Gas Stops

[Team_D]

I'm not sure where to put this, so this seemed like a good place. This week will be my first outing flat towing our Honda Fit. We will be going from Wilmington NC up 95 to Williamsburg VA. I've driven travel trailers before, and it never bothered me. However, I was able to back up with that, and believe me, more than once I found myself in a bind where I had to back up.

My biggest concern is stopping for gas. My Class A is 33 feet, add to that the Fit, and it will be a long. I looked on the Flying J website, no RV lane gas stations along the way. Any suggestions on how to find gas stations, or even better, good gas stations along the way that are dinghy friendly.

Thanks

[klutchdust]

31 footer with a jeep toad. From the street you can usually evaluate your chances, I avoid truck stops and will use a station based on convenience and not necessarily price. Facing out to exit once filled is a great idea. Most Interstate stations have multiple pumps and long aisles to fuel, I just wait in line for the easiest one and it's not a problem. I'm on vacation so time and cost have little if any effect on my decision. Don't overthink it too much, use common sense.

[rockhillmanor]

Just use any gas station.
7 years of full time towing the toad and I use plain ole gas stations.

You will have to learn to "look ahead" diligently.

Look ahead to see if you have a straight exit BEFORE you pull in.

You had a TT so you already have that knowledge. Same o same o! Don't sweat it! :C

[nevadanick]

Wyotravlr has the best answer. I always plan the exit before entering. Als o when i had my crewcab dually pickup i planned my exit when parking it. Makes life easy.

[F1bNorm]

Our routine:

If coming from the campground, we hitch the towd after gassing the MH. I gas the MH. DW gets breakfast or does shopping and we meet in a large parking lot.

If on the road and they're several off ramps to a town, we take one of the first off ramps. Cruise through town until we find a suitable gas station, hop back on the hughway.

At a 1/4 tank, I start looking. Also a GPS will lead you to a cluster of stations.

The bad scene is when you're not paying attention and the low gas light comes on and you just passed a sign that says, "next gas 30 miles"! But then you do have a towd!

Norm

[Y-Guy]

When pull our Boat or our previous ATV trailer I would aim to fill up at Costco whenever possible (gasser RV) I would also use Google maps to look at the layout and try to see if I'd have to make any hard narrow turns. You can do the same thing. Use Gas Buddy to scout out a good price for gas then see how the station looks with Google Maps.

[kalynzoo]

Verizon travel app and I-exit both list gas stops. If I am not entering an obviously RV friendly fueling station I try to drive slowly by the gas stop and clearly view my exit route before entering. This may require that I drive around the block or down the street and around. Still, I have found, from bad experience, that what looks like a clear exit may be blocked in back by all kinds of debris. I also look for stations with diagonal fueling stations or stations parallel to the street. Since I seldom travel more than 2 hours without some type of a rest, I will start looking for fuel stops at 1/2 full, and I will look seriously at 1/4 full.

[Fleet_Man]

Plan ahead. Use gas buddy.com to find your planned fuel stops and use the satellite function of your mapping program to evaluate accessibility and exit. Remember, a tractor trailer delivers fuel to that station so entry and egress may not be a problem. As stated before, if you do not feel comfortable on initial evaluation, find another location for fuel.

[WyoTraveler]

Plan your exit before entering. Usually pulling in facing out works. If any station looks marginal pass it by.

[JayGee]

I use the app "my pilot". It allows you to search pilot and flying j for rv lanes on the route. I have found the Kangaroo stations to be pretty large and often enables me to get in and out.

Other than that it is luck of the draw. Some people use google earth to view stations prior to stopping.

I always try to make my turn prior to fueling and point out toward the exit of the fuel stop if it does not have an rv lane.

[bobsinn]

I use the Next Exit book. It highlights in red the gas stations, restaurants etc that are big rig friendly

Next exit

[K_Charles]

I like most anything better then a truck stop. When I need gas and the sign says gas this exit, if I can see the station is close I get off and get gas. Look before you pull in. We have a 35' and pull an elantra.