Flying J Drops Visa

Evan Lockridge

Seasoned Expediter
I have gotten conflicting reports about Flying J no longer accepting the Visa card. Some say the locations are not taking the card at all while others say it's only at the fuel pumps? I put in a call to Flying J, but they don't want to talk. Does anyone have any first hand experience with trying to use a Visa card at Flying J since this new policy began on May 25th? Thanks.

Evan Lockridge
Producer & Host
Expediter News Break
www.ExpediterNewsBreak.com
[email protected]
 

jaminjim

Veteran Expediter
I saw the sign yesterday. Asked at the fuel counter and was told it was only for the TRUCKS. All others will still be okay, to include RV's at the RV pump. Just not for the truckers.
 

Evan Lockridge

Seasoned Expediter
I just talked to the Flying J not far from where I live and the person answering the phone said as of last Friday they are no longer accepting Visa for payments of diesel. The card is still accepted for buying gasoline and other items. According to one newsgroup my wife subscribes to on Yahoo, there's speculation Flying J is doing this to get more truckers to use their fuel payment card.

Evan Lockridge
Producer & Host
Expediter News Break
www.ExpediterNewsBreak.com
[email protected]
 

greg334

Veteran Expediter
I really think that there is something really wrong with a national chain becoming a credit provider for fuel.

I guess seeing the price difference between the Pilot at exit 18 on 75 in Monroe Mi being different than the one at exit 15 on 75 in Monroe Mihas something to do with my feelings toward the entire monopoly within the truck stop industry. 3 miles, the same city and a different price.

Some truckstops are making a lot of money on everything and not to bash the capitalistic approch of thier business, somethings they do need the competition to improve thier services.
 

unorthodoxneon

Expert Expediter
I like flying j's for being clean. But my biggest complaint is they are trying to keep every penny that could be made for themselves. They have their TAB bank, their own resturant and even their "fastfood" is owned by them. I'm not a big fan of monopolies and companies that are greedy. But who knows maybe thats the mourmon (spelling?) way.
 

wallytrucker1

Expert Expediter
When they charge an xtra nickle or so for the privledge of using my visa I just atm it. the cost is close .2.95 for 300.00 or a nickle a gallon for 100 gallons. Still like to let my feet do the talking, I go somewhere else if I don't like someones way of doing bus.. Plus, the hooks buffet SUCKS IMHO;)
 

tec1959

Expert Expediter
Watch the next thing for the J will be charging for parking at some or all of its locations in the near future.I hope I'm wrong but it seems like they love the RV'ers more than the BIG trucks that made them what they are today,It doesn't make since to me...
 

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
They absolutely cater to the RVers. It's simply, really, RVers generally fill up, buy stuff in the store, then go away. With truckers, they have to deal with the added expense and inefficiencies of dealing with fleet fueling, showers, lounges, truck parking and other stuff I won't mention here.

But, this no-Visa at the truck islands thing is already making many RVers mad, as they can generally get into and out of the truck islands for fuel easier than they can the RV islands.

Incidentally, as someone who spent nearly 16 year in the foodservice industry, the buffet at the J is just an embarrassment to the industry. For that matter, it's an embarrassment to real food. If you order from the menu, especially whatever the monthly specials are, you're probably gonna be OK. The salad bar isn't too bad. But anything on the heated island, be afraid. Be very afraid. I can only conclude that the local Health Departments have never inspected them. I sit there and am astonished at what I see sometimes. Truly.

If you've eaten at one of them, you've eaten at all of them. They apparently have a corporate cookbook, compiled by someone who has never cooked, and all of them follow it to the letter. Including the chapter that just has to be entitled 101 Ways to Abuse A Bird. Step One - Fry chicken until it turns to pure carbon.

The philosophy must be, if a little of something is good, then a lot of it must be better, soooo, if cooking something is good, then cooking the livin' snot out of it must be just wunnerful.

