Cargo Van I got kicked out of a Flying J

Ragman

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
Who could ever kick that loving mugg out! Lol
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RoadTime

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
I never got kicked out or relocated until just now. Monroe pilot, within 5 mins was asked very nicely by the manager to move to the other end of the lot.

Funny thing is the new spot I moved to is 100% better for me. First time planning on staying here, had I of seen this spot beforehand I would have gone there to start
 
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Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
I never got kicked out or relocated until just now. Monroe pilot, within 5 mins was asked very nicely by the manager to move to the other end of the lot.

Funny thing is the new spot I moved to is 100% better for me. First time planning on staying here, had I of seen this spot beforehand I would have gone there to start
When I'm there I park in one of the 4 spots in the NE corner of the lot.
 

beachbum

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
First thing I do when I park at truck stops I go ask the manager if its okay and the second question is where would you like me to park. Most love the fact that I ask
 
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brokcanadian

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Most times, asking gives the opportunity for someone to say no in my experience...like the officer who asked who gave me the permission to change my balljoint in a grocery store parking lot i was already almost done, so he went away and let me finish
 

Spoonkee

New Recruit
Owner/Operator
Hi everyone, I also got kicked out of a pilot travel center this morning, on I40 exit 116 in chotaw, Oaklahoma. Got there Tuesday night after a 800 miles run to deliver, and was waiting on my next load . Talked to manager and expl and they told me only trucks could stay overnight that they we're not van friendly". Told her she should it told me before i spend 54 on gas and 15 on food. And they only have 2 showers with filthy shower curtains' needed to updated showers,"
 

Mailer

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Hi everyone, I also got kicked out of a pilot travel center this morning, on I40 exit 116 in chotaw, Oaklahoma. Got there Tuesday night after a 800 miles run to deliver, and was waiting on my next load . Talked to manager and expl and they told me only trucks could stay overnight that they we're not van friendly". Told her she should it told me before i spend 54 on gas and 15 on food. And they only have 2 showers with filthy shower curtains' needed to updated showers,"

Sorry to hear that. You probably meant exit 166. I passed thru there several times, but never stop and spend the night. Thanks for the updates.
 

JohnWC

Veteran Expediter
A month or so back I was at the TA east of Portland
Had a manager give me a bunch of garbage about being in his parking lot
Made a phone call to TA main headquarters
Told them if I had to leave I would never stop at a TA Ever again for anything
Manager never got close to my van again
Got a load out 3 days later
Lmao
 

Lawrence

Founder
Staff member
A month or so back I was at the TA east of Portland
Had a manager give me a bunch of garbage about being in his parking lot
Made a phone call to TA main headquarters
Told them if I had to leave I would never stop at a TA Ever again for anything
Manager never got close to my van again
Got a load out 3 days later
Lmao

TravelCenters/Petro has a special rewards card with parking privileges (in most locations). Check it out:

UltraONE Expediter | UltraONE Rewards Card for TravelCenters of America and Petro Truck Stops
 
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JohnWC

Veteran Expediter
I can agree with what they say on paper
What I'm saying if I can't park on 1 I meen one TA parking lot then I don't need to spend money at any TA that they have
 

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
The TA is pretty good about van parking. Every now and then you might run into a place with some particular issues that has caused the manager to forbid vans. But generally, at least with TA, all it takes is a phone call to let them know about it, or ask if they can clarify the situation. No need to threaten, simply make them aware of the problem.

That happened several years ago with the twin TAs in Ontario, CA. I was kicked off both lots. I called corporate about something completely unrelated, as we were about to get off the phone I asked an 'oh BTW' question... asked if those particular locations were franchises or if they were corporate locations. She said corporate and asked me why. The next day I got a call from somebody really really high up at TA, and later that day got a phone call from the manager of the TA in Ontario.

Expediter vans have been able to park there ever since.
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
sometimes there is a disconnect between a new management team in a certain store and head office....sometimes a cool, calm well placed phone call can resolve most issues...
 
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JohnWC

Veteran Expediter
That all I agree. with same point I haven't stoped at a loves now for 5 years
For the most part there are plenty of places to stop where gas is cheaper.
The only reason I stop at truck stops is for parking
But if one chain doesn't want me to be parked in their lot that's cool
I won't put them out of business but my money can be spent else where
 

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
But if one chain doesn't want me to be parked in their lot that's cool
I won't put them out of business but my money can be spent else where
It's temping to do that, I know. It won't take long, though, before you've forced yourself to not be able to park at any national chain truckstop, or Walmart. There are certain locations from every national chain where you cannot park for one reason or another. There are PilotFlying Js where you simply cannot park, but those reasons don't apply at all locations. Try parking for more than an hour at the Pilot in Cocoa Beach, FL, for example. They have very specific reasons for not allowing vans to park there, reasons that do not apply at most locations. I see no reason to remove those other locations from my parking options because of that one in Coca Beach. I see no reason to remove all Walmarts from my options simply because I've been kicked out of a few Walmarts. Same goes for Loves, TA, Wilco-Hess. I got kicked out of a rest area service plaza in New Jersey by a particularly impertinent State Police officer, but that hasn't stopped me from using other rest areas.

By the same token, you should park where you want to, and if you don't want to park at a particular truckstop chain's locations, then there's no reason you should. My point is, you may want to rethink how resolute you are in your reasoning. :)
 

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
What's the back story to Cocoa Beach?
I don't know all the details, but the manager gave me a few of them. Some involved drugs, white unmarked vans, and two vans from the same expedite carrier, and there was some kind of issue with missing children, also involving white unmarked vans. But, really, the biggest reason is that it's tiny. There are 8 parking spots for big trucks and 6 for cars and vans (plus 4 for employees and 6 or 7 in front of the store for customers). The police are there nearly all the time, and absolutely there all the time when it's dark. Best to fuel and go.
 

JohnWC

Veteran Expediter
It's temping to do that, I know. It won't take long, though, before you've forced yourself to not be able to park at any national chain truckstop, or Walmart. There are certain locations from every national chain where you cannot park for one reason or another. There are PilotFlying Js where you simply cannot park, but those reasons don't apply at all locations. Try parking for more than an hour at the Pilot in Cocoa Beach, FL, for example. They have very specific reasons for not allowing vans to park there, reasons that do not apply at most locations. I see no reason to remove those other locations from my parking options because of that one in Coca Beach. I see no reason to remove all Walmarts from my options simply because I've been kicked out of a few Walmarts. Same goes for Loves, TA, Wilco-Hess. I got kicked out of a rest area service plaza in New Jersey by a particularly impertinent State Police officer, but that hasn't stopped me from using other rest areas.

By the same token, you should park where you want to, and if you don't want to park at a particular truckstop chain's locations, then there's no reason you should. My point is, you may want to rethink how resolute you are in your reasoning. :)
All I'm saying is that why should I spend money in a truckstop
Being able to get a shower
Being able to go to the bathroom when I need to
If a chain feels I am unworthy to park there that's cool
I always find a back corner out of the way spot
I spend money there
I always top of my tank when leaving
PS when I go to Florida the extra I charge covers motel rooms and dead head back to Atlanta
Managers at some locations
Would rather have vacationing people there
But I feel if I spend money at a truckstop chain I should be able to park there
What we as Americans have gotten use to is company's taking our money and telling us to get lost
 

xiggi

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
I never really took it personal if I wasn't allowed to park sonewhere. Sometimes it's city ordinance, sometimes it's space or actions of those before you that lead to the policy. Heck sometimes the manager or security guy is in a pissy mood. Stuff happens.
 
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