I have to admit, that in the last 4 years, I have only stopped at a truckstop and taken a shower about 5, maybe 6 times. And that doesn't mean I smell like A JB Hunt trainee, just means that usually I take showers at my shippers and receivers along the way. Not once have I ever been turned down when I mention to the clerk that when I finish unloading, I am going to go in to the bathroom at the plant and take a quick shower.

I'm not going to distribution centers and warehouses, but usually am at industrial plants, flour mills, and bakeries, and they have never had a problem with a driver cleaning up while he's there. So to all the places I have showered at along the way, thank's. Hope to have my naked wet body on your premises again soon! LOL!

There is a difference in that you aren't running FAK. Most of the places I go I don't see showers in the bathrooms. Once in a while, but not often.

I have picked up at plant a few times in London Ohio. Delivering to Smyrna TN. If I remember right it was a Nissan Plant. {been several years ago} The plant in OH. would let drivers use the showers and eat in the cafe. The same co. in TN would not even let drivers use the restrooms. They had porta- pots outside for the drivers to use.

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My childhood dream of becoming a truck driver turned into a nightmare!

Places I go to the only showers there are ones you use if you get sprayed with chemicals.

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Al

Of course, showering at the shipper isn't always what it is cracked up to be. Back in 2003, I was at Cargill in Hammond Indiana, loading a trailer out of a railcar. I had just finished loading, and was going through the procedure to clear out the piping on my trailer when something went wrong and the hatch on top of my trailer opened up. Instantly, about 800 pounds of starch blew out, completely covering me. (If you have ever spilled baby powder, imagine an 800 pound cloud of it falling on you!)

I was completely covered with the stuff! To shorten the story, I eneded up grabbing clean clothes out of the truck and went in to use the shower at the plant. All that was available in the october nite was a shower that had absolutely no warm water. Nothing but good old ice water running out of the shower. I stood under it and shivered my way through a shower and then went back to the truck and took off for Cleveland with the heater in the truck running as hard as I could make it go!

It's easier when the shipper has hot water available, or when the shower is optional.

Sauder Woodworking in Archbold, Ohio had showers for truckers. I'm not sure if they still do as I have not been there in years.
There were two sets of showers and one was for truckers only. They also had a nice break room where you could get free coffee and doughnuts in the morning.
They had lots of room to back into a door and the people were friendly. I liked going there which is more than I can say for a lot of places.

Sauder is a good place to go, and if memory serves, they do have a shower (or two) in the restrooms.I loved oing there and seeing only two or three other trucks there, because I knew that I would be loaded and leaving in 30 mins or so. And they have a scale for outbound loads, so you can save your $8.5.

One place I used to always shower were the Ohio turnpike plazas (not the small dumpy kind near the PA line), because they are clean and free.

say what? didnt quite get that

I believe that he is refering to the emergency showers. It is an OSHA regulation that any plant that uses or makes chemicals has one installed.

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HEV E D
"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." ~ Dr. Seuss

i was just at Sauder Woodworking about 3 weeks ago. they do not have showers or a break room anymore. the breakroom is now located beside the shipping office and only has a couple of chairs and a vending machine. no walls or anything around it. the restrooms are just that, a restroom. 2 stalls and a standup with 2 sinks. Yes, they have alot of room to move your truck around and have scales onsite. Nice people to deal with though. I showed up for my pick up 7 hrs. early and they loaded me right away. i slept right there on thier lot and left in the morning. Nice quiet area to rest if you run out of hrs there.