Refueling at Truck Stops

[NeedToRetire]

Because of this forum, I learned about Open Roads Fueling system and saved $120 on our first bigger trip out "3,100 miles" A issue reared it head while we traveled, refueling at truck stops.

Most every fuel stop ended up being at a Love's TS being the lowest fuel price on OR. I'm not sure if its mostly a Loves issue or if it is every Truck Stop, but at nearly every stop for fuel, we would get stuck behind trucks parked ahead of the refueling island. One time it was nearly 45 minutes. Apparently its a acceptable practice, because nearly every truck, after refueling, would pull away and then park just a head of the pumps & disappear for anywhere from 10 mins to 45 minutes.

Is it Truck Stop wide practice or just Loves? I like the saving on fuel with the Open Roads card, but hated the being trapped at the fuel island. I guess OR card or not, we are stuck refueling at a TS when towing 35' trailer, but I'm wondering if there are stops for fuel better than others?

[AlanTerry]

Welcome to the world of rude people. At least you have what us gassers think of a luxury of truck fuel lanes. We have to deal with passenger cars and the people due the same thing at the gas lanes also. They try to drive around us instead of letting us pull out. Rant over.

[USMCRET]

I seek out Love’s because they are generally cleaner than some of the others.

My travels are primarily along the eastern seaboard with occasional trips into the Midwest. My observation is that Love’s tend to have the least amount of truck parking spaces compared with say, T/A. I believe this facilitates the type of behavior you noted, plus, some of these truckers are just plain rude and will take their 30 min break in the fuel lanes.

I have been caught behind one of these guys maybe three times in the past 15 years. So, for me, it’s tolerable even if a nuisance.

[3pedal]

I have not had issues that bad. They typical protocol at truck stops is to fuel up, and then pull forward so the next truck can start to fuel while you run in. I do that with my motor home, fuel up, pull forward and run in to get a beverage, hit the restroom or what ever. I think 10 minutes isn't a big deal. 45 minutes is a bit out of control.



I have not noticed any difference between truck stops, but might start paying a little more attention in the future.

[hastemaker]

[QUOTE=

Is it Truck Stop wide practice or just Loves? [/QUOTE]

This isn't Truck Stop practice this is "Wheel Holders" not a truck driver, a "REAL" truck driver will get fuel pull up & go get his fuel receipt & then park in the lot.

[pasdad1]

In 5 years of full-time living using truck stops exclusively for fueling, I think the longest I’ve had to wait on a truck in front of me is 20 minutes, and that is rare…. usually they are gone by the time I’m finished fueling. I use the time to make bathroom breaks, get snacks, check email and messages, and perform route checks on the GPS…. so I have not really been inconvenienced.

[NeedToRetire]

Originally Posted by pasdad1

In 5 years of full-time living using truck stops exclusively for fueling, I think the longest I’ve had to wait on a truck in front of me is 20 minutes, and that is rare…. usually they are gone by the time I’m finished fueling. I use the time to make bathroom breaks, get snacks, check email and messages, and perform route checks on the GPS…. so I have not really been inconvenienced.

That's good to hear. It may have been indicative of the area I was traveling through. Nearly every station we fueled at had every lane taken and stacked with trucks ahead of pumps and some a truck behind the one at the pump. I guess I need to accept it as part of the program and build into scheduling a 30 minute or so refueling and be happy when its less.

I guess I didn't really think about what gassers are doing when having to refuel? Getting in and out must be a real challnge.

[Eman85]

Having driven for a living I was happy when my company put their own fuel in at our terminals and I didn't have to fuel at truckstops any longer. The things you'll see drivers do including relieving themselves on the fuel island is incredible. seen pleny put the nozzles in the tanks then go in to get food come out put the nozzles away never having bought any fuel and then drive away.
Just a side note pay attention to bio-diesel content. It's good for your fuel system but not good for mileage. Many brands and certain parts of the country use it.

[NeedToRetire]

Originally Posted by Eman85

Having driven for a living I was happy when my company put their own fuel in at our terminals and I didn't have to fuel at truckstops any longer.

It is definitely a different world from days gone by, for sure. My late father drove truck for 40 years. I spent my share of time on the road with him as a kid in the 70-80's. I don't recall truck stops then, being such holes as some we fueled at recently.

Fueling at the truck stops was the only low point of my three weeks on the road last month. I am going to try to be more patient next trip out, with what seems like a real lack of courtesy by some.

[DarkSideJeep]

Originally Posted by NeedToRetire

Because of this forum, I learned about Open Roads Fueling system and saved $120 on our first bigger trip out "3,100 miles" A issue reared it head while we traveled, refueling at truck stops.

Most every fuel stop ended up being at a Love's TS being the lowest fuel price on OR. I'm not sure if its mostly a Loves issue or if it is every Truck Stop, but at nearly every stop for fuel, we would get stuck behind trucks parked ahead of the refueling island. One time it was nearly 45 minutes. Apparently its a acceptable practice, because nearly every truck, after refueling, would pull away and then park just a head of the pumps & disappear for anywhere from 10 mins to 45 minutes.

