Truck stops.

[grizz272]

After deciding to buy a Fifth-wheel I started thinking what I would need to know about this thing. One of the first things I realized is I have not been at a truck stop with a trailer hitched up since 2003. So what do I do when I pull up to a diesel pump at a truck stop now?

[RAS43]

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.

[Wild_Card]

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.

[Wild_Card]

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.

[bpounds]

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.

[Butch50]

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.

[Learjet]

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.

[Wild_Card]

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

[DiskDoctr]

Line up straight when pulling into the pump and plan your exit when you pull out. If you are counting on having room to angle in or out...someone will block you and/or pull right up against you. Inevitable, LOL.

Another sure thing is really dirty lanes.

I don't allow anyone to get out except me when filling. Once I am done, I will move to a better location, usually along the edge of the parking area and all passengers are escorted (not close!) around the diesel pump area to the stores and bathrooms and food.

NEVER walk close to the front of trucks! At least 10-20 ft is best so driver can see you and you have time to react, should anyone be distracted. Same with corners, turns, etc.

Also be prepared for "fuel cards only" at the pump and you will have to go inside with a credit card or cash before pumping. It happened to us this summer at a smaller truck stop. I went inside and waited in a line about 6 people deep, I guess all doing their commercial bills, etc. After the first guy was waited on, the others realized why I was there (RV was quite noticeable in the lane) and all told me to go ahead and move to the front and pay.

Courtesy is everywhere- especially when you show it first. Wanted to head off the "all truckers will be mad if you are in the lane" comments before they started.

Oh- and watch for DEBRIS in the lot. Seems a lot more parts fall off trucks -metal, gobs of grease, etc.

Watch where you step and check your shoes before stepping into your vehicle. 😉

[waltbennett]

SidecarFlip wrote:
1. Put your credit card in the slot on the pump
2. Remove the nozzle (if you have a diesel make sute you put the green nozzle in the filler
3. Turn on the pump
4. Fill your tank
5. Replace the nozzle when the tank is full
6. Get a receipt (if you want otne)
7. Pull away from the pump and motor om...

In three trips coast to coast and two from VA through Canada and back, I've come across very few truck stops that will take a credit card at a truck diesel pump. Around 80% require you to go inside and pay. Slightly irritating, but it does make me walk around a bit.

[Butch50]

abom2 wrote:

I went in and showed the night supervisor. She said they were low and that the delivery truck normally showed around 11 pm. I have not stopped at that chain anywhere since. No concern about my situation. BTW- I was at the RV Island.

The night supervisor didn't know what they are talking about. Diesel is lighter than water so water will settle to the bottom of the tank and if you pull water from then pump then the water level is getting higher than their pickup line. Everybody from then on will be getting water till the water is below the pickup line in their storage tanks. When it is that bad the station should be having someone come in and pump their tanks to get the water out.

At least that is my understanding and I have been wrong before and will be again the future.

This IMO.

Diesel fuel weighs 7# per gallon compared to water being 8.34.

[Devocamper]

enblethen wrote:
Your profile indicates that you have a Chev Duramax. If this is correct many of the big rig fueling stations won't like the small neck of your rig.
Most truck stops have an island for autos/small trucks with diesel.
Some like Flying J have RV islands.

My 2007 chevy D\A took the larger truck stop nozzle with no problem.

[Old-Biscuit]

7 yrs FT traveling back roads using Mom/Pop stations towing my 34' 5th wheel with my quad cab longbed truck.

I don't use truck stops as they tend to be dirty/fuel spillage at the islands and they are easily 10 cents/gallon higher priced if not more.

I have encountered tighter lanes/roads etc within a CG then ANY fuels station I ever used

[bpounds]

I avoid the truck lanes. The lines are always long, which overrides any easier access they may or may not have. I can always get through the RV/Auto lanes faster than the truck lane at any give station.

I tend to avoid the FJ or TA type as well, if there is a regular station with diesel available. The "truck stops" are always too busy, the lanes are messy, the clientele questionable, and 99 percent of what they offer I don't need.

[abom2]

I have a 75 gallon "Drag Up Tank" in the bed of my truck. When completely fueled up I am at 110 gallons on board.

The biggest thing about the transfer tank is I have both sediment and water filters on it.

I have gotten water at a Shell station in FL once. This station is where all of the large diesel vehicles in the small town purchased their diesel. For a year I filled up there every other month. Never had a problem with the water filter stopping up or seeing milky fuel in its sight glass on the previous 5 visits. With this decent track record on my last visit I wanted to only top off the fuel tank. I broke my rule of pumping only fuel from the transfer to the main tank this one time. Well I had water for the first time ever. Very bad luck for me. Lost two injectors and 35 gallons of fuel.

Second time I received water in my fuel was at a national chain truck stop in NM. I never would have bet on their storage tanks having water. I really had to stop for fuel also. Main tank at a 1/4 and I knew I had about 15 gallons in the transfer. Late in the evening and was wanting to rest so, I pulled in to the truck stop for fuel and rest. I was pumping into the transfer tank until the pump read about 20 gallons and then started the pump on the transfer tank. Things were going well for about 3 or 4 minutes and I saw the sight glass turn milky and the nozzle shut off. Filter would not pass fuel. Shut off both pumps. Took a small plastic bottle and drained the sight bowl. Let it stand for a minute or so and of the 8 to 9 oz of liquid in the bottle more than half was water.

I went in and showed the night supervisor. She said they were low and that the delivery truck normally showed around 11 pm. I have not stopped at that chain anywhere since. No concern about my situation. BTW- I was at the RV Island.

I enjoy being able to fuel up at the rest areas. I can do that, get out and walk, go to the restroom, walk down the truck and 5th wheel at leisure. I am not holding anyone up and I find I top off at half a tank because that is about 4 hours of sitting and driving. Time to move around.

[shepstone]

ppine wrote:
I have always liked truck stops. They have room, good prices, good coffee and plenty of things like fuel additive, a small drug store, etc. You can take a shower. They are always open.

In the West, they vary. Sometimes the diesel fuel is on the islands with the gas for cars. Sometimes it is only on separate truck islands. Sometimes it is in both places. Since one ton and smaller diesel trucks has become popular, most of the stations have the normal size nozzles for filling tanks. A few of the big nozzles are still around.

The Seven Feathers Truck Stop on I-5 in Oregon deserves special mention. It is Indian owned with a casino. You can stay in a quiet parking lot for free and have dinner at the casino. The truck stop is across the highway and has good prices and great coffee.

Stopped at the Seven Feathers in Oregon on at least 3 occasions and I agree they are very good.