving along the highway today, I noticed a "Petro" truck stop AKA Travel Centers of America along the highway. This got me to wondering, why do we always talk about Pilot / Flying J and Loves? What about these other truck stops? Are they any good? Are there any advantages to other chains or even local mom and pop stations? Are you a creature of habit and only go to your favorite chain, or do you like to try all the options?

At one time the Petro Truck Stops set the standard for all others to try to follow. Of course they were only in Texas at the time. They had a GREAT restaurant (Drivers only section), Individual rooms for showers, Cleaned after each use. A truckers lounge, A huge truckers store, and many of them had a Brokers house in them. To help drivers get loads home. The one in McAllen, Parked over a thousand trucks.

holstein13 wrote:
Driving along the highway today, I noticed a "Petro" truck stop AKA Travel Centers of America along the highway. This got me to wondering, why do we always talk about Pilot / Flying J and Loves? What about these other truck stops? Are they any good? Are there any advantages to other chains or even local mom and pop stations? Are you a creature of habit and only go to your favorite chain, or do you like to try all the options?

they're all good. it's just that Flying J and some Pilot stops have dedicated RV lanes making it easier...generally...to fuel.