Flying J Diesel discounts

[Smoky]

Over on the Yahoo Diesel-RV newsgroup there is a raging discussion about Flying J discounts and how to get them.  It is confusing me and I'd like to get a step by step "How to" on how to get these discounts.

Apparently the folks with the large Class As prefer to get diesel at the truck lanes rather than the RV and auto lanes.  Some folks say you can't get discounts there, but others say if you run your discount cards and credit cards in the truck lane you get all the RV discounts which usually amount to 3 cents.  Even though the truck lane has a so called cash discount.  Best I can understand is that cash discount in the truck lanes means you do not run a tab and credit cards are considered cash.

What discount cards are available for me to get all the discounts possible and where do I get them from?  And can I get all of them using credit cards in he truck lanes?

Smoky

 

[Ned]

Don't believe everything you read, except here, of course ? Anyone can get the Flying J Frequent Fueler discount card.? When you join FMCA, you will get one automatically.? You can use it at either the auto or truck pumps.? When the pump prompts for your fuel card, you swipe the FJ FF card, when it prompts for a credit card, swipe the CC.? You get the cash price even with a credit card ($.03/gal less than credit card price), a $.01/gal discount for use of the FF card, and in AZ do not get charged the $.08/gal tax that is normally applied at the truck pumps.? Although it's not necessary to go in and sign the receipt I always do while Lorna pulls the coach ahead of the pump? to make it available for the next vehicle.? It's easier to do than to describe and the pump prompts you for everything.? At the truck pumps, you can ignore the hubmeter and one other irrelevant entry.

The FF card also gets a $.05/gal. discount on propane.  The card is also good for a $.01/gal discount on gas as well so we keep one card in the toad for when we buy gas at FJ.

 

[Smoky]

Thanks Ned!

I may be joining FMCA on Monday since they tell me I qualify if I have a coach on order.? My problem now is figuring which address to use.? If I use my new Montana address I will have to have the new member stuff sent back to Maryland.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

And avoid the FJ car/Rv pumps like the plague - in my experience they are most always horribly congested and do not easily accomodate any large Rv, motorhome or trailer.

You can use the truck diesel pumps at any fueling station - nobody objects to a big rig in those aisles. Just be courteous to the guys and gals earning their living with their truck.  When we are a diesel customer (diesel pick-up and big 5W) we always used the big rig lanes and never git even a dirty look. Many truckers were friendly and sometimes stopped to chat.

 

[Tom]

Snoky

You don't need to belong to FMCA to get a Flying J card, and I didn't realize I'd be eligible for one through FMCA when we got ours. The small discount is nice, but pales in comparison to the $0.50/gallon difference we paid at our last two fuel stops in the last couple of days. Both were Flying J.

Ned's description of how the discounts work is right on. We have found that some Flying J stops print your receipt at the pump, while others don't. Where they do, use of the FJ card saves going inside and standing in line.

Gary is correct about the lack of space at the pumps in front of Flying J stores, but we have found a number of Flying J stops that have separate RV lanes, and found them to be OK even when towing the Suburban behind the coach.

FWIW on our last trip we pulled into one of the truck lanes at a fuel stop (not FJ), IIRC in Gila Bend, AZ; The gal told me over the intercom she'd have to charge me the $0.8/gallon commercial fee, but I could go around to the other pumps (which were actually RV pumps that I hadn't noticed), and I wouldn't be charged the $0.08/gallon.

 

[Smoky]

What did you mean, Tom, by the 50 cent difference.  Is that a rate increase from location to location, or time over time, or some kind of a discount?

 

[Betty Brewer]

Smokey,
The routine Terry and I use when fueling is as follows:  we pull into the big truck lanes.  Then I look at the pump number.  I go inside the store with my FRS radio in hand.  I tell the clerk we are an RV on pump 14 and we want to fill.  Sometimes the clerk has to release the pump to begin fueling, sometimes the card swiped at the pump starts the pump.  When Terry has finished he  radios me with the gallons and amount listed on the pump.  I then step into line with the truckers and tell the clerk ,"he has finished on pump 14"  They run the credit card again or not depending on if the pump activated the card.  I sign the receipt  after comparing the price and gallons he said to make sure of a match and off we go.  This way Terry can pull forward while I am paying and often I pick up a needed item from the fuel store.  Mostly snacks for the road. 

Betty

 

[Tom]

What did you mean, Tom, by the 50 cent difference. Is that a rate increase from location to location, or time over time, or some kind of a discount?

Two different FJs, one day apart. One was in Lodi, CA and the other inWinemucca, NV.

 

[Smoky]

Which state had the lower cost?

 

[Tom]

Which state had the lower cost?

Not CA.

 

[Ron]

Smoky,

First anybody can get the Flying J discount card, it is just a matter of applying for one. You may be able to apply by calling 1-877-787-3595.

We always use the truck island to fuel up.? The RV island have small nozzels and take forever besides they are usually hard to get in and out of.

When we refuel I use the following procedure.? Remember we only use the truck islands.

1. Slide The Flying J RV Real Value club card through the reader.
?
2. It will ask how you intend to pay cash, or credit card.? We select credit card then slide the credit card through the reader. (you will receve the cash price and the discount even? when using the credit card if you slide the club card in first.

3. When it asks for unit number I enter 1.? when asked for hubmeter reading I enter the mileage on the MH.? This places the MH mileage
right on the receipt.

4. After fueling note pump nbr and amount and go inside to get the slip.? It will most likely be printed out and either on the printer or?
hanging on the rack they have. Tell the clerk what pump number and they will find it.? Check to insure it is infact your slip and sign your ready to go. Sam always pulls the MH forward so others can use the pump while I'm inside.


Another tip you can go to http://www.flyingj.com and check gas or diesekl prices at any Flying J anywhere in the country.

