Truck Stops

[Rodbuster]

My wife and I are leaving on our first (ever) real trip in about 2 weeks. Leaving Florida and traveling to New Hampshire.
I have concerns about being able to get diesel fuel. I don't see a problem for the first 5 or 600 miles but when I get further up north I wonder about getting my truck and 40 foot 5th wheel into a gas station.

My Ford F350 dually has a 37 1/2 gallon fuel tank. At about 10 miles per gallon that will get me up the road about 350 miles. I plan on looking for fuel when I'm between 1/2 and 1/4 full.

Any tips on what I should do?
By the way, I also plan on carrying two 5 gallon tanks of diesel.

Thank you
Rodbuster

 

[GOTTOYS]

I'm thinking they have truck stops up North now too...LOL.. Never had a problem getting fuel anywhere. I prefer to use the smaller truck stops if I can. Not as crowded. If you get desperate you can always unhitch and bring just the truck in...Don

 

[scotty]

My wife and I are leaving on our first (ever) real trip in about 2 weeks. Leaving Florida and traveling to New Hampshire.
I have concerns about being able to get diesel fuel. I don't see a problem for the first 5 or 600 miles but when I get further up north I wonder about getting my truck and 40 foot 5th wheel into a gas station.

My Ford F350 dually has a 37 1/2 gallon fuel tank. At about 10 miles per gallon that will get me up the road about 350 miles. I plan on looking for fuel when I'm between 1/2 and 1/4 full.By the way, I also plan on carrying two 5 gallon tanks of diesel.

Thank you
Rodbuster

I assume you're coming up I95. No problem, plenty of truck stops (Pilot, flying J etc). Highly recommend using them, vice regular stations. In all the truck stops go right to the big truck pumps. I assume your Ford will take the big nozzle???. No problem using them and much better access. Not sure how familiar you are with truck stops, but just remember after you fill up pull forward to allow the next guy to pull up to the pumps behind you, then go back inside and pay. Watch you entry and departure angles as the rear of your unit will swing out. Once you're up to Fredericksburg Virginia you're in the toll capital of the world. They love ripping you off up here. Also, avoid NY city at all cost. Look at a map and take 287 around the city or some other route, repeat don't go thru the city. If you want, RV's can travel the Garden State Parkway (GSP) all the way north. That will take up inbound and closer to NH. Just stay in the middle lane on the GSP as some of the overpasses are a little low, but they're all well marked. If you want PM me and I'll give my cell # in case you need help up this way. Travel safe.

 

[JohnDar]

The guide book, "Exit Now", will show you where the truck stops and regular stations with diesel are along the interstates. Unfortunately, it does you no good if you take US or state highways.

 

[danemayer]

http://www.truckstopguide.com/
I use the "along route" to produce a listing of all truck stops between start and end of a day. The listing shows the distance from the start point and I usually look for a Pilot, Flying J, TA, or Loves around the 200 mile mark.
If you enter Orlando, FL and Florence, SC, it'll produce a listing, part of which is shown in this screen capture.

 

[caissiel]

When we come back driving north we usualy take the following route and hardly have any tolls and plenty of truck stop because its the normal truck route. We are on 95N till 17W before Washington in Virginia and on to 66W to 81N Pensylvania and on to 84E Connecticut, NY and Mass and 90E and 95N again. Its possibly 100 miles more but the traffic is more gentle and truck friendly. I never had to put more then 30 Gallons at each fueling. I like to stop at exit 1 Connecticut on 84 and fuel up in New Jersey with cheaper fuel. Have a full tank before NY and MA because the fuel is most expensive in those states.
Hope it helps

 

[mikeandconnie]

Thank Goodness for 5 gal cans, we had to use it on ours first trip. It is no fun fueling on the side of a busy Interstate. We only had a 28 gal tank, I was sleeping and the wife was driving 85 mph! we ran out 4 miles to the exit. I corrected the problem by never letting the wife drive, planning every fuel stop and installing a aux tank. Use google map and search for pilot or flying J and it will show you the locations on the map, or you can go hear http://www.pilotflyingj.com/locations. Some stations have Bulk DEF with a pump 2.50 a gal. PS we where in Arizona on I 40 when we ran out.

 

[olcoon]

Just a question that has been bugging me. I've noticed that at Pilot, Flying J, TA, & Loves fuel is more expensive than at other stations around them. Is there something that I'm missing? We usually don't carry a lot of cash to get their cash "discount". Is their fuel cheaper if you use their credit card? I know that the truck stops will have more clearance for the 5er, but I can't see paying the higher prices for their fuel. Am I missing something?

 

[caissiel]

In the past there was a lot of different prices, but now I feel its always to expensive and the difference is not t o noticable.
I use Credit all he way and it seam not to be to different at the truck stop, specially diesel.

check the site
http://www.pilottravelcenters.com/L...Complete_Pricing_List.aspx?leftTemplate=false

 

[SouthernNights]

I feel a lot safer getting fuel in the truck stops. Unless it is a Flying J where there are separate RV lanes, your trailer usually hangs out in the parking lot behind you and it seems to me that is a big target for others to hit.
Flying J and Pilots have a discount card. 3 cents/gallon I think. The cards also act as a pump start. Eliminates the need to go inside first and leave a cc or ask them to turn the pump on.
We very rarely carry cash, Like caissiel, we use cc for everything. And just a side note, the cc we use has a point program like most-we turn ours in several times during the year for cash so it is like getting a discount on the fuel.

 

[danemayer]

The big truck stops have a big real estate footprint at prime highway locations and offer services attractive to truckers. I'm sure that extra cost figures in to the pricing. I could get off the highway and look for a less expensive station, but even at 10 cents per gallon savings times 20 gallons (if I fill up just after using 1/2 tank) I'd be looking at a $2.00 savings. At 12 mpg, if I drive even 3 miles out of the way to get a better price, the round trip fuel usage wipes out the savings. And when towing, there's no guarantee that you'll be able to get into the station 3 miles from the highway.

 

[trvlrerik]

I have found that when I have the pump activated I use a debit card and you have to tell the clerk it is a debit card and I get the cash price. I also plan out fuel stops at 200 mile increments, it allows for tire checks and bathroom breaks keeping the trip a little more relaxed.

 

[sgtbigb]

U R right the truck stops seem to be more expensive, but is worth the expense when considering the easy excess to fuel pumps.

 

[jnbhobe]

I carry 75 gal of fuel so I'm good for at least 600 mi. and thats a good days drive, If I have to get fuel I just look for a truckstop with a good price and fill it up.

 

[PUG]

diesel is about anywhere now days at least out west here, put in an auxillary tank, best thing going

 

[Wharton]

We always use truck stops. We find the way gas stations are laid out now it is difficult to pull in/out with a trailer. The pumps are perpendicular to the station, not parallel to the road. I guess this is so they can have more pumps but it stops us from going in with a truck and trailer.