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Old 06-22-2016, 12:23 PM   #1
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Truck Stop Questions

An admittedly dumb question - what are the rules about regular trucks using truck stops for fuel? With my F250 and fifth wheel, I've got some length to contend with, and when I was driving from Indiana to Texas it would have been nice to use some of the truck stops with their easy in and out.

When I was leaving Indiana, I stopped at a gas station and couldn't find in auto diesel pumps. So I pulled into a trucker lane and walked inside to get the pump turned on. (I was the only person in the trucker lanes). Lady asked for my DOT and Business name, and I told her I was just a regular truck. You would have thought her brain slid out of her ear. She told me I had to use the Auto pump. I told her I didn't see one, and then she pointed out a diesel pump that would have been a pain if I was just in my truck (with no trailer) and would have blocked like 3 car pumps in the process.

After that - I drove the remaining 1200 miles using the auto diesel pumps..

So my question - is that the norm? Can we not utilize the trucker lanes without causing some sort of government melt-down? I did stop at a Flying J, and as I was filling up admiring my work for threading the fifth wheel and truck through a complicated maze of cars, I saw there was an RV lane... D'oh. That would have been easier for sure.

Thoughts?
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Old 06-22-2016, 12:34 PM   #2
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Most truck stop diesel pumps are of a high volume pump. I am not sure one of their nozzles will even fit an F250 fuel tank opening. Someone correct me if I am wrong. I think the Pilot and some other truck stop type stations do have islands for RVs with both diesel and gasoline.

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Old 06-22-2016, 12:39 PM   #3
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Most truck stop diesel pumps are of a high volume pump. I am not sure one of their nozzles will even fit an F250 fuel tank opening. Someone correct me if I am wrong. I think the Pilot and some other truck stop type stations do have islands for RVs with both diesel and gasoline.

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I have used a truck stop in the past and didn't have any issues with the nozzle.. Not sure if that was an exception, though..
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Old 06-22-2016, 12:39 PM   #4
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An admittedly dumb question - what are the rules about regular trucks using truck stops for fuel? With my F250 and fifth wheel, I've got some length to contend with, and when I was driving from Indiana to Texas it would have been nice to use some of the truck stops with their easy in and out.

When I was leaving Indiana, I stopped at a gas station and couldn't find in auto diesel pumps. So I pulled into a trucker lane and walked inside to get the pump turned on. (I was the only person in the trucker lanes). Lady asked for my DOT and Business name, and I told her I was just a regular truck. You would have thought her brain slid out of her ear. She told me I had to use the Auto pump. I told her I didn't see one, and then she pointed out a diesel pump that would have been a pain if I was just in my truck (with no trailer) and would have blocked like 3 car pumps in the process.

After that - I drove the remaining 1200 miles using the auto diesel pumps..

So my question - is that the norm? Can we not utilize the trucker lanes without causing some sort of government melt-down? I did stop at a Flying J, and as I was filling up admiring my work for threading the fifth wheel and truck through a complicated maze of cars, I saw there was an RV lane... D'oh. That would have been easier for sure.

Thoughts?
I have used them several times while towing my trailer. I just make sure I am not blocking the truckers who need to fill up.
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Old 06-22-2016, 12:43 PM   #5
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I drive a Jetta TDI. ULS is ULS all over the U.S.A. But the OTR trucks use a MUCH BIGGER nozzle (don't ask ).

So you have to find the Diesel pumps with the smaller (though not as small as gasoline) nozzles.

And Yeah, the OTR folks don't want to know about us 'small potatoes' 30 gallon fill-ups.
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Old 06-22-2016, 02:24 PM   #6
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Indiana is the "weird" state since it taxes commercial diesel different. That is why they don't like you using the "big boy" pumps. I avoid fueling when towing in Indiana.

I use the truck pumps in all other states if the regular pumps are too close or congested.
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Old 06-22-2016, 03:00 PM   #7
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I have used them many times, in Montana, Oregon, Idaho and California. The larger nozzles pump more volume, so big rigs can get their 100 gallons quick. You just have to be aware and I never lock them on, just trigger them.
We get discount at Pilot and Flying J and use their RV lanes, but otherwise the truck lanes.
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Old 06-22-2016, 03:44 PM   #8
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When towing I always use the truck lanes. Otherwise I would block the whole front.
Never had a question from the clerk or truckers.


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Old 06-22-2016, 07:19 PM   #9
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Truck lanes have bigger high flow novels. My 04 F350 and my 15 F350 fuel neck opening does fit these bigger models. Don't run them full out or you'll be covered in fuel. I'm not kidding.....

I generally try to avoid the truck lanes. Most aren't pay at the pump and you have to go in, get the pump activated, fill up, then go back in to finalize the deal. Too much work if another option is available with pay at the pump.

If no other option is available, I'll use them and tell them I'm a private vehicle. After filling, pull ahead so the next truck can pull up to start fueling while you're in paying.

No reason to be afraid.
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Old 06-22-2016, 07:37 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Murff View Post
Most truck stop diesel pumps are of a high volume pump. I am not sure one of their nozzles will even fit an F250 fuel tank opening. Someone correct me if I am wrong. I think the Pilot and some other truck stop type stations do have islands for RVs with both diesel and gasoline.
High-volume diesel nozzles are not a problem in my RAM, as long as the nozzle is fully inserted.... Works just fine!
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Old 06-22-2016, 07:45 PM   #11
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It all depends on the place you go... There is a wide variation in what you will experience between them... like our last stop at a Loves - they wanted a commercial account or the price was .10/gal higher than the published price.