Is it Truck Stop wide practice or just Loves? I like the saving on fuel with the Open Roads card, but hated the being trapped at the fuel island. I guess OR card or not, we are stuck refueling at a TS when towing 35' trailer, but I'm wondering if there are stops for fuel better than others?

I have been fueling at truck stops since June 2024 when I picked up me new to me 2022 Aspire I have since made about 30 fuel stops and have only been tripped up by inconsiderate drivers of trucks twice. One was a semi tractor and trailer just parked at the fuel island. When the next lane over opened up I was able to just swing over to the empty lane. That guy was still sitting there when I left and that was a stop where I needed to fill def so once I finished pumping diesel I had to pull up to put def in the tank at the rear of the coach. The other time was on my way home at a Pilot, (not an open road station) I had a truck parked in my lane pulled up to the line that most truck stops have painted past the pumps. Fortunately, this one had a shorter than 53' trailer which allowed me to get around him.

Pulling up and going in to use the rest room get a drink and the fuel receipt is normal and should take no longer than it takes the truck behind to fill up with as much as 100 gallons fuel is normal, anything longer is out of line. Most truckers will just park in the truck parking lot if they intend to spend an extended time at the truck stop.

As far as cleanliness Loves is usually the cleanest of the open roads choices. In Iowa we have a local Midwestern chain having some truck stop stations which often beats loves on the clean scale called Kwik Star or Kwik Trip

[JimmyO23]

Originally Posted by NeedToRetire

Because of this forum, I learned about Open Roads Fueling system and saved $120 on our first bigger trip out "3,100 miles" A issue reared it head while we traveled, refueling at truck stops.

Most every fuel stop ended up being at a Love's TS being the lowest fuel price on OR. I'm not sure if its mostly a Loves issue or if it is every Truck Stop, but at nearly every stop for fuel, we would get stuck behind trucks parked ahead of the refueling island. One time it was nearly 45 minutes. Apparently its a acceptable practice, because nearly every truck, after refueling, would pull away and then park just a head of the pumps & disappear for anywhere from 10 mins to 45 minutes.

Is it Truck Stop wide practice or just Loves? I like the saving on fuel with the Open Roads card, but hated the being trapped at the fuel island. I guess OR card or not, we are stuck refueling at a TS when towing 35' trailer, but I'm wondering if there are stops for fuel better than others?

I have had that happen a couple of times. I have always felt it was because I’m in a motorhome. The crap thing was he wasn’t just being ignorant to me because other trucks had pulled up behind me.

It makes my blood boil because I end up losing the advantage of the bigger nozzle at the pump. 😡😡

[NeedToRetire]

Originally Posted by JimmyO23

I have had that happen a couple of times. I have always felt it was because I’m in a motorhome.

Most of the replies here indicate that its an ocassional occurence, like you stated. I have to be more patient....

[ChrisDParise]

I see more and more people at gas pumps leave their vehicles at the pump to go shopping in urban areas. I see it especially in more rural areas that this is just the standard practice for nearly all the locals. The advent of mini marts or convenience stores has made this possible.

Now, when it comes to diesel or even gas commercial truck stops, there are drivers who need supplies or a bathroom break from hours of driving. When they're pumping hundreds of dollars of fuel into their tractors they don't think twice about someone else waiting especially a camper.

It's just something to expect at fuel stops. Whether you're a gasser at the auto and light truck gas islands waiting for a pump to reach your fuel tank or a diesel mh at heavy commercial truck islands.

[DarkSideJeep]

Originally Posted by ChrisDParise

I see more and more people at gas pumps leave their vehicles at the pump to go shopping in urban areas. I see it especially in more rural areas that this is just the standard practice for nearly all the locals. The advent of mini marts or convenience stores has made this possible.

Now, when it comes to diesel or even gas commercial truck stops, there are drivers who need supplies or a bathroom break from hours of driving. When they're pumping hundreds of dollars of fuel into their tractors they don't think twice about someone else waiting especially a camper.

It's just something to expect at fuel stops. Whether you're a gasser at the auto and light truck gas islands waiting for a pump to reach your fuel tank or a diesel mh at heavy commercial truck islands.

Truckers will generally pull up to clear the pump for the next guy in line. Then will go in to get the receipt, use the rest room. get a drink. I have only once encountered a truck blocking a pump with no one in attendance. That truck was there when I pulled up. When I realized there was no one at that truck I was able to shift over to the next lane when it opened up. The truck that was blocking the lane was still there after filled both diesel and DEF then pulled up to get my receipt, do my paperwork, and use my own restroom. For all I know the driver of that truck might very well have stepped in to use the restroom and ended up having a heart attack while sitting on the JOHN.

To be clear truckers are businesspeople, to them time is money, they simply have no time or energy to spend effort to screw with the guy in the motorhome. Personally, I have had many pleasant interactions with the drivers around me while fueling.