My wife and I are entering our second year RVing. All but one of our trips have been inside one tank of gas. The one exception was via the interstate so truck stops were easy to find. We are planning a trip to Panama City Fl. via US 431 and I'm a bit apprehensive about finding easy in/out gas stations along the way. Am I worrying unnecessarily or does anyone have general advice about refueling while pulling a TT. Thanks
Where to fuel up?
- Thread starter larbailey
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Joezeppy
Well-known member
I've only encountered 2 or 3 times where it was truly "difficult" to get in and out of a gas station and it's because I waited too long to fill up and had no choice. Passed several stations that would have been a breeze but said "I can go a few more miles". The worst was a small town in Nebraska back in 2007 where I actually had to back out after filling! The station still had the 1970 style pumps with rolling numbers to tally up the gallons and dollars to give you an idea of how small a town it was!!!
When you get below half a tank or so, keep surveying the towns as you drive through and grab gas when you can. Better to fill up a couple extra times than wait too long and get into a bind.
And don't worry about the other drivers. Just take up as little room as you can when you are fueling up. I used to worry that I was "in the way" but not any more - hey, I need gas, too.
Have fun!
When you get below half a tank or so, keep surveying the towns as you drive through and grab gas when you can. Better to fill up a couple extra times than wait too long and get into a bind.
And don't worry about the other drivers. Just take up as little room as you can when you are fueling up. I used to worry that I was "in the way" but not any more - hey, I need gas, too.
Have fun!
Wizard46
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 12, 2009
- Posts
- 2,146
US341 is an awful long road. Where are you starting from. What type unit are you driving, gas or diesel. Pickup, class A motorhome, class C motorhome???
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
Are we talking gasoline or diesel? More and more stations have the gas pumps angled towards the front of the convenience store, making it difficult for big rigs to maneuver except maybe on the outside pumps. But you can usually find a station, especially if you look in the smaller towns where space is not so crowded. Start looking at half a tank, so you have time if needed.
There is a website that is trying to build up a database of RV friendly fuel stops - may be info there to help ease your mind.
http://www.rvfriendlygas.com/
There is a website that is trying to build up a database of RV friendly fuel stops - may be info there to help ease your mind.
http://www.rvfriendlygas.com/
Bob Buchanan
Well-known member
Gary's advice is well taken -- in that it is a good idea to start looking at not much less than half a tank. When my needle is on half a tank, I have used more than half, but that is when I begin finding a station that will work for my rig with toad (34' foot Class A plus Jeep Cherokee). And also, as he mentions, try to avoid the stations with pump islands perpendicular to the station building unless one on the end will work for you.
For me, the reason to begin looking early is the cost of fuel these days. You may find a great station for in and out, but the price is sky high - and if you are getting low will have to use it anyway. Each time that happened to me, invariably, 5 miles down the road I would find another station that would work and gas would be much cheaper than what was then in my tank.
As you travel more and more, you may be taking some of the same routes and will remember where a station is that worked and also had the best prices. Each year that I travel from NCal to Quartzsite, I know exactly where I am going to refuel along the way -- including my last stop to fill before boondocking on the desert. It is in Parker, 23 miles from my destination, easy in and out, and a price for both gas and propane that has always been cheaper than any station in QZ.
For me, the reason to begin looking early is the cost of fuel these days. You may find a great station for in and out, but the price is sky high - and if you are getting low will have to use it anyway. Each time that happened to me, invariably, 5 miles down the road I would find another station that would work and gas would be much cheaper than what was then in my tank.
As you travel more and more, you may be taking some of the same routes and will remember where a station is that worked and also had the best prices. Each year that I travel from NCal to Quartzsite, I know exactly where I am going to refuel along the way -- including my last stop to fill before boondocking on the desert. It is in Parker, 23 miles from my destination, easy in and out, and a price for both gas and propane that has always been cheaper than any station in QZ.
