Community Forums

JimM68 · 03-22-2011, 06:09 AM

Is it accepted practice to fuel a motorhome in the truck lanes?

I used one the other day, in a small un-busy station. WAY NICE! huge fast hoses and nozzles, used the slave on the other side too, pumped $300 worth of diesel in about 5 minutes.

Way nice, evcen had tons of room to pull out, turn around, and get back to the road.

Beats the heck out of those lil tiny rv lanes with no turnaround space and tiny car pumps and nozzles!

bullheaded · 03-22-2011, 06:17 AM

We do all the time...usually the only place we can fit.

Just be ready to get back if it gets full before your ready. Wife will pull up the rig while I go pay.

Mike Canter · 03-22-2011, 06:49 AM

I am like Bullheaded and the only place I really comfortably fit is the truck lanes. I have a hard time turning coming out of the Flying J RV lanes and going behind all those parked cars in front of the building. On several occasions I have had people back out without looking and had to hit my air horns and give all a heart attack. I have nearly run over several customers that walk out without looking because my motor being in the back makes it quiet in the front. The problem in the past is that Flying J only gave RV discounts on fuel in the RV lanes so I lost that in the truck lanes but they are now giving RV discounts with the RV cards in the truck lanes.

hardy1000 · 03-22-2011, 07:01 AM

I only use the truck lanes to refill and always pull up after fueling and then pay like most of the truckers do. Sometime DW goes in and pays while I pull up to make it a little faster. Never had a problem or complaint from a trucker.

RustyJC · 03-22-2011, 07:08 AM

I've never had a problem fueling up in truck lanes - we won't fit in the auto diesel lanes in many (most) stations or truck stops. Just be sure and follow the truckers' accepted etiquette - never leave a rig unattended, and pull forward and free up the pump as soon as you're through fueling. You can pull forward, then walk in to the fuel desk and pay if you need to. If you're going to shop or eat, pay first, then move the RV to the parking area - don't leave it in the fuel islands, on the approaches or on the exits.

Rusty

OLYLEN · 03-22-2011, 09:01 AM

At most of the truck lanes out west SW you sometimes pay xtra for the truck lane as they charge the truck xtra for whatever reason. Sometimes they discount to the other pump price. Most of the time you must go in with the CC or have the wife go in first and stand by. It is a lot more convenient.

LEN

Techie · 03-22-2011, 09:45 AM

We almost always use the Truck Lanes. Only exception is if they have an RV lane and it is open. I don't mind a few extra minutes to fuel up if it means the DW doesn't have to walk to the office & back.

RickO · 03-22-2011, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OLYLEN

At most of the truck lanes out west SW you sometimes pay xtra for the truck lane as they charge the truck xtra for whatever reason. Sometimes they discount to the other pump price. Most of the time you must go in with the CC or have the wife go in first and stand by. It is a lot more convenient.

LEN

Excellent point. I believe some states collect certain commercial truck taxes at the pump making the truck lanes more expensive in some cases.
We still use the truck lanes to avoid the circus act required to get in and out of the other side.

Rick

Papa_Jim · 03-22-2011, 10:13 AM

We use truck lanes at the truck stops. We learned the hard way to have a separate pair of shoes to wear outside at the pumps, particularly at the really busy truck stops. My shoes picked up some melted asphalt that fuel spillage had dissolved, and it ruined our carpet. We have been very sensitive to this ever since, and realize that the ground around the pumps at many, if not most truck stop pumps is very dirty and very fuel contaminated.

We use regular pumps at stations where we can see that we will fit.

We will not use RV lanes at all, unless totally unavoidable.

We will not use Flying J at all, unless totally unavoidable.

Vegasdan · 03-22-2011, 10:22 AM

We use both, it depends on the layout of the RV lanes-some are rediculous. Truck lanes will also have quite a bit of fuel on the ground so sometimes you'll track in some diesel. When we use the truck lane we have to lay the main pump nozzle on the ground and use the satellite pump as my fill is only on the passenger side. You do have to be carefull with the larger/faster volume so you don't get splash back.

Techie · 03-22-2011, 10:57 AM

We keep some disposable booties in the rig for use in the Truck lanes. We also use disposable nitrile gloves when handling the pumps.

What's interesting to me is that some truck stops are maintained much better than others. For example, we find that the Petro's are generally much cleaner (fuel on ground, cleanliness of pumps, stores) whereas TA's seem to be the worst.

wa8yxm · 03-22-2011, 04:37 PM

There is a slight "Danger" in fueling in the truck lanes... Very slight and not really a danger.

Many states the governmen has a "Soak the business" tax mentality, thus they have a higher fuel tax on Semi's than on RV's and pick ups.

If you fuel in the truck lanes.. You may be paying too much tax.

Some stations will "Adjust" when you swipe your RV card, or at the register if you pay inside..Some won't.

GaryKD · 03-22-2011, 05:36 PM

Hi JimM68,
For me it is the truck pumps.

David K · 03-22-2011, 06:23 PM

Truck pumps for me all the time when I can get to them --- faster fill ups. I can fill from both sides so I usually open the side opposite from which I am pumping and this lets the tank vent better.