T/A TravelCenters Of America

T5....You had the T&A.. you had the Stony Ridge truckstop and Saloon..... The union 76.......I dont remember what else was there

 

I was, that was going to be my first choice but decided not to, don't ask why, but T5 was just a exit number and a so called nick name for the exit, trust me it's no big deal.. LMAO......

 

Small world. I used to live 2 miles from there, and my dad still does. I go up there every 3 months or so to see him.

They had the cheapest premium gas back in the day, and seeing how I drove turbo Volvos, I had to use premium. Now they don't even sell premium and aren't the cheapest in the area anymore.

The fuel desk supervisor is still there though. Couldn't believe it when I walked through the doors for the first time in almost 6 years last year.

 

Back in the day (1970s to 1980s), the only places at T5 were the orange-ball Union 76 and nearby was the Stony Ridge Truck Stop. This is when the Ohio Turnpike had fewer exits (called gates), and that exit was Gate 5, one of only 2 Turnpike exits in the Toledo area. Not sure if it's short for Turnpike-5 or Toledo-5, but I don't remember T/A coming there until the mid to late 1980s at the now Fuel Mart across the way and later buying the Union 76 and making that the T/A.

Many years later, I ended up working at a truck stop in that area and saw just how nasty and filthy many truckers can be. Its hard for one porter to keep up with the mess of hundreds of drivers for over 7 hours straight, while being denigrated by the cashiers (wanna-be managers) and actual managers, all for near minimum wage (and crapola for tips), before just giving up and doing the bare minimum. Even truckers told me how filthy and nasty most truckers are, so it isn't just me saying this out of bias.

 

I too am upset about the coffee.
Even 'The best on the interstate' is nothing but brown water. And to boot, you have to tap the urn, which you can bet the guy touching it before you didn't wash his hands after using the rest room. And the stir-sticks.... *shudder* - you want fecal flavor with that?

 

Maybe 10 or so years ago, T/A had a motorcycle giveaway. The President of T/A was photo'd sitting on it. The President looked like a greasy scumbag with filthy hair. I think that explains everything.

Have you noticed that Pilots no longer clean the shower rooms. They don't even pretend to. Urine on the toilet seat is pretty common.

 

I saw 2 swift drivers taking a shower in the fuel island using the water hose.

 

We're about at that point now.
90 million citizens not working, not even looking for work. An entire generation of kids unemployed for a decade.

And those of us that DO work? 12-16 hour days. Loopholes to get around minimum wage laws. Mandatory health insurance but only for the employee, family coverage has become impossible to afford.

Oh and half our income is siezed by the government.

And we're supposed to say, "thank you sir! May I have another?"

I'm about ready to quit everything and just hole up in a section 8 studio with an internet connection, Xbox & EBT card.

I feel I'll see a national strike in my lifetime.

 

With more and more jobs becoming automated. And the ever increasing population. I can see 50% unemployment in teh future. Although most of us will probably be dead by that time.

 

When was the last time T/A or Petro built a new truck stop? These new Pilots built in the last year or so are really nice in my opinion. They are springing up everywhere.