They have tried to add a few healthy items to the buffet, but apparently no one in Utah knows what healthy means. The added fish, which comes in frozen and already cooked. All they have to do is heat it up and slap it out there. But noooooo, they throw it in a 450 degree oven for a few hours, lest any of that pesky moisture remains behind in the fish flesh. What you have left of something that would be much better suited for drywall applications or bathroom floor tile than for human consumption.

But again, when it's available, if you order the wild Alaska Salmon off the menu, you'll get good eats.
 

wallytrucker1

Expert Expediter
I try to avoid the buffet, especially after watching scuzbags pick the food up,examine it and return it,all barehanded. I ordered oatmeal from the menue once and watched the gal put my order in and the"cook" handed her a bowl and she went to the buffet and got my oatmeal. I refused it and she seemed surprised: cold cereal in the trk tasted pretty good after that..
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
I was actually considering the TAB bank...BUT now with this high handed corporate tactic..forget it.......I was spending about 10g's a year at the J....they can consider that gone...

wonder how many 10g's they can lose like me before they see the light????
 

x06col

Veteran Expediter
Charter Member
Retired Expediter
US Army
Unfortuneately Ontario, they'll probably save that 10K each day before noon chain wide, by not having to pay visa their percentage. Big business is mind bogleing, what is a very large sum to you and I, is just an accounting shift to them. Not to stick up for them, but, we have been using TAB accounts for quite a while now, and have been realy happy with them.
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
As much as my last post that I cry and whine about it...I just might still have to do TAB banking...Its just the way we are set-up. It would be a night mare to change our system.
 

riverrat2000

Seasoned Expediter
I have never had a problem at the hook, i use comdata so the only services I can use is their parking lot, now with the visa problem it looks like a lot more people will be using their parking services only
 

unorthodoxneon

Expert Expediter
I run TAB as that is how our fleetowners pay us. One other thing that gets me is if you use a TAB ATM in the Hooks they charge you $1 to do a transaction.

But wait i have a positive to my story. Last month on our statement with my TAB card i bought a new laptop, paid for some repairs on the truck (i was reimbursed dont worry :+ ) and some other stuff and my statement said i spent over 4K on the card and now i have 40+ dollars to spend at the hook. But you can only spend on Food and Drink or something from their E-Store.

Their is a rainbow at the end of the thunderstorm i guess.


And as far as the food comments by turtle. I have to disagree. I dont know why you refer to the food as a chicken and such, but i found out its really Pigeon and local stray dogs. :+
 

easyrider2697

Expert Expediter
Not all true, you can also use those cupons, to get work done on the truck( get paid back in cash by the boss), flying j wifi services, gift cards ect...everyone in my family has an account with tabb and I get hundreds a month in the cupons...and you can even buy browning shotguns and browning sporting goods thru the e-store.

owners that use comdata can deposit comchecks into tabb accts, have the funds availabe immeditly and no charge to cash the comchecks..

what else can I say I love tabb bank.....24/7/365....live operator on christmas morning to make an deposit and deal with problems....gotta love them....ok I have said enuff about them...oh yea by the way I love tabb bank.
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
I've talked to 3 J managers in the last week and the point the J is making is this ..Visa charges the J. 5 cents a gallon on every transaction and Visa wanted to raise it.. J wants Visa to lower this charge so as they say can pass the savings unto the truckers, But Visa wouldn't talk so the J said fine you get nothing. Short term pain for longtime gain. It's hard to believe a corporation is lobbying for its customers. The proof as they say is in the pudding.

Visa might just be the bad guy here.
 

fortwayne

Not a Member
For many reasons, including their effort to eliminate all fuel cards excepts thier own, I refuse to buy anything from Flying J.
If there is a J, a Pilot, Petro and a TA at the same corner I will buy fuel, food and everything else from anyone but J.
Heck, out of spite, I will use their parking lot, their bathrooms, their lounge - but they will not get one dime from me.
They have the rudiest employees and will do the least they can for the truckers - even though we are the one's that keep'em running.
GROUND THE FLYING J!

Fort Wayne
Stop The Mexican Truckers!(and Flying J)
 
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