What are Truckers lookin for??????

####, I like the sound of your place already!

 

Might have been said already, but how about a GOLD'S GYM or something like it? something like a YMCA but unisex. I swear, if every truck stop would open something like that, i'd be willing to bet we would see alot less 'overweight' drivers on the roads. a driver who is more fit, is more likely to not fall asleep at the wheel.

 

A few years ago there was a chain of exercise travel trailers that tried to offer this very thing. The trailers lasted less than a year and went bankrupt.

The need for exercise facilities at truckstops is really not in high demand. Remember the majority of travelers stop for fuel, restroom, food and then leave. As a truckdriver you are out here to make money. Sitting around at a truckstop pays nothing. Drivers that happen to be laid over are usually so aggravated about being stuck they really have no desire to work out. Instead they will do their laundry, catch up on sleep, read, watch movies/tv, or play on the internet.

Lets not forget after a hard workout you will be hot and sweaty and require a shower. At $10.00 for a shower this could become an expensive habit. Heaven forbid you should pull a muscle while working out and then have to drive to make some money.

If you desire a work out regimen then you do not need a gym to sweat at. A jump rope can be used anywhere. Dumbells can be used in or out of the truck. Ankle weights can be added to make a walk more invogorating. Add a backpack with some weight and you can really burn up some extra calories while taking a walk. Push ups and situps can be done in the privacy of your truck as well.

 

Everything above plus good ventilation in the bathroom...team taking a shower and it gets too hot in there. Or a thermostat to lower/raise heat and air

 

We are in Hickory, NC

 

I have know clue as to what your budget is, but...

Give me a level paved parking lot, a good restaurant with fresh food, (the locals will come too, don't forget them) and clean showers with a toilet and two towels.

And your best bet, looking at this as a businessman, is to do the above, but forget making any money off of the truck drivers. Let them be the oddity, to say a good dining experience for the locals. Truck drivers are cheap, as they are cheap because most do not have any money. Yes, there are some of us out here that have done alright. But, I would not build a business off of this one particular group. Sorry if I insulted anyone.

I would go for a great restaurant. If you can get a beer and wine license that would be the icing on the cake. Get the locals in, and make it a family place, no bar.

But, if it were me, not knowing where you are, I would go with a restaurant/bar and screw the truck drivers. Hey, you are in this to make money right? Not to go broke catering to a bunch of misfits that will normally not spend a dime and trash your place all at the same time. Sorry, but that is pretty much the truth. Look at the big chains, they don't call them "Travel Centers" for nothing.

Think of the money you could put into a restaurant by not having to pave a hundred acres? Just a thought... And then the EPA with all of that fuel oil... and gasoline... If you did any research that fuel sale might bring you what... .02-.03 a gallon? And you have to pay the local distributor cash on delivery or weekly. That is a no win situation right there with the way the current market is. if fuel goes up a buck in a weeks time, and you need to say pay for 3000 gallons of fuel... Don't laugh, and think long and hard about that. Anything can happen now a days.

Just a few thoughts from a guy that has been there. I have not always been a truck driver.

Think about it.

And on Edit: Have either one of you actually RAN a business? Are you familiar with all of the taxes and regulations involved? What the actual cost of having an employee(s) is? Having fuel on your land? EPA, local, state and federal requirements? Zoning? And zoning, sure they may have you zoned to build, but what will they actually require you to do to be within the zoning guidelines? It might cost a million dollars to put in a parking lot due to oil runoff when it rains. Sounds silly, but it is true. Then the insurance requirements along with liability? It is a bit more than just what may come out of your current paycheck. There is allot more to this little venture than just building a building or buying a joint and re-opening the doors.

Mike

 

Good service staff.
Good service will make an OK meal better.
Lousy service will make a good meal a lousy one.

Clean bathroom and showers.
If I can't stand the smell or look of the bathrooms, I won't spend my money there.

Something to read other than Louis L'Amour westerns or spiritual literature.
Why not a decent magazine rack with car, bike or news magazines.

A good and strong wi-fi.
Few things are as frustrating than having to reconnect to a network over and over.

 

I think that covers it all,one day drivers, ya right! IM OUT Lost Dutchman