From the desk

INTRODUCTION

A coworker told me about this forum, and at first, I was not going to look, I figured it would be too much like being at work.
I work a truckstop fuel desk.
But I am glad I took a look, not that I looked around a lot in here, but enough to see something very encouraging.; I saw a lot of drivers commenting on and criticizing the ones that pig up truckstops, etc., and others who behave in a way that doesn't leave a good impression of drivers.

Anyway, as I said, I work a fuel desk, which is why the title of this thread. For the record, I've been working the fuel desk for almost ten years at what would be considered a "mom & pop" stop. We have a store and a restaurant and showers, but we are not one of the "chain stops" like TA, etc.
And I want to say one thing right off: "I would not want to do your job."
I can rarely drive from home to work, about a 15 minute drive, without some a-hole pissing me off for any number of reasons, i.e., pulling out in front of me, going 20 miles under the speed limit on a road where you can't pass, etc., etc.
Common courtesy, common decency, and common sense are things of the past. It seems the only "common" rule these days, from the smallest motorcycle to the biggest truck, is "f-k everybody".
I can't imagine having to deal with idiots in traffic all day long, I'm sure I would go "postal".

But with that said, it's not my fault and I'm not here for you to take it out on.
I may not want your job, and I guarantee you, you would not want mine. Besides bringing home a fraction of what the lowest paid driver gets, all those idiots I mentioned out on the road - I still have to deal with them too, when they come in to our stop.
And yes, I know, there's times a driver can go into a place and encounter someone with a real bad attitude at the desk, we've had our share of those. Sorry.
I can only speak for myself, and I'm easy, I like peace - don't "go off" on me and I will return the favor.

I have no intentions of hanging out in here, mostly, I'm here to take the opportunity to post a viewpoint from the other side of the desk. I'm just taking an opportunity to explain and point out things from my side of the desk that some may not know otherwise, and rarely do we get the opportunity to explain.

I'm going to make separate posts for each topics. Some of the topics already have their own separate threads, but I don't want to jump around, I just want to post and go.
And go I will.
I will not be back after I've done all my posts. I don't want to get into "discussions" about any of this, that really would be too much like being at work.

 

AT THE FUEL DESK

Here's the main point here: If your fuel card doesn't work, or your cash advance isn't on there, it's not my fault.
I just swipe your card, put in the information, after that, it's out of my hands.
Trust me, there is nothing I would like better than for your transaction to go through nice and smooth.
Nothing backs up a line at the fuel desk faster than having a problem with someone's fuel card.
And there is only so much I can do about it, mostly just calling the fuel card co., Comdata or whichever and asking why it failed. If they tell me "driver has to call his company", there's nothing I can do to change that. If it's 2 a.m. and you tell me "nobody's going to be up" and just look at me, that's not going to solve the problem, I have done all I can do. At that point it is up to you to contact someone or come up with some other way to pay for the fuel.

Also, we do not decide what information is needed to run your transaction, the fuel card company doesn't decide that, your company decides that. I have drivers come in, and when I ask, "what information do I need?", I've gotten the response, "I don't know.".Or, "I don't know, what do you need?"
It's your fuel card, why are you asking me? If it's not your first time ever fueling your truck, or first time with a different fuel card, you should know what info your card requires.
I mention this because in some post on here somewhere, someone was complaining about lines at the fuel desks in truckstops. News flash: drivers contribute greatly to those long lines, here's some of the ways;
-as mentioned, not knowing what their fuel card requires
-or the ones that know they only have 50. available for a cash advance, but they have you start trying at 150. and then keep retrying a little less until it gets down to the 50. they knew they had on there (yes, we can tell when you're playing this game).
-by wandering off around the store or wherever before taking care of your fuel transaction.
-and if you use a TCH or T-Chek card, take care of it. Every other fuel card company will allow the card number to be punched in manually, but those two will not - they will reject the transaction if the card number is entered manually. So then we have to call to get the transaction through, which holds everyone else up.

 

PAID PERMIT PARKING

We started a paid permit parking system not too long ago. Unfortunately, we just have a sign, we don't yet have a booth with a gate and gatekeeper to regulate drivers pulling in and out without paying, or to show that they actually did any business here to get free parking.
So that makes it an "honor system" - needless to say, overall, it hasn't been a complete success.

