Can I be a "truck" when gassing up?

[Moosiedad]

I've only ever filled up my TV in the CAR sections of the filling station and am curious as to whether I can top off at the TRUCK pumps in the Loves, TAs and Pilot travel centers across the US. Is that allowed? Or is it frowned upon? It sure would make getting in and out a lot easier.

If it matters, I'm running standard 87 octane gasoline, not diesel. I assume that's available in the truck lanes.

[Tim L]

Generally all diesel. Big, fast flowing nozzles, and higher taxes.

[clubhouse]

I've never seen gasoline at the truck islands of a truck stop.

[linkbelt]

Truckers might frown on that.

[herewego]

No Gas at the Truck lanes,just diesel ...

[crazy.canuck]

No gas in truck lanes and the nozzels would be too large to fit in to your filler neck.

[okieinalaska]

What about if you have a diesel truck?

I tried this once and there was no where to pay that I could see. I wondered if I needed to go in and pay but instead moved to the other side.

[crazy.canuck]

The high flow nozzles pump about 300 gallons in the same time it takes to fill your tank. The size of the nozzle on truck side is much larger the what is on any car or pickups. The nozzle will no fit it to the filler neck. I drive tractor trailer and can guarantee that trucks will be mad and you will get yelled at if the fuel stand is busy.

[crazy.canuck]

Originally Posted by okieinalaska

What about if you have a diesel truck?

I tried this once and there was no where to pay that I could see. I wondered if I needed to go in and pay but instead moved to the other side.

And yes if you don't have a cardlock you need to pay inside

[certified106]

I routinely pull in alongside the big rigs when filling my Cummins up with the camper hooked up. I have never had anyone say anything about it and have had a few nice conversations with some of the truckers while fueling. I do try to follow their rules though and as soon as I have pumped I pull forward into the staging area if I need to run in the store for anything.

[Clayton4971]

Originally Posted by certified106

I routinely pull in alongside the big rigs when filling my Cummins up with the camper hooked up. I have never had anyone say anything about it and have had a few nice conversations with some of the truckers while fueling. I do try to follow their rules though and as soon as I have pumped I pull forward into the staging area if I need to run in the store for anything.

Same here ! The truck pumps is all I use when traveling. I double tow and can't get in or out of the other pumps. DW goes in and pays I pump the diesel. As stated above unless you have a dot sticker you don't get the discount.

[RoyBraddy]

I tend to steer clear of the TRUCKERS... They sure have their work cut-out for them and I would hate to be the one to give them any more headaches.. They already have a full plate...

Roy Ken

[J.Lockhart]

Originally Posted by crazy.canuck

The high flow nozzles pump about 300 gallons in the same time it takes to fill your tank. The size of the nozzle on truck side is much larger the what is on any car or pickups. The nozzle will no fit it to the filler neck. I drive tractor trailer and can guarantee that trucks will be mad and you will get yelled at if the fuel stand is busy.

Don't pay too much attention to this "guarantee"...
The larger nozzles fit all Ford diesel trucks (no personal experience with the other brands). I've also never seen a professional RV transport driver, or private RV driver get "yelled at" because he was fueling where he is legally entitled to be fueling.

I drove OTR for several years as well. What truck drivers get frustrated with, is someone who is rude or inconsiderate (OTHER TRUCK DRIVERS INCLUDED). Truth be told... I've yelled at other truck drivers (because they KNOW better). In my personal opinion, the above attitude is indicative of one of the many things that is wrong with the professional driving industry today.

Here's some real world advice:
If you're traveling with someone - wife - friend - etc. Send them into the store fuel counter with the credit card to authorize the pump as you pull into the pump. Once you are done pumping, pull forward and clear of the pump to allow another driver to access the pump as you go in and get your receipt, etc. Don't dawdle... nothing worse than than the driver behind you being done... and sitting, waiting on you to come back to your rig.

As a former OTR trainer, I will give you the one piece of advice that I gave all of my trainees... "Do your job / drive your truck in a manner that makes it easier for all other drivers to do their job / drive their truck."

Follow the above advice, and you'll be fine.

I've seen PLENTY of so called "professional" drivers be complete jerks on the fuel lanes - in parking lots - all over the place. Driving a truck doesn't make you a professional. The true professional driver doesn't care WHAT you drive... only HOW you drive.

[troutslayer]

When I had the 38' SOB 5er, I pulled into the truck pumps cus most of the time I couldn't fit into the car lanes (unless there was a specific RV fuel lane in the auto area). Since I got the 30' Jayco, I always use the car lanes, mostly because I can now fit.

[UPCamper]

I've never heard of a gas pump in a trucking lane. Diesel only. I use the truck stands all of the time when towing. I try to be curteous to truckers just like I am to other drivers at any pump. It does fill fast, but if you just leave it on the first or second notch, it'll be fine. I also stop the auto fill when I hear it filling up and finish off the last gallon or two by hand. The new Ford trucks will take a pretty high rate. It's in the owners manual but I don't recall what that number is. Never heard a bad word from a semi driver.

[certified106]

Originally Posted by J.Lockhart

Don't pay too much attention to this "guarantee"...
The larger nozzles fit all Ford diesel trucks (no personal experience with the other brands). I've also never seen a professional RV transport driver, or private RV driver get "yelled at" because he was fueling where he is legally entitled to be fueling.

I agree I have never had an issue with a high flow nozzle fitting in my Dodge Ram filler neck or with being able to pump fuel in my Ram out of one.

[annie oakly]

We have stopped at truck stops (The Flying J ) in Chilliwack is close to where I store the trailer. They have a section where small trucks can fill with a smaller hose. Or I go to the Husky next door to it. BCAA dollars,
I will fill up first before I put the trailer on. Less problems then.

Happy Easter Everyone,

[norty1]

When I fuel up with diesel while under tow, I always go to the truck fuel islands. Most require you to go inside and leave a drivers license while you fuel. I always pull up if someone is waiting as a courtesy., even though they can't pump till I go in and pay.

Never ever had any comments from truckers or employees.

[t2daniel]

The diesel nozzle is larger than the gasoline nozzle so you can't fill a gasoline vehicle with Diesel. As diesel cars became more prevalent they came up with a really ingenious filler tube that prevented a gasoline sized nozzle from being inserted into a diesel vehicle. If the nozzle didn't push on all the surface of the outside of the filler neck, the flap would not allow the nozzle to be inserted. i.e the smaller gas nozzle couldn't be inserted into the filler neck. Pretty cool! There were quite a few new diesel car owners who had filled their diesel car with gas and destroyed the engine prompting the new filler tube design. The nozzles were always different sizes.

Do the truck lanes have an even bigger nozzle?

BTW, I could have sworn I filled up with gas in the truck lane of a rest stop out in Maine last year. They had both Gas and Diesel. I don't believe it was a Pilot, Love, TA etc. just a normal rest stop.

[etex211]

Originally Posted by t2daniel

The diesel nozzle is larger than the gasoline nozzle so you can't fill a gasoline vehicle with Diesel.

This used to be true, but it is no longer, at least with the diesel pumps intended for passenger cars and pickups. My daughter pumped about 10 gallons of diesel into her Pontiac G5 a few years ago before somebody at the station noticed what she was doing and stopped her.

She did have the good sense to not start the vehicle. A bystander helped her push the car out of the way until I could get to the station with my trailer to haul the car home. Once in my shop, I used an electric fuel pump to suck the tank dry. We put gas back into the tank and we never had a problem with the vehicle.