Pilots - good and bad

I have a resentment for most major truckstops, for gouging prices on items. Most pilots, petros, and flying j's, make it impossible to buy an item in even small bulk such as a 6pk, heaven forbid you want a case of water. Cant even buy a 2 liter at most truckstops, you are forced to spend $1.50 on a 20oz coke.



Luckily I am not OTR anymore and can bring stuff into my truck, thus not needing to purchase #### at a truckstop.

 

that is why you seek out a wal mart or grocery store.i have got some stupid looks for where i have parked to go in and shop but i just smile and not care.

 

not an issue anymore, and was not an issue after a few months of driving. But I still dont like the gouge factor.

Plus many walmarts are inaccessible without detailed knowledge of the area, as they have to be approached a special way.

K

 

Not sure if you mean the pilot # I-81, exit 213 is in Roanoke or if you are referring to both pilots -- one at I-81, exit 150, Troutville, VA & I-81, exit 213, Greenville, VA.

Both are a real pain in the neck.

My favorite, East of the Mississippi, would have to be the Lee Hi, I-81, exit 195, Lexington, VA or the Broad River Truck Stop on I-85, exit 100 (I think), near Blacksburg, SC. The folks in both still treat a truck driver as if they expect to see you leave satisfied and return at some later date. Plenty of parking at the Lee Hi, good food, good service. Broad River T/S doesn't have much parking - can maybe park 8-10 trucks in there. Good food and service there too.

Lot of the good ones are closed now. The old Green Shingle up around Erie PA used to be a great place. It's closed. There also used to be a Union 76 up there that had the hottest chili ever, called it "kamikazi" if memory serves me correctly. I along with many, many, many other drivers, ordered it and could only eat a couple of spoonfuls of the stuff, it was sooooo hot! None of us had the sense to listen and heed the advice of the old timers who'd tell us not to get it or, after ordering, not to add any hot sauce to it. But I digress.

 

yes, i meant both ones LOL
roanoke and greenville

 

One I would add to the Bad list is the pilot in Denham Springs,La. I-12 Ex.10

 

the joke of a pilot in Cambridge, OH, only parks like, 67 or something...

 

they made 2 liters obsolete at most truck stops, and I think it's crap. For $1.99, I could drink on a 2 liter for a couple of days. Now they took them away. Pilot now sells the one liter bottles, 2 of them for $3 and call that a deal.

 

Might get 8-10 trucks parked in there, but I doubt 67. BTW, that hasn't always been a Pilot. Was a Speedway up til a few years ago when Pilot bought out the truck stop part of Speedway.

 

Try delivering fuel there! The drops are between the last fuel Island and Scale. Had to block both of them to drop. I used to get b#####d out by drivers all the time. Pilot drivers didn't even want to fill that store so they called my company.
The old Speedway truckstops became Pilots when MARATHON bought a 45% interest in Pilot.
And most of the Pilots that people like are the old Speedway truck stops and old Williams truck stops.
My vote for worst Pilot... The Giant out in New Mexico. That place used to be great until Pilot went in there and changed everything. Screwed up the building, screwed up the parking by moving the fuel islands. That is one place I will never stop again.