Looking for trip planning app or software that identifies RV friendly gas stati.

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Mike Torch

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Oct 4, 2019
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I am using RV Trip Wizard for trip planning.  But, continue to have difficulty identifying all RV friendly gas stations.  It seems limited to Cosco, Pilots and Flying J.  Which are fine in areas where they are available,  but very limited availability in New England.  Any suggestions?
 
There aren't any. Gas Buddy tried to add the "RV friendly" feature but it relied on crowd sourcing, most of whom aren't RVers and didn't really have a clue what made a station RV friendly.


I used to use non truck stop stations for years, relying on satellite pictures to try and discern whether I could make it into a station. (I didn't like paying truck stop diesel prices.)
 
Part of the problem is, of course, defining "RV Friendly"

You can set you gas station filter on trip wizard to include dump station and Propane.
Though I've not found that to be terribly useful in New England.
The Fuel stops on the Mass Pike were usable by RV, but not entirely convenient. If you're using Diesel, you can get to the truck pump after parking at the plaza, but if you're using Gasoline, you're stuck with going to the fuel pumps and then leaving.

Gas Buddy finds less than a dozen RV Friendly stations in NE.

I found few in Maine that I could get my rig with Toad into and out of if traffic cooperated.



Fortunately, New England is small enough that you only need a couple of places.
RV Trip Wizard seems to concentrate on the main highways. Not necessarily useful.
 
 
Just ran across this site.
http://www.rvandtravelers.com/
There is a search for fuel stops, by state, Town, and/or highway.
It seems to have some useful info
 
I also use Gas Buddy, then I pull up it's map to find gas stations I'm interested in based on price.  There can be a significant difference in prices within an area, or from one jurisdiction to the next.

Gas Buddy uses Google Maps, and you can toggle the map to Satellite View and zoom in on the gas station to see what it's layout looks like and whether there's enough room to get in and out easily.

My favorite example is Needles, CA on I-40.  Right now gas stations there want $4.699 for regular.  Go across the bridge and two miles north on US 95 into Mohave County, AZ and there's an Arco station selling gas for $2 a gallon less, or $2.699 a gallon.  Satellite view shows their pumps have enough room for an RV to get in and out.

I found the same thing when returning a rental car to the Orlando airport.  The two large gas stations at the freeway offramp going to the rental car center had prices in the $5 a gallon range and people were lining up to top off their rental car tanks.  I went about a mile north on the boulevard to another gas station and paid half that.
 
Hi, I think that Pilot and Flying J have on their website RV friendly gas stations. Most of the time they are pretty safe bet any way.
Here is the link: https://www.pilotflyingj.com/rv-services/        Always good to have several sources when traveling.
 
gas buddy has some info but I focus on Flying J as they have RV only gas pump lanes and if not on my route, I look at Pilot as I know my class C with my tow car will manage the auto pumps in most cases.  Other than that I use satellite maps of stations and usually can predict if I can maneuver or not.
 
RE Truck stop desel pricing.  Look into TSD fuel logistics.  Big savings at the right stations and their app shows where the stations are and what your cost is.  There are some things that folks are uncomfortable with for paying, but check it out.

 
camperAL said:
Hi, I think that Pilot and Flying J have on their website RV friendly gas stations. Most of the time they are pretty safe bet any way.
Here is the link: https://www.pilotflyingj.com/rv-services/        Always good to have several sources when traveling.
:)) :)) I've always found RV friendly gas islands at Pilot Flying J, but not Pilots. We use their app for planning our gas stops on trips and haven't been disappointed yet.
 
Dragginourbedaround said:
:)) :)) I've always found RV friendly gas islands at Pilot Flying J, but not Pilots. We use their app for planning our gas stops on trips and haven't been disappointed yet.

There are some Pilots in New England, but I never found one that qualified as "RV Friendly."

Little help to the OP.

I do like PilotFlyingj app for searching out their places, though. It was a great on our return trip, once we got west of the Hudson.


 
LarsMac said:
Just ran across this site.
http://www.rvandtravelers.com/
There is a search for fuel stops, by state, Town, and/or highway.
It seems to have some useful info
Just gave it a quick look and seems like another travel tool we could use.
 
LarsMac said:
There are some Pilots in New England, but I never found one that qualified as "RV Friendly."


Same issue in WV. Pulled into a Pilot today and the gas pumps were clearly arranged for cars only, not RVs. Once you have a chance to see the layout you are already committed. Required a 180 degree turn back through the pumps. Twice during the maneuver I had about 18" of clearance  :eek:
 
Mike Torch said:
I am using RV Trip Wizard for trip planning.  But, continue to have difficulty identifying all RV friendly gas stations.  It seems limited to Cosco, Pilots and Flying J.  Which are fine in areas where they are available,  but very limited availability in New England.  Any suggestions?
Welcome to the forum. It will help to get good answers if you add your RV and pertinent info to your signature.
It will depend on what you are driving.  The most important thing is to start looking before you NEED fuel. I start at about 1/2 tank. I travel in That area quite often and fairly extensively. You have to start paying attention to how stations are layed out. If I am going into a "regular" gas station I want the fuel islands laid out so I can acess the outside island. Preferably parallel to the main road. I am always towing so I don't want to back up. One outher thing you can use google street view if there is one available. This way you can see how the station is layed out. Also some stations have separate truck pumps with easy acess.
I have used the big rest areas/fuel stops on the main roads/ toll roads and found good acess and the prices weren't that bad.
Bill
 
Dragginourbedaround said:
:)) :)) I've always found RV friendly gas islands at Pilot Flying J, but not Pilots. We use their app for planning our gas stops on trips and haven't been disappointed yet.

So far, Pilots been my 2nd choice and I have had zero issues to date with my class c and tow car
 
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