Hotel Rooms?

Pretty much same story for me. I don't have any mortgage or apartment to pay for, so I like to get a room about once a week on the road.

But my truck setup is so comfortable that it has to be a nice hotel/motel to make it worth it. I am more comfortable in the truck than many cheap motels where trucks are "supposed" to go. I use Bing Birds Eye View and Google Street View to find places that have parking. Don't rely on someone on the phone telling you they have truck parking. There are many places that can accommodate day cabs with trailers but not full sleepers with 53. For me it has to accept pets also.

Places I like to stay that are more likely to have truck parking and accept pets are Ramada, La Quinta, and Holiday Inn. Specifically if you are looking for a nicer place that has truck parking, include "convention center" in your search string. Naturally stay away from downtown and tourist intensive areas. You can find some with truck parking in these areas, but more likely to get you in trouble as far as getting in and out.

It actually requires a lot of effort to find that right place. So if I know I'm going to have some extra time I get online and start searching and looking at all the available maps and pictures. If there is a bar onsite or nearby that is a plus, especially during football season.

If I had a family and bills I would just stay in the truck. My current truck is so nice that I am getting rooms less often. Some places I've been I end up going out to sleep in the truck and then going back to the room in the morning to use the restroom and shower. I also like to do laundry and exercise when I get a room. It's good to just to get out and live like a normal person for a little while. But these "trucker" motels just don't cut it. I won't go there.

 

I get my 34 every wkend plus I get paid percentage after fuel is deducted so if it is hot and I know I will be ideling all wkend I will look for a cheap motel. Makes me and the boss more money plus less wear and tear on the truck. makes the boss happy if he knows I'm looking out for myself and the company

 

I'm in a room here in Houston because my AC condenser spung a leak and my final drop isn't until this afternoon and my reload to El Paso picks up tomorrow. South Texas in the summer isn't hospitable to a dry lander like me, lol!

Dropped off at Kroger this morning. Left a puddle of green dyed AC oil in front of dock 120.

 

I stay at ahotel when ever I am stuck on the road for a 34 reset. Much more comfortable in a hotel and cheaper than running the truck to stay warm/cool.

 

Maybe once every couple of months for me.
I usually get home at least one night during the week but sometimes out on the road i treat myself to a nice room.
Hell,we work hard and deserve it every so often..That and it is a tax deduction at the end of the year.

 

once a week.

 

I get a hotel once in awhile...just when the mood strikes me. But, like an earlier poster said, I want to have time to check in as early and check out as late as I can. It is a tax deduction too...so that helps.

 

Same here. I'd get a room for my reset. Also if I had a sheety load over a weekend, like if I load Friday then deliver Monday and its only 400 miles, I'd go ahead and run the 400 and then get a room Sat-Sun while waiting to deliver Monday.
The motel chains used to have a US directory that showed all the amenities and if they had truck parking.
I would collect the directories from the chains in my hometown and then pickup other directories when I found motels that had truck parking. I got burned in Petersburg, VA once, I asked if they had truck parking, yes he said. I get there, park in the street cuz I dont see anywhere to park, go inside ask where parking is and "swami" points out a area where U-Haul and 6 wheelers park and thought I could park there
After that when I made my reservation I would make sure they realized I was bringing 70 feet of truck with me.

 

I get a room if I'm doing a reset and need to do some laundry or just want to watch some tv. I use the checkinn card I got through OOIDA. It saves varying amount off participating hotels. With that though you have to do a little research ahead of time to find the best deal and places with "actual" truck parking. I always call in advance and ask if they have tractor trailer parking. If so, is it on site or adjacent. So many front clerks think that if you can fit a box truck in their parking lot than a t/t should fit as well. I also use google earth to get a view of the property to see what the truck parking looks like. If after all this I feel satisfied a truck will fit I check that specific hotel out on trip advisor to look at any reviews. This helps particularly when it comes to budget hotels. I know all this sounds pretty anal but I've not had a bad stay anywhere in sometime.