How are you going to survive?

Ive been thinking about fuel prices and ways to save. In the past Ive done a lot of my fueling at Loves and Pilot, but starting to cut back. Pilot/Loves will sometimes be 60 cents more than the random place across the street. That really makes a difference.

My truck tanks give me a range of about 800 miles. What kind of tank capacities do some of you owner operators have? Is it feasible to upgrade capacity? Maybe there are solutions for an external tank on the catwalk? If I could get 3000 miles in between fueling that would be savings of $500 or more a week by fueling in the cheap plains states before I go west

Maybe its a dumb idea but just bouncing it off the wall.

 

Yeah, the mom/pop places are always cheaper, but they don't give points. And points are what makes the company drivers stop. Because company guys could care less about the cost of.....well....anything really. So what's in it for them is points. Plus it's usually a designated fuel stop.

 

300 gallons @ 5.5mpg

 

I have 120s. So, really, 200 gallons total and mpg really depends on where I'm at. I can get 7 in the Midwest all day long or like 2 across Wyoming in the winter.

Edit: to your original thought. I sorta do this already. I run 55 alot. So I fill up at Steele on the way down and depending on the destination, I can make it back to fuel there again. Because it's cheap and I like their food. However, their showers are atrocious!

 

citgo in Westfield is usually cheaper then them or the #### prides

also there’s a new mud flap in Sturbridge I just paid $3.88 at when pump price was $4.65

 

Showers are the reason I stop at Loves and Pilot. They usually aren't great but I do know what I am going to get when I stop there. Its not worth it for the "free" shower though. Better off just paying the $15 for their shower. I could get a night at the holiday inn with the price savings by just fueling up at the place across the street in some of the most extreme examples i've seen. I would love to see their financials to see how much they are making on fuel. It must be insane.

 

It's not the fuel, it's the amenities. Those points aren't free. Plus the franchise food joint inside.....etc. plus they do tend to be nicer and newer, it all costs money. To point out you point (?), Cheyenne is a great example. Little America is always significantly cheaper than the others in town.

Edit: I don't goto loves unless it's a last resort. Their parking lots are tiny and I like my truck. My truck usually sticks out about 8ft past ever plastic truck I'm surrounded by and I like my hood the way it is. So hard pass for me.

 

We'll see who was saving and who was buying chrome while things were great the last year. Just watched a guy lose his truck to a minor injury. He was always one of those "The price of looking cool ain't cheap" guys. He was right, it ain't.

 

You can add another tank if you like.