Newbie here and would like to know which is which...Denver sucks parking is horrable and the shop sucks,reno was small bit very helpful shop
Good - Lathrop, SLC, El Paso, Jonestown, Greer, Memphis shop, Menosha window Troutdale, Albuquerque, Sumner. Meh - Lancaster, Laredo, Edwardsville, Phoenix, Mira Loma, Fontana, Denver, New Boston, Syracuse, Wilmington, Willows, Manteeno, Ocala, Decatur, OKC, Sparks. Sucks Donkey Balls - Memphis window, Menosha shop, Houston, Gary, Avenal
i always had great service and good time with the shop staff in Denver... they're the best in my opinion Manteno, IL is a nice and quiet place to stay for the night as well as Inver grove heights, MN... Memphis i stay away from there unless i pick up or fuel there, otherwise i plan so i can shut down away from the Memphis area ( bad truck stops too )... Mira Loma, CA is a dump Salt Lake City is one of those who knows my name and it's not my home terminal and never had a problem there... Oklahoma City has been helpful to find me a load to go home as well as Lathrop... Gary, IN is a dump too Lewiston, ID there's no gate and the smell of paper mills is all over the place but good people there Edwardsville is my home terminal, the staff is awsome but the shop is so so Houston is a dump but safer than the surrounding t/s same as above for Laredo and El Paso Greer, SC so so Avenel, NJ, the tightest yard we have, a pain in the ##### Phoenix, good food at the restaurant, large yard wich is good for cardio Sumner, WA been a long time i've been there, but had good runs out of there Troutdale, OR, quiet place too Sparks, NV yes it's small but the Petro behind compensate for it very well
I agree w the above two posts as far as the ones I've been to except Mira Loma has 2 guys that hand wash your truck and just about everything about Phoenix sucks, especially the restaurant, The Jake Brake. I just spent 3 days in Jonestown, PA (B service, hack list and SIM class) and was pleasantly surprised. The people who work there were awesome and the place is really laid back. Considering parking being a huge problem anywhere within 200 miles makes it even better.
As far as shops, I do not go into any of them. My truct is still a Virgin as far as their shops. People wise, I have had good luck with Columbus, Edwardsville, New Boston, Syracuse, night shift at Laredo and Fontana. The T-call window at PHX during the week. Lathrop also friendly. Food wise, one great food wagon that comes into Fontana 3 times per day, plus the barbecue man at night. Jake Break is pretty good at PHX, just a little expensive. Never eaten at the others. Now at PHX, if your truck is going to be tied up for some time and they send you to a hotel, there is a new one that they are using, Quality Inn. As far as staying away from. If on the weekend, Denver, SLC and Fontana. Parking can be a pain. SLC can also be a pain if you are picking up a T-call trailer, as well as Denver, if on the weekend. You might need to move 3 trailers to just get to yours.
Memphis the city and its truck stops are a dump. If you go into the terminal to take your break, you must disconnect your trailer and park in the bobtail section for your 10 then go re-hook your loaded trailer. A plus on the truck wash they have there though, pointed right at the get out gate makes it convenient and practical. Lathrop truckwash-- 9 times out of 10 the detail dude is in there with a bobtail some driver turned in for hometime so often times it is a pure waste of time to even go in there for any reason-- stay away!! If you're northbound, get your fuel at Willows, easy in easy out. Phoenix, getting reports of drivers running out of time in the showers, soap and shampoo still slick on their bodies, having to sponge themselves off in the sink basins which are also timed. Sumner is very nice for the truckers with dogs. Just out the front gate is a nice wide river-walk just like across from Sparks. Denver is good in Spring and Summer, lots of prairie dogs to tease your dog and cottontails hopping all around to drive her nuts. SLC, last time there, snow etc, walking the dog, next door is a skinny horse and a couple little shetland ponies scrounging for food, and a nice bale of quality hay just outside their gate. I threw a couple flakes in for them a couple of different times, by the time we left the whole bale was in the corral.
Jonestown ,Richmond ,Greer,Columbus , and ok city are pretty good-the bad laredo,(my mentor stepped on a feces in the shower) and Memphis, those are the ones I've been to don't know bout the others.just be careful anywhere around Laredo especially at night.I found a female relieving herself on my spare at the local truck stop there and that was some weird crap!Avenel is small and make sure you lock the doors.
Felt the truck move and thought someone had opened the trailer doors and I jumped out to find this Mexican dude explaining in broken English that his girl friend was peeing in my spare and I was about to say a few choice words when this big Mexican booty flashed before my eyes from my catwalk trying to pull up her pants and then they ran off into the sunset with a half moon.