I see trucks pulling in here through the night, and no one comes in to get a permit, not only that, but they don't come in at all, to the restaurant, or to buy anything in the store.
So they are not doing any business here, just taking up space in our lot, space that is meant for our customers that do business here.
And that is why we needed to start a paid parking system.
Our lot would fill up every night - quickly - and there would be no room for our customers who actually do business here.
Then in the morning, I could watch as the trucks pull out, heading over to the nearby TA to fuel up because many of them were companies where the drivers couldn't fuel here if they wanted to because their company has TA set as their designated fuel stop.
So we were providing parking for TA customers - oh yeah, we Needed paid parking.
And you know who I've noticed are the worst about pigging up the lot or the bathrooms - those ones that don't do any business here, just here to take up space and do their business elsewhere.

Even though we do just have a sign for now, it did cut down on our lot filling up quite a bit. And I know many of our regular customers told us they were glad we did start the permit parking Now they didn't have to worry as much if they were going to be able to park if they stopped in to get fuel and wanted to park for the night. That was the goal, to take care of our customers.

I had someone say once, "it is a truckstop", the implication being that's what the lot is for.
Wrong. A truckstop is a business. It's not a highway rest area or service plaza for anyone to park in. It is a business and the lot is there for the people who do business there to have a place to park.
If we had acres and acres of parking lot space, it might be another matter, no need to care. But we don't have acres of lot space, and we have to worry about taking care of our customers first.

Oh, I suppose I should mention the cost of the permits - and yes, we have a very high price on our permits, higher than most will even consider paying. The purpose isn't to make a ton of money on permits, the permit is free for our customers who buy fuel or get a meal in the restaurant. So again, it's designed to take care of our customers.

 

FUEL ISLAND PARKING

This post is about the other big parking issue - Parking on the fuel islands.

"Fuel Islands" - just what the name implies, for drivers to fuel their trucks.
They are not "Cash Advance Islands", they are not "Fax Islands", they are not "Go eat in the restaurant Islands", they are not "Shower Islands", they are not "Cat Scale Islands", they are not "Coffee Islands" or even "Come in to take a dump Islands".
They are FUEL Islands - period.

And yes, people parking on the fuel islands for all those other reasons is every day, all day.
I've even had a couple times when a driver has parked on a fuel island to go patronize a business across the street. How can they not know that is wrong?!
All the non-fueling reasons for parking on the fuel island are wrong, but that one takes the prize.

But here is the amazing part;
When I tell a driver they need to move their truck off the fuel island if they are not getting fuel, the amount of crap that comes from it...........
It's wrong. Okay, you tried it, but you've been told you can't do that, and you're going to ##### because you've been told you can't do something you know you're not supposed to do?
If I wasn't so busy ignoring the crap coming out of their mouths, I'd tell them to "grow up".
And this behavior is so common, I can only remember two times when I've told a driver they need to move off the fuel island, and they just did it, then came in and took care of whatever business without any crap about having to move their truck.

But maybe drivers just don't get why it's wrong.
The main business of a truckstop is the fuel. The store, the restaurant, etc., it's all secondary stuff. If drivers park on the fuel islands with no intention of getting fuel, they are keeping other drivers from using that fuel island to get fuel, which again, is the main part of the business.
Again, you are blocking the main part of the business that supports the business.
Think of it this way;
Someone blocks your truck - front and back, you can't move. I know most drivers get paid by the mile or trip - that's your business, the way you make your money, is being on the road. If you can't move, you can't make any money, can you?
Same thing, block the fuel island, you are blocking the way our business makes it's money.

Not to mention the fact it's just plain rude to the other drivers who are pulling in to get fuel and they have to wait for some putz blocking a fuel island. Why should they have to wait for someone who's pulled in to go to the bathroom, or get a cash advance, etc., etc.?
They shouldn't.

And you know who the worst offenders are? Drivers who drive for companies that have their fuel cards set up for TA as their designated fuel stop at this exit. So the driver couldn't fuel here if they wanted to, and have no valid reason to be on the fuel island.

Oh, for the many who like to respond with, "it's not busy", or "no one's using it" - right, and no one can use it, to get fuel, while you're in the way. And the not busy thing, it doesn't matter if all the islands are empty, it's quite normal to be empty one minute and full the next.
And in the end, it doesn't matter. If you are not fueling, you do NOT belong on the fuel island.

