Searching for diesel

[Redsky]

Out in the western USA not all towns have gas stations and even fewer have diesel. Gasbuddy.com is worthless in these remote areas but I did happen upon a great resource on the Web.

It is the online Yellow Pages at www.yellowpages.com. It has a search function with a Browse Box where I put in Diesel Fuel and a Near Box where I put in the towns. The search would include the surrounding area so if a town like Whitefish, MT (outside of Glacier NP) did not have a station pumping diesel it would list and show on a map the locations in the surrounding area that did (Kalispell, MT).

Knowing where I can get diesel I can adjust the route for our trips accordingly and plan my fuel stops in advance.

[mike_mck]

2oldman wrote:

Redsky wrote:
Knowing where I can get diesel I can adjust the route for our trips accordingly and plan my fuel stops in advance.

I don't know what you're driving, but upping your fuel capacity to at least 75 gallons will let you drive where you want.

I'd dislike very much planning a trip around fuel stations.

Agreed
I run a 50 gallon tank in my F550. Gives me a 600 mile range. I am not driving 500 or 600 miles with out stopping. If I see a station with a decent price I'll stop to stretch my legs and fill up at the same time.

[terry_thiessen]

I added a 36 gal tank to my 2 15 gallon tanks no problem finding a station befor I run out . Sure does smart when I have to fill all three up.

[John_S_]

I have travelled the west in my pickup. It was a short bed ford and then went to a long bed dually Chevy and now a short bed ram. No issues in over 400K miles on those trucks finding fuel. I will say it was hardest to find near NYC then in Idaho. We own a farm in IA near SD and I have family in ID SD WA TX AZ UT and WY. Drove all over out on the farm and ranch were there were no roads even or you get off the road to a cattle guard and no services. Still can find diesel every 100 miles or so.

[ol_Bombero-JC]

nevadanick wrote:
We have a dsl pickup and car and have never had a problem finding fuel.

Ditto. - Diesel Tow Vehicles since 1985.

Diesel fuel isn't rocket fuel - or require rocket science to locate..:W

"Somehow" always managed to (easily) find diesel in some pretty remote areas. No computer for GasBuddy in 1985, or reference guide req'd.

If the area has trucks, tractors and/or farm equipment - there's diesel.

Now if your TV is powered by CNG - I can understand some glitches in finding fueling stations..:W

~

[Old-Biscuit]

We traveled for 7yrs mainly secondary/backroads......never had an issue finding diesel fuel. Never got concerned about finding diesel fuel

And we didn't need/use any apps, gadgets, on line sources etc. Heck my cell phone just makes/receives calls.....and I don't answer it :B

[Bull_Rider]

Out west, in some of the smaller towns, the Co-Op is the source for diesel. It probably won't be on a main street, but the farmers need diesel too. Just make sure you don't use the "Dyed" off road diesel that has no road tax added. The dyed diesel is meant for tractors, combines, etc. The PoPo will take a sample from you diesel tank to see if it has red diesel.

We've found the Co-ops to be very competitive. Retail business is welcome too...

[pnichols]

moparmaga2 wrote:
I have been to some of the most remote places in North America that can be reached by road.

Hmmm ... try Plush, OR or Why, AZ ... for diesel. They just might not have it in remote U.S. towns like these where we travel.

I'm sure glad we opted for a gas RV with a 550 mile range after reading forum threads like this one. My BIL lives on the Olympic Peninsula and had a diesel RV for awhile. He got very frustrated at times driving around looking for diesel, even when leaving home and wanting to gas up before a trip. He could always find it, but with a lot of time wasting. He is switching to a gas tow vehicle for his upcoming new TT RV.

[Mootpoint]

I start looking when the tank hits 1/2. By then I'm ready for a leg stretch.
Never have had much of a problem finding diesel when needed.
Lots of the highway services signs indicate whether or the station up ahead has diesel or not.
My DW has become very good at spotting the telltale green or yellow hoses from a distance giving enough time to turn in.

[easyridertx]

I tow a 38ft fiver so cannot maneuver most gas bar pumps. To remedy this I usually stop for fuel at truck stops and use the trucker lanes if I cannot access the gas bar. I live in Nova Scotia and Irving truck stops are popular here. I recently stopped at an Irving truck stop and pulled the truck lane and was told they no longer accepted credit cards in the truck lanes (only commercial truck cards). Does anyone know if this is becoming common in truck stops in general? If so does anyone have a good solution?

[Retired_JSO]

Truckers tools iPhone/smartphone free app is what I use. Truckers tools

[moparmaga2]

I have been to some of the most remote places in North America that can be reached by road.

Coldfoot, Alaska, Dawson City, Yukon, Chicken, Alaska, Eagle, Alaska and Telegraph Creek, British Columbia.

Yes, I have also been all over the west, Big Bend, Death Valley, etc. Big Bend and Death Valley don't have anything on the remoteness of the above listed places.

All of the above, including Big Bend and Death Valley have readily accessible diesel fuel. (Dawson City, Yukon takes the cake for the highest price. I think we calculated it out in the $7 a gallon range this summer. Still, it was readily available)

This may have been an issue 60 years ago, but it is no longer.

[TurnThePage]

My truck requires premium gas. That can be MUCH harder to find than diesel. I've come very close to running out, and that was while carrying an extra 12 gallons. And yes, that was in an out of the way Idaho location, which ironically did have diesel. Since then (over 6 years ago), I've had no problems.

[nevadanick]

I have driven alot of Nevada and Idaho away from the interstates and the only time i had a fuel problem was going north out of Elko into Idaho and that was in a GAS powered pickup that didnt have the range to make it from Elko to Bruneau while towing. Where in Nv and southwest Idaho are you not finding dsl ?

[Redsky]

pkunk wrote:

Redsky wrote:
Out in the western USA not all towns have gas stations and even fewer have diesel. Gasbuddy.com is worthless in these remote areas

Open the GasBuddy Map and put in the Zip of where you want fuel. In the lower right corner change from reg gas to diesel. There you go.

Gasbuddy is the least valuable source for finding diesel. In 4 out of 5 towns on our route through eastern CA and eastern OR and up through Idaho there were no gasbuddy listings. Gasbuddy relies on individuals reporting prices and is useful for comparing costs where there are multiple gas stations.

With our rig and its 36 gallon tank our range can vary between 280 miles and 405 miles depending upon elevation gains, our payload, and the amount of wind. When planning fuel stops where I can buy diesel I use 270 miles as a safe driving distance so worst case we do not run out of diesel in the truck.

In many areas in Idaho and in southwest Idaho there are far fewer towns with diesel available as these towns do not sit on a major interstate.

The idea that areas with farmers has more diesel is dumb. Farmers use special fuel that is exempt from taxes for their equipment and most have a large fuel tank at their farm that they use. They are not going into town to buy fuel for their tractors and they are not selling their exempt diesel to RVer's and it is illegal to use in a highway vehicle.

If we stayed on major interstates we could hit the truck stops and not have a problem finding diesel. But we avoid the interstates and the value of our 4WD truck and camper is in being able to go on backcountry roads that are often 250 miles from the nearest place that sells diesel. That leaves little margin for error or for side trips in an area.

The west is a very big place if you do go exploring and get out of the big towns (like Elko for example). If we drove a motorhome or pulled a trailer we would be in a very different mode and would not be in the backcountry and not concerned about fuel stops. This should not be that difficult to understand with a little thought.