Gas stations ...

[thomasamski]

Besides Flying J, how do you find gas stations with dedicated pumps for RVs or those that allow for easy in & out access? I'm tired of wrestling my rig and attached toad into nearly impossible gas stations. There just has to be an easier way ...

Thanks.

 

[NY_Dutch]

Always know how you plan to exit before you commit to entering...

 

[mn blue skies II]

I look for stations when I get about half empty so I can be picky and not have to fill at a tight island.

 

[Rene T]

I only use truck stops. Use the truck pumps. When you are done filling, pull up enough so the next trucker has room to pull up. Go in and pay your bill then leave.

 

[Raylc]

I to start looking for fuel at 1/2 a tank and use truck stops and pull up after fuling for the truckers.

 

[BinaryBob]

The OP has a gasser, which can be more of a challenge than you diesel folks that have the benefit of spacious trucker pump lanes.

As others mention, I start looking around the half tank mark. Look for ?Travel Centers? and avoid the convenience store type gas stations.  Flying J, Loves, TA Centers, and Pilot to name a few. The Allstays app can help.

Enter slowly, plan your moves, and don?t be afraid to wait for an open end lane. I used to be a bit anxious about this process until realizing that if you need to stay off to the side until you have an opening, people can get around you. It?s no big deal.

 

[Greg Barker]

Before we leave on a trip I use google earth to scout stations in particular towns. Not really concerned with price. I calculate the miles in between fill ups. Our last trip of 1,900 miles it worked out well.

 

[LarsMac]

Love's stations tend to have easy to access pumps.

Has anyone here played with this app?
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rvparky.android2&hl=en

 

[decaturbob]

Besides Flying J, how do you find gas stations with dedicated pumps for RVs or those that allow for easy in & out access? I'm tired of wrestling my rig and attached toad into nearly impossible gas stations. There just has to be an easier way ...

Thanks.

This is really the only issue I have with a gas RV and I don't tow anything yet. all you can do is start looking for stations when you get to 1/2 tank. Using google maps does help if there are photos of the station from street view.  I do see this as a hurdle especially when not traveling on major highways.  My own city of 100,000 has exactly 3 gas stations I can pull my rig into to gas up out of the 40 plus stations we have in the area.

 

[RedandSilver]

Besides Flying J, how do you find gas stations with dedicated pumps for RVs or those that allow for easy in & out access? I'm tired of wrestling my rig and attached toad into nearly impossible gas stations. There just has to be an easier way ...

Thanks.

There is an easier way - BUY a Diesel.  Sorry had to go there.    ;D


That does seem to be one of the biggest draw backs to a Gas unit - especially with a toad.  I feel your pain.

Even with me having a Diesel I still use Google Earth for stations along my route.  Believe it or not - not all diesel pumps are easy either.
I actually search out stations OTHER than Flying J because I don't feel I should HAVE to have a Good Sam's membership to buy fuel at the pump.
There are other stations that have pay at the pump (with a limit) but I search for those that I don't have to have a GS membership to use.

In your case GasBuddy is probably a good tool to use as it will show gas stations in your area (location) and many times they have
a picture of the station.  Also most include a phone number - so a call might save you some hassle not to mention you see their price too.

 

[NY_Dutch]

With almost 10 years behind us driving gas Class A's pulling a toad, we've never needed to unhook the toad to get out of a tight station. As I said earlier, plan your exit before you enter. And along with that, plan on refueling before you reach "desperation mode" so you can be more flexible when selecting stops. We use the 1/4 mark as our fuel stop indicator, since that leaves us with about 100+ mile safety margin if needed. Apps like Gas Buddy can be very handy, but we mostly just use it to check prices. We find most of the national chain stations located at Interstate exits are pretty well sized for getting us in and out with a minimum of hassles.

 

[librarylady]

On trips, it feels like my husband and I spend so much time researching the next gas stop!  Whichever one of us isn't driving, locates potential stations and then looks at areal photos to determine pump placement, exits, etc.  When we use truck stops, we look longingly at the roomy diesel pumps!

 

[vito55]

I'm pulling a 19 foot trailer with my gas SUV, and even with only that size I've run into problems. Now I keep the TA Petro and the Love's app on my phone, along with iExit and try to find truck stops. If I have to use a regular gas station I try for the very end, outside pump. Sometimes I have to wait a few minutes but no big deal.

 

[mel s]

I only use truck stops. Use the truck pumps. When you are done filling, pull up enough so the next trucker has room to pull up. Go in and pay your bill then leave.

Rene T
Truck pumps are not a option when your rig is gasoline powered.

 

[Rene T]

Rene T
Truck pumps are not a option when your rig is gasoline powered.

I know. I wasn't aware the OP had a gasser.

 

[dcbinvt]

Get "The Next Exit" book - lists EVERYTHING at all the interstate exits in every state including Rest Areas and Welcome Centers. It can be had for cheap.

I plan gas stops, food stops, overnights with it.

BUT it is no help off the I's.

dcb in VT

 

[Dan de La Mesa]

What amazed me in traveling cross country was the disparity in gas/diesel prices. Two places immediately across the road from each other could have unbelievably differing prices.

We immediately signed up for membership in a couple of the chain truck stops, since they advertised a discount if you had their card. We never used either of them, because even with the card, their prices were way higher than their many competitors.

I still don't understand it. I can imagine that commercial truckers get a further discount if they have a special arrangement of some sort, but otherwise, who shops at the places with the outrageous prices, and why?

 

[RVRAC]

Next Exit is the solution.

 

[glen54737]

What amazed me in traveling cross country was the disparity in gas/diesel prices. Two places immediately across the road from each other could have unbelievably differing prices.

We immediately signed up for membership in a couple of the chain truck stops, since they advertised a discount if you had their card. We never used either of them, because even with the card, their prices were way higher than their many competitors.

I still don't understand it. I can imagine that commercial truckers get a further discount if they have a special arrangement of some sort, but otherwise, who shops at the places with the outrageous prices, and why?

Large trucking companies have credit accounts with chains of truck stops the driver just tells the truck # and some other info then signs the receipt.

Having gone with both diesel and gas mostly it is about looking over the station before pulling in. I always go to the first pump on an outside lane I've still had some problems with being blocked in or having a tight exit but most of the big chains  are ok.

 

[JoelP]

Have you used the My Pilot app on your smartphone?  When you open this it shows a map wth the Pilot Flying J stations marked.  At the start of the day I pick out one the appropriate distance on my route and set my phone Nav to go there.  In the app you can easily see from the info icon which ones have RV lanes and how many. And, they give a discount to Good Sam members.