 

COFFEE

So far, I've tried to be at least reasonably polite, but I'm not even going to try on this one - it is just Not possible.
Before working in a truckstop, I never would have imagined that coffee could be such a source of whining, pissing and moaning, complaining, temper tantrums, not to mention the b.s. to scam or steal coffee.

Let's start with the most common scam going amongst drivers: The Refill.
Most places charge less for a "refill" of a travel cup, with the idea that they are saving money on the cup that's not being used. Usually with a "normal" size coffee cup in mind, which in most worlds, is a 12 to 16 oz. cup.
The driver scam: Find the biggest refillable cup possible.
Now even though I mentioned, 12 to 16 oz. cups, no one thinks anything of the 20 oz ones either. But the good one, are the guys who come in with a cup that's 34, 36, 52 ounces........I've seen them come in with cups that would hold a whole pot of coffee and part of another one.
A standard thermos is usually only 32 or 34 oz - so I charge the price of a thermos refill.
Oh! Now it's, "everyone is trying to rip off the trucker". Excuse me, but who is trying to rip off who? Who's trying to get a thermos worth of coffee or more, for the price of regular size refill?
Yeah, right.

Or then there's the ones who will outright steal coffee. Yes, that's right, if you get a cup of coffee and you walk out without paying for it, that IS stealing.
And this comes in many different forms;
- there's the ones who will get their coffee, then wander around the store for a few minutes, then casually stroll out the door.
- and the ones who will come in the back entrance of the store from the restaurant, grab a cup of coffee, and slip back out the back entrance.
- or the ones that get their coffee, wander down towards the restaurant, then wander back up - "oh, I got this coffee in the restaurant".
- or how about the classic "I just got hot water".
(And I do pay attention to what goes on at the coffee bar, and I do say something when someone is pulling one of these stunts. Seriously, if you need a coffee that bad and are that broke, I'd rather you just tell me, I'll give you the #### coffee, it's better than stealing. But I know that's not usually the issue, usually it's because they think it's owed to them for some reason.)

Now let's get down to the one that's a whole lot of fun: Coffee Prices.
The best way to start this off is mentioning the driver who said, with all seriousness, "coffee should only be ten cents".
Okay, but can I borrow your time machine so I can go back to 1960-something too?

The amount of complaining that goes on over the price of coffee........
As a result of the excessive complaining, whenever I take a trip somewhere, I'm especially mindful of the coffee prices, just to see how they compare. I see some a little less, some a little more, but we're always right there in the ballpark. Yet, what do I hear? "That's the most expensive coffee anywhere."
Funny, you can go right across the street and pay a higher price for every size.......
And there's two different types here:
1). those who see the posted prices, get a cup and then proceed to complain at the counter, and
2). the ones who somehow manage to miss the eye level, plainly posted prices for the coffee, they're the best ones. First they are all shocked and going off (because they had no clue what the price was because they couldn't see the prices in front of their faces), and then continuing to go off over the price.
Hello! Everywhere you go, prices are posted. If you are going to walk around expecting 1960-something prices for coffee, you might want to make a point of looking at the posted prices before you get that coffee.

Once in a blue moon, I do get a driver who will hear someone going off, and after the complainer goes, the driver will say something about how the prices are no worse here than anywhere else, which is refreshing, but rare.

The ones who take the prize on this topic are the ones who have gotten coffee here before, complained about the price, and keep coming back, complaining about the price each time. Well, if you already know what the price is, and you don't like it so much that you have to have a little fit about it every time you come in, why do you keep getting it here?

Nothing I've written in this post even comes close to describing just how much crap we've had to listen to about coffee, I don't think anyone would believe it if they weren't there to hear it, or unless I had a recording. It's just amazing. And seriously, if that's the biggest issue in your life.....

 

THE FREEBIES

I would be surprised if there's another occupation out there, like driving truck, where the people expect so much for free (or so cheap it might as well be free) just because of their occupation, or because they bought something you're selling.
And I know, truckstops did it to themselves. For a long time, they were giving away the farm, and that's fine......if times were never going to change.
But here's a news flash: times do change.
Like it or not, (and I am one of those who for the most part doesn't like it), they have and do change. Sometimes, I think many drivers climb into their truck, and like the one mentioned in a previous post who thinks coffee should be ten cents, are climbing into a time warp. And it's not just the older drivers who saw the best of the freebie days, younger ones seem to have bought into expecting the "old times" too.

