Bruno..it has nothing to do with "unprofessional"
Are we to kiss TA hiney because they introduce a program that has more holes then Swiss Cheese?
At least in the van program.
Maybe the straight program is much better.
I Just Received My EXPEDITE KING Card!
- Thread starter Lawrence
- Start date
Bruno..it has nothing to do with "unprofessional"
Are we to kiss TA hiney because they introduce a program that has more holes then Swiss Cheese?
At least in the van program.
Maybe the straight program is much better.
mrgoodtude
Not a Member
Darn Elmo..
How many T/A showers have you taken in the last 12 mos?
Sorry I am not doing the cabbage patch dance in Florence over this and I find it highly unlikely that the aforementioned gives a real **** about expediter types cept for a potential source of revenue....
Just for turds and giggles what if I did a secret expose on the site here about real life experience with T/A?
That would impress the hell outta me if they took heed.
I have a macro lens good for the fungi
Not peeing on anyone's toes but have had to endure the best and worst of T/A and feel they have a way to go to show me they appreciate my biz...Just saying
We very seldom fuel anywhere else so we use the TA Showers a lot anymore. Some of the TA showers are really pretty darn nice and some of them are not very nice which is the same as any truck stop chain we go to.
We have also met some really nice shower attendants at the TA who have seen me waiting to get our shower coupon and bring me an extra set of towels without being asked. I have never had that happen at any other truck stop chain.
I also feel as if the TA compared to the J has overall friendlier people who work the counter. The cleanliness overall of TA's is not as good as some of the smaller brands of truck stops inside. The TA just like the other major brands often have filthy lots while at other locations you see attendants out picking up the parking areas.
The one thing I wish the TA would do at most of their locations is improve the laundry facilities. We have to wash every weekend and sometimes after we fuel and take our showers we have to move to another truck stop to wash.
Overall we do not mind giving our business to the TA's and one thing we really like is if we do eat inside their meals are still served on plates and not baskets.
We have also met some really nice shower attendants at the TA who have seen me waiting to get our shower coupon and bring me an extra set of towels without being asked. I have never had that happen at any other truck stop chain.
I also feel as if the TA compared to the J has overall friendlier people who work the counter. The cleanliness overall of TA's is not as good as some of the smaller brands of truck stops inside. The TA just like the other major brands often have filthy lots while at other locations you see attendants out picking up the parking areas.
The one thing I wish the TA would do at most of their locations is improve the laundry facilities. We have to wash every weekend and sometimes after we fuel and take our showers we have to move to another truck stop to wash.
Overall we do not mind giving our business to the TA's and one thing we really like is if we do eat inside their meals are still served on plates and not baskets.
guido4475
Not a Member
Actually, I prefer the Petro over any other.But I am glad the T/A has changed their food supplier to the same as the Petro, and the salad bar has improved. There have been alot of improvements at the T/A recently that are greatly appreciatted.The shower heads need improvement, though. Kinda like a prison shower head.I wasn't trying to bash the T/A,but how can one fix something if they dont know what is broken to begin with? The current program is no bargain. I am not expecting things to be handed out to me, either. And I did not see any of this to be un-professional in any way.Better to be honest than to lie.
pelicn
Veteran Expediter
We got the card, but haven't used it because although it's a 20 gal purchase instead of 50, the shower credits expire in 3 days rather than 7. We are in a straight truck, so we always purchase more than 50 gallons of fuel. I'd rather have a 7 day expiration on showers. We use the normal Road King card instead.
Lawrence I am sorry to say when it comes to vans the TA's program was not thought out at all. It seems they did not look at what there competition was doing in the least or maybe they are just not concerned about Vans.
My guess is the reason for creating this program was to generate business. Well as they say the proof is in the pudding and their program has not made me spend one more dollar with them than I did before the program began which is very little. My first choice is still the J and my gas stops are mapped around J locations whenever possible. It will remain so unless or until TA's program becomes more van friendly.
Just so you understand my position it is based 100% on the shower policy. The J lowered their requirements while the TA created a program with some very wacky requirements.
My guess is the reason for creating this program was to generate business. Well as they say the proof is in the pudding and their program has not made me spend one more dollar with them than I did before the program began which is very little. My first choice is still the J and my gas stops are mapped around J locations whenever possible. It will remain so unless or until TA's program becomes more van friendly.
Just so you understand my position it is based 100% on the shower policy. The J lowered their requirements while the TA created a program with some very wacky requirements.
You know it is not allowed to critize...it is unprofessional
No - OVM - not at all. Please reread what Xiggi said - lots of useful info there. Just saying......
I knew what he was saying ..I read the TA program...as I said..it s a start..maybe they could twink the van program, so it would be more useful to us and give us an alternate from the usual J.
