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Truck Stop Question

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by Grumppy, Feb 18, 2015.

Page 1 of 4
  1. Feb 18, 2015 #1
    Grumppy

    Grumppy Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    Dec 11, 2010
    West Monroe, La
    0
    As you read the post, keep in mind that while I have about 30 years driving experience, I have always been somewhat of a local driver & never been OTR & had to spend the night out very much & haven't had to deal with truck stops very often. My current job is one that I have had for only about 2 years & while I do stay out over night one or two nights a week, 99% of my stops are at repeat customers & I stay at their facilities. Over the last two years, I have only stayed at a truck stop maybe 5 times & most of that was in Rayne, La at the Frog City TS.

    Now for the question.

    Tonight I am in Baytown, TX to deliver to a customer in Channelview of which is closed at night & I cant stay there. Therefore, I am at the Flying J at exit 789. There is a T/A across the street & that's where I intended to stay cause its got a restaurant & not a fast food joint. However, for you guys that know the place, there is a little guard shack kinda thing sitting in the entrance/exit to the T/A. Several years ago, I had get fuel once at a TS in Dallas at the 472 & there is a TS there that has one of these. I got in ok but in order to get out, I had to pay ... I thought what???? (I was in a hot shot & only had a 30 gal tank or something). Because of that past experience, tonight I didn't even pull in. I just turned right instead of left & went in the Flying J for Denny's (of which is closed for remodeling... in case y'all try to stop here BTW)

    For the record, I didnt need fuel tonight so I wouldn't have bought fuel had pulled in to spend the night.... but I woulda ate. So, whats the deal here?

    Thanks for any relevant input....
     
    Grumppy, Feb 18, 2015
    Grumppy, Feb 18, 2015
    #1
    77smartin Thanks this.
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  3. Feb 18, 2015 #2
    dptrucker

    dptrucker Road Train Member

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    May 14, 2012
    adelanto,ca.
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    if its like the t/a here in ontario ca. you have to get 50 gals of fuel or spend $20.00 in the truckstop to get free parking. they charge 20.00 for a 24 hr period here
     
    dptrucker, Feb 18, 2015
    dptrucker, Feb 18, 2015
    #2
    Grumppy Thanks this.
  4. Feb 18, 2015 #3
    Judge

    Judge Road Train Member

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    Arkansas
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    In those kinda stops with the guardshack time limiters you used to be allowed 4 hours, or buy I believe 50 Gal of fuel or spend like $20 or $25 in store, but the easy way around that is swap off the ticket with another driver who has gotten fuel and leaving the truckstop most will swap cause they're good and will not be bothered by them any cause they've gotten their fuel receipt and wont have to pay their way out of there.
     
    Last edited: Feb 19, 2015
    Judge, Feb 18, 2015
    Judge, Feb 18, 2015
    #3
    Ditch Doctor, harlycharly55 and Grumppy Thank this.
  5. Feb 18, 2015 #4
    dptrucker

    dptrucker Road Train Member

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    adelanto,ca.
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    i would assume if you had dinner at the t/a resteraunt and pay for a shower, you would be able to get free parking
     
    dptrucker, Feb 18, 2015
    dptrucker, Feb 18, 2015
    #4
    Grumppy Thanks this.
  7. Feb 18, 2015 #5
    FatDaddy

    FatDaddy Road Train Member

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    Dec 23, 2008
    Katy, TX or Swedesboro, NJ
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    I believe that TA no longer charges. But once upon a time it along with several other TA/Petros did and a lot of them still have the shacks up
     
    FatDaddy, Feb 18, 2015
    FatDaddy, Feb 18, 2015
    #5
    Grumppy and Balakov100 Thank this.
  8. Feb 18, 2015 #6
    PackRatTDI

    PackRatTDI Licensed to Ill

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    Jul 15, 2006
    El Chuco, Tejas
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    Yeah the Baytown TA is free parking. AFAIK the only pay to park truckstops in the state of Texas are two indies and the TA in Dallas.
     
    PackRatTDI, Feb 18, 2015
    PackRatTDI, Feb 18, 2015
    #6
    Grumppy Thanks this.
  9. Feb 18, 2015 #7
    McCauley

    McCauley Medium Load Member

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    Jun 23, 2013
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    I'm at a place right now with that same policy. In Phoenix, at a place called Liberty truck stop. There's a Pilot and a Flying J down the road that get filled super fast. Spent $9 bucks on the worst shower I've ever had and $11 bucks on other crap just so I could park for the night.
     
    McCauley, Feb 18, 2015
    McCauley, Feb 18, 2015
    #7
    Grumppy Thanks this.
  10. Feb 18, 2015 #8
    GreenMonster9669

    GreenMonster9669 Medium Load Member

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    Aug 16, 2014
    St Louis
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    Theres a similar shack at the TA in Kingdom City, MO but when I pulled in it looked like it had been deserted for quite a while.
     
    GreenMonster9669, Feb 18, 2015
    GreenMonster9669, Feb 18, 2015
    #8
    Grumppy Thanks this.
  11. Feb 18, 2015 #9
    A Bug

    A Bug Heavy Load Member

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    Mar 15, 2014
    Sevierville TN
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    The TA in Laredo TX guard shack has a sign hung up saying something like "Toll Booth closed, sorry for the inconvenience" . Their definition of inconvenient means You Do Not have to Pay.
     
    A Bug, Feb 18, 2015
    A Bug, Feb 18, 2015
    #9
    randomname, FatDaddy and Grumppy Thank this.
  12. Feb 18, 2015 #10
    rank

    rank Road Train Member

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    Feb 11, 2010
    50 miles north of Rochester, NY
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    Don't know anything about Texas but the TA in Dundalk, MD and the petro in Bordentown, NJ let you stay free if you spend $20 or get a splash of girl
     
    rank, Feb 18, 2015
    rank, Feb 18, 2015
    #10
    Grumppy Thanks this.
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