It's been about a year or so since we started charging for coffee even with getting fuel.
Before then, it was normal for a driver to come up with their coffee expecting to pay for it when they got fuel. When I told them the coffee was free with fuel, they were noticeably surprised, and many, many, commented on how few places do that anymore.
Once we started charging (there's that demon, coffee, again), oh, now come the fits and tantrums, with drivers making it sound like we were the only truckstop in the country charging for coffee with fuel.
Sorry. There's already been too many years of drivers telling us the exact opposite.

And showers and cash advances, there's no charge for those with a set amount of fuel.
Obviously cash advances and showers can't just be free, because otherwise, everyone would be coming in just for those and not doing any business otherwise.
And why is there a set amount of fuel that has to be purchased for cash advances or showers for free? Because, and you know this is true, there would be so many just coming in and getting some minimal amount, a few gallons, to get the freebies. It's already "normal" for drivers to come in and ask how much they have to get for the freebies, and that's exactly what they will get, barely a tenth more. So you know, generally, they're doing the majority of their business elsewhere, but here they are and they are going to just do the minimal amount of business to get the freebies.

But there seems to be another part of expecting so much, as I've heard many times - "we haul the goods, if it weren't for us...blah, blah, blah"
And if there weren't stores selling the stuff you haul, guess you wouldn't need to haul it - how much are you giving them for free?.
Or the people working in manufacturing producing products so that more material needs to be hauled in to make more, and what are they getting for free because of it?
Or even truckstops and other places that sell fuel, if they didn't make the fuel available, guess you couldn't haul those goods too far, now could you?
In other words, there's very few jobs you can name where if it wasn't for this, there wouldn't be that, at least you had a time when you were getting so much for free just for buying the fuel you needed.

 

ASSORTED STUFF

This post is for miscellaneous items not worth their own post;

- We are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and we have bathrooms. Why are any of you pissing and/or crapping out in the lot?

- Coffee (again) - if you can operate those large trucks, one would think you could navigate a coffee cup or thermos. How so many can manage to leave a trail through the store......especially with a thermos. Guess what? Those seals aren't so great, especially on the older one. You walk around carrying it by the handle on the side, you are leaving a trail.

- and speaking of coffee,
----- we do Not require you to be a slob at the coffee bar.
----- if you could get half the sugar in the cup that you get on the counter, you probably wouldn't need as much.
----- and if you've got old coffee in your travel cup or thermos, a drip tray or the garbage is not the place to dump it. It'd be nice if we had a sink right there, but we don't and the bathroom is right around the corner.

- I've seen comments about prices being high in truckstops, and often what I hear, "I can get it for whatever at WalMart" - okay, just let me know when you see "WalMart" on the entrance sign. Truckstops are convenience stores. Who doesn't know that convenience stores are significantly higher than WalMart or regular grocery stores, etc.?
-----and a spinoff of that - it would be hard to reduce prices, they need to be high just to cover the amount of shoplifting that goes on, and I'm talking about far more than the coffee stealing that I mentioned earlier.
----- another spinoff is telling us what the prices are elsewhere, whether it be diesel fuel, cigarettes, whatever - and that is supposed to mean what to the person at the register? Do you really think they set the prices? Do you really think they can change it because you've told them how much it is elsewhere?

- Oh, and if something doesn't scan at the register, let me tell you right now, saying "it must be free" is so Not original, or funny.

- If you come in for a shower, complain that the showers are too small and weigh 300-some lbs or more, how do you not know I'm thinking, "are the showers too small or are you too large".

- Any foreigners on here? Guess what? If I wanted to be an interpreter, I'd go to work for the United Nations, I'm sure it pays better. You're in my country, I'm not in yours. I shouldn't have to try and figure out what you are saying, or have to hold up the line at the fuel desk trying to get you to understand something difficult like "what is your truck number?".

- I know I'd like to say something about the ones who go off, having little fits and temper tantrums when they don't like something, but anyone acting that childish isn't going to get anything I say anyway.

 

GOOD-BYE

Okay, that's it. I've been whittling away at these posts during free moments at work for a week now. I'm sure afterwards, I'll think of things I should have included, but I've had enough.

As I said in my introductory post, I will not be back. I don't have any interest in getting involved in a discussion, that would, like I said, be too much like work.
And the email address I used to sign on here is a freebie web address I set up just for signing on here, which I will never be going back to and checking the mail.
So talk about me, what I wrote, but sorry, you will not be able to talk to me.