Truck pumps have high flow and have two pumps on each side of the vehicle so that both tanks can be filled at the same time (time is the key here). When you pull up to a Truck Pump, you pull behind a rig that is currently fueling and you GO INSIDE right away. You tell the attendant what pump you are waiting at and by the time you go back out to your RV, the truck that was fueling has pulled forward. Now is time to fuel and don't be wasting any time about it... Get Fueled up and then pull forward like the Truck did before you - then go in and settle up with the Fuel Cashier... letting the next Truck behind you start to Fuel.

Remember... Trucks need to fuel both sides. If you have a Pickup that has only one fuel filler - find a pump at the end of the bays that won't block up the flow of traffic as you fill a solo tank.
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Old 06-23-2016, 06:50 AM   #12
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Fueling while towing has always been a pain in trying to find a station that I could get in/out easily... ended up putting in a bed tank bringing my total onboard fuel to 86 gallons... now when I stop for the day, I just get fuel nearby without the trailer..
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Old 06-23-2016, 08:00 AM   #13
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First the nozzle should fit a diesel truck fill. Most are larger just due to that not all pumps have a auto fill nozzle. Both my previous F350 and current Ram take either size nozzel. Just make sure on the newer fills you put the neck all the way in to the actual fill or your shoes will be covered.

As far as lanes go there are different regs. throughout the states as it pertains to commercial fuel for hauling vs conventional fuel which is why some just don't allow it due to it being only priced one way. It would help if a sign was in place at all of these locations as you only come to find out once your out of your TV and at the service counter in some.

Some Pilots have RV fills, truck fills and Auto fill sections. Some just Auto and Truck. It's a PITA at some the Auto fills for sure. I look at it as practice and if someone has an issue with me locking up the space I just tell them that the front desk told me I had to be in this lane. Sorry. That usually puts down their guard.
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Old 06-23-2016, 09:34 AM   #14
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Pilot/FlyingJ have RV specific pumps (with dump stations) that 98% of the time you can get into and out of. Problem with using the truck pumps is that many states have heavy vehicle road tax on the pump and it will cost you more to fill up..
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Old 06-23-2016, 11:42 AM   #15
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I carry 15 gals in three 5 gal cans and with 37gal tank I have plenty of range to never fill up while hooked up. The trick is to change out those new type nozzles found on the cans with free flow ones you can find on ebay. If I needed more range I would add abother 5gal can. Rest stop fill ups is a good option for me, might not work for everyone.
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Old 06-23-2016, 11:53 AM   #16
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I never had issue with the station not letting me use the big rig pumps, my issue was finding fuel that was not 15% biodiesel.

My truck manual says no higher than 5% biodiesel, and on my yearly Vegas > Oklahoma > Vegas trip I only found one or two truck stops that had 5% or less biodiesel at their truck pumps.

Most of the auto/RV pumps had <5%. We started calling ahead to stations in the town where we knew we were going to fill up and asking their bio content. Then started to document what cities have non-truck stop stations where I could get in/out of with my truck and 5th wheel.

I think that, before next year's trip, I will be figuring out a way to carry extra fuel with me so I can try to just fill up once per day; after we've stopped in the campground for the night and unhooked the trailer.
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Old 06-23-2016, 12:07 PM   #17
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Is there a directory or app aside from Next Exit that tells you of RV friendly gas stations? Not necessarily diesel. It probably does not exist.
I can tell you that service areas on i 95 in Connecticut are not at all RV friendly as they are one pump and some 20 diagonal lanes exactly one car length long with just over a ca length clearance at each end

We limped to Secondi Bros. exit 40.

New England is a tough place to find truck stops. There are no towering signs in Maine NH and VT and MA. So you do need to know where you are going lest you find yourself on a 1.5 lane road with a big rig.

This is the best I could find/
Find The Cheapest Truck Stop - TruckMaster Fuel Finder

you do have to enter a town name. I entered mine and got the nine results in a 100 mile radius. So dont worry about the exact town.
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Old 06-23-2016, 12:43 PM   #18
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Is there a directory or app aside from Next Exit that tells you of RV friendly gas stations? Not necessarily diesel. It probably does not exist.
.
Allstays -- Big Truck Stops app. It shows you all the Flying J, TA and Pilot stations throughout the US on Google maps. Now, there are other stops, but at least it's a start.

Also when you click on the location it shows you all the details of the station such as lanes and dedicated lanes food available and so on. Phone # is also there to call and confirm.

This plus my Truck GPS keep me out of tight jams mostly.
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Old 06-23-2016, 12:54 PM   #19
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High-volume diesel nozzles are not a problem in my RAM, as long as the nozzle is fully inserted.... Works just fine!
X2. I don't have a problem fitting any of the nozzles in my Ram 2500 either. Never had any issues at all in Georgia or Florida.
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Old 06-23-2016, 01:04 PM   #20
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One thing I did years ago was open a Pacific Pride account and a CFN account. These are cardlock stations that are truck and rv friendly for long rigs. No lines and 24 hour availability. They are generally easy to find in smaller towns and rural areas so I can get fuel after the locals have gone to bed.
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