Thanks for all your replies. Our planned route is starting in Pike Co. Georgia (about 40 miles south of Atlanta) through Pine Mountain, Columbus and then US431 through Eufaula, Dothan and on to Panama City. We will be towing a 30 foot TT behind a Ford Expedition. If anyone has any suggestions on a better route, please let me know.
Marsha/CA
Moderator Emeritus
If you want to get "techy" and have a laptop computer you can find gas stations using a software program called, Microsoft "Streets and Trips". It can be purchased at any big box store such as Best Buys or Frys if you have them nearby. You can also buy it from Amazon.com. You don't need a GPS, but often it comes bundled with the software program. On that program, you click the road you will be traveling then use a "find/search" command. It will list gas stations on your route and in the area. If you are really concerned, you can click on the station where you want to go and it will give you telephone number to contact them.
The secret like others have said is not to start looking when you are low. We hold 100 gallons and still start looking when we are around the halfway point.
Marsha~
The secret like others have said is not to start looking when you are low. We hold 100 gallons and still start looking when we are around the halfway point.
Marsha~
geodrake
Moderator Emeritus
You can usually tell from the road if a station is laid out for easy access. More than once we have got off the interstate to fule up, observed that the station was not going to work and got right back on the interstate. As mentioned by others; don't wait till you are empty.
Wizard46
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 12, 2009
- Posts
- 2,146
Oops, I read it as US341 instead of US431. Was going to make some recommendations as I travel US341 a lot.
When you get older, more and more numbers seen to transpose themselves from the printed page and the brain.
Enjoy your trip and don't let it get too low before you start looking for a station.
When you get older, more and more numbers seen to transpose themselves from the printed page and the brain.
Enjoy your trip and don't let it get too low before you start looking for a station.
ArdraF
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2006
- Posts
- 10,695
If you have a GPS some of the "extra" Points of Interest you can add include favorite truck stops, such as Flying J, Pilot, Love's and the like. However, there also are trucker and RVer directories for fuel stops. Because we tend to use truck stops for diesel, we carry both. Sometimes we use several sources to find a fuel stop. Depends on a lot of things from route to what we want, such as adequate parking for a lunch stop. If one of the directories for the same town lists fuel stops that have parking for 5 trucks and another that has parking for 90 trucks, we'll usually go with the larger one because we have more maneuverability.
ArdraF
ArdraF
fastrak100
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 14, 2011
- Posts
- 236
Can certainly recommend GPS as a marriage saver. Especially on cross country routes like 431.
However your needs are very different to those with a 'big bus', no offence Ardra. Half a tank for you may be less than 100 miles if the wind is against you, but there are many more accessible Gas Stations for a car towing a trailer.
As Geodrake says, do not be afraid to approach a gas station slowly and look to see if you have a clear exit before you go in. You can usually get on and off again, even if the pumps are not accessible.
If you don't feel that you can get to the pumps don't be afraid to move on to another gas station.
Gas stations at junctions often give easier ways out.
Take your time, others will wait for you.
Use the outside pumps where possible.
Try to enter as straight as possible into the pump alley.
If you have to turn in, take it wide and watch your trailer wheels, which will cut the corner.
Give your partner a blindfold.
However your needs are very different to those with a 'big bus', no offence Ardra. Half a tank for you may be less than 100 miles if the wind is against you, but there are many more accessible Gas Stations for a car towing a trailer.
As Geodrake says, do not be afraid to approach a gas station slowly and look to see if you have a clear exit before you go in. You can usually get on and off again, even if the pumps are not accessible.
If you don't feel that you can get to the pumps don't be afraid to move on to another gas station.
Gas stations at junctions often give easier ways out.
Take your time, others will wait for you.
Use the outside pumps where possible.
Try to enter as straight as possible into the pump alley.
If you have to turn in, take it wide and watch your trailer wheels, which will cut the corner.
Give your partner a blindfold.
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
Here is a handy locator for fuel stops.
http://www.findfuelstops.com/
http://www.findfuelstops.com/
W7NW
Well-known member
Gary, that is a great site. I just looked at a trip we are planning next month and the price for diesel varies by over $.50 a gallon just for going a little farther. I will use this one!