 

[Tom]

when asked for hubmeter reading I enter the mileage on the MH.  This places the MH mileage right on the receipt.

That's way too clever for me Ron!

 

[Smoky]

Excellent procedure Ron.  Since I track my fuel economy it will help to have mileage on the receipt.

 

[Ron]

when asked for hubmeter reading I enter the mileage on the MH.? This places the MH mileage right on the receipt.

That's way too clever for me Ron!

It works and is pretty simple to do. ;D ;D

 

[Ron]

Excellent procedure Ron.? Since I track my fuel economy it will help to have mileage on the receipt.

The best thing I have seen to keep track of mileage and other cost is Ned's Rolling Stock program.

 

[Bob Zambenini]

3. When it asks for unit number I enter 1.  when asked for hubmeter reading I enter the mileage on the MH.  This places the MH mileage
right on the receipt.

Very interesting Ron, you learn something new here all the time. I have always just done a couple of enters to go on by these unit and hubmeter items and did not know about recording the mileage on the receipt. Thanks.

One other variation to this overall discussion, I have two FJ cards. The RV card and the Truckers FF Card. If I pump over 50 gals and use the Truckers card you get a free drinks (actually two, one for copilot). The TRuckers card has some other stuff on discounts also but I rarely use its as I may not care for one of the huge free drinks and also my Truckers card does not always clear the reader and I have to hike inside and give it to cashier. Years back you could just ask for a drink cup and get one with RV card but they got sticky about that.

Smoky, all these major refueling chains have discount cards with slight variations in how they give you the discount and websites to explain all this. They are happy to give them to you.

I have a Love's Card and use it often. It embedds the discount on your card mag strip and you can use the accumulated discount anytime, even for food and store items.

 

[Ron]

This is the place to learn you just enlightend me about the Truckers FF card.  You can bet I will be getting one of these.
Thanks

 

[BernieD]

Snoky

You don't need to belong to FMCA to get a Flying J card, and I didn't realize I'd be eligible for one through FMCA when we got ours. The small discount is nice, but pales in comparison to the $0.50/gallon difference we paid at our last two fuel stops in the last couple of days. Both were Flying J.

Tom

You are mixing state taxes and local market pricing with other factors. You can't compare buying fuel in CA with NV, even from the same brand; taxes, formulation, probably refinery are all different. As of today, Flying J prices for RV diesel ranges from $2.239 to $2.339 a gallon in Arizona, $2.459 to $2.479 in California and $2.439 to $2.579 in Nevada. Add price changes from day to day and you are really looking at apples and oranges.

Gary is correct about the lack of space at the pumps in front of Flying J stores, but we have found a number of Flying J stops that have separate RV lanes, and found them to be OK even when towing the Suburban behind the coach.

Besides the usually crowded lineups at the pumps, the RV pumps have the auto sized nozzles which can take up to 10 times longer to fill because of the smaller diameter. If I need 100 gallons, I won't go to the auto nozzles.

FWIW on our last trip we pulled into one of the truck lanes at a fuel stop (not FJ), IIRC in Gila Bend, AZ; The gal told me over the intercom she'd have to charge me the $0.8/gallon commercial fee, but I could go around to the other pumps (which were actually RV pumps that I hadn't noticed), and I wouldn't be charged the $0.08/gallon.

The $0.08 is a tax on commercial trucks. Legally, in AZ, you can insist on having the station refund the tax, there is a sticker on the pumps saying that. Getting the dingbats at the register to do that is an exercise in futility and you are stuck with the auto nozzle pump, but you do get to use your credit card without a surcharge

 

[Ron]

The $0.08 is a tax on commercial trucks. Legally, in AZ, you can insist on having the station refund the tax, there is a sticker on the pumps saying that. Getting the dingbats at the register to do that is an exercise in futility and you are stuck with the auto nozzle pump, but you do get to use your credit card without a surcharge

No problem at all at Flying J if you use the RV Club card and a credit card the $.08 is deducted along with the discount.  Loves can be a problem and that is why we never stop at Loves for fuel.

 

[Tom]

You are mixing state taxes and local market pricing with other factors. You can't compare buying fuel in CA with NV, even from the same brand; taxes, formulation, probably refinery are all different.

I'm not confusing anything Bernie. I merely reported what I paid on two consecutive days in different states. I understand that there are many factors contributng to the difference, and your data illustrates that very well. But the bottom line is I paid exactly $0.50 less the second day than I did the first day. I doubt that day to day price changes made up more than a few cents of the difference.

Besides the usually crowded lineups at the pumps, the RV pumps have the auto sized nozzles which can take up to 10 times longer to fill because of the smaller diameter.

Understood, but yesterday the lines at the truck pumps were quite long, and I had only a pickup truck in front of me at the RV pump. The pickup driver even offered to move to another pump, but I declined. Even with waiting for the pickup and the slow pump, I was in and out in much less time than had I queued at the truck pumps. There was also plenty of room for us to get in and out of the RV line. I prefer to be in and out quickly, safely, and with no hassle than to merely be able to say "I use the truck pumps"  ;D

Today was a different story. Several of the truck pumps were free, and the truck in the one we chose had pulled forward after filling.

Personally, I haven't experienced a 10X difference in fuel flow, although there's no doubt that the truck pumps have larger nozzles.

If I need 100 gallons, I won't go to the auto nozzles.

If I need 100 gallons, I won't make it to the pump. My tank is spec'd to hold 100 gallons, but I've yet to be able to fill it, because of the design. (A thread a year ago discussed this in depth).

.... and you are stuck with the auto nozzle pump

In this case, as I stated, I was redirected to the RV pumps which, by the way, had no line and had at least as much room as truck pumps at any truck stop I've visited. So I didn't feel like I was "stuck" with anything.