I stand by my comment that it is not that good for vans...
Last edited:
Isn't this really a van only program anyway? I have the regular T/A card, and as a straight truck I see no reason to need a different one. I don't use the T/A much because so many of them are so ratty. Lots of those old, converted 76s really need to be torn down and built from the ground up. I think they should have just made provisions in the regular card like the J does. It seems like that would have been easier.
Dakota
Veteran Expediter
Straights and big trucks won't benefit much from it, since most of the time when they fill up they will be getting enough fuel for a 7-day shower.
As for vans, the Expedite King program is certainly better than the programs for vans at the Pilot, Loves, Petro, you name it, and it's better than what the TA had for vans previously. Like xiggi said, tho, it really wasn't well thought out. The sticking point is that you are required to buy food in order to obtain the shower. That turns many off, not because they don't want to buy food there, but because it's a measure specifically designed to ensure that they buy food. If the TA gave me a free shower for 15 or 20 gallons fuel, you betcha I'd be buying food and stuff from the convenience store a lot more often than I do. But requiring me to do so, and then try to keep up with with purchases in the last 24 hours and then the 3-day expiration of the shower, it's more than I want to deal with in most instances. KISS.
Having said that, if you're going to eat anyway, and you get 20 gallons of fuel, there's a free shower. If you shower at the J you're still likely going to eat something, so in order to get a free shower at the J you must get at least 15 gallons, twice. It's only a single 20 gallon fill-up at the TA, provided you also buy a meal sometime within 24 hours.
Using simple math, at $3 a gallon (which it is in Utah for some silly reason), you need 30 gallons for $90 at the J to get a free shower. At the TA it's 20 gallons for $60, plus a $10 meal, so you get a free shower for $70 spent. So at the TA you get a free shower for only a single fill-up, and you're likely going to eat something whether you fill up at the TA or the J, so really the TA is a better deal (except that the J gives you 2 towels instead of 1, which is the deal breaker for me). OK, fuel is a little cheaper at the J than the TA, but like I said, I'm using simple math here. If you use a Comdata card at the TA and are with a carrier that gets you additional discounts, some of them significant, then the TA becomes an even better deal.
So the Expedite King program isn't the greatest, but it's better than what they had before, and they didn't have to do it at all. For that I'm grateful.
As for vans, the Expedite King program is certainly better than the programs for vans at the Pilot, Loves, Petro, you name it, and it's better than what the TA had for vans previously. Like xiggi said, tho, it really wasn't well thought out. The sticking point is that you are required to buy food in order to obtain the shower. That turns many off, not because they don't want to buy food there, but because it's a measure specifically designed to ensure that they buy food. If the TA gave me a free shower for 15 or 20 gallons fuel, you betcha I'd be buying food and stuff from the convenience store a lot more often than I do. But requiring me to do so, and then try to keep up with with purchases in the last 24 hours and then the 3-day expiration of the shower, it's more than I want to deal with in most instances. KISS.
Having said that, if you're going to eat anyway, and you get 20 gallons of fuel, there's a free shower. If you shower at the J you're still likely going to eat something, so in order to get a free shower at the J you must get at least 15 gallons, twice. It's only a single 20 gallon fill-up at the TA, provided you also buy a meal sometime within 24 hours.
Using simple math, at $3 a gallon (which it is in Utah for some silly reason), you need 30 gallons for $90 at the J to get a free shower. At the TA it's 20 gallons for $60, plus a $10 meal, so you get a free shower for $70 spent. So at the TA you get a free shower for only a single fill-up, and you're likely going to eat something whether you fill up at the TA or the J, so really the TA is a better deal (except that the J gives you 2 towels instead of 1, which is the deal breaker for me). OK, fuel is a little cheaper at the J than the TA, but like I said, I'm using simple math here. If you use a Comdata card at the TA and are with a carrier that gets you additional discounts, some of them significant, then the TA becomes an even better deal.
So the Expedite King program isn't the greatest, but it's better than what they had before, and they didn't have to do it at all. For that I'm grateful.
One major issue is most if not all Sprinters come with 25 gallon tanks, so you need to darn near run out of fuel just to try qualify for a shower
That's the kicker for me, if it was based on 15 gallons, sure, but with the number of T/A's and where they are, getting that close to empty is an awful lot of planning to save 10 bucks. I'm not going thru the fuss and stink of having jerry cans either just to qualify for showers. If I am running steady, the FJ programs get me all the showers I need.
It's a good sign someone is thinking of us...they just need to tinker with the program a bit.
greg334
Veteran Expediter
Turtle,
I wonder if the fuel discounts that the carriers get, like FedEx and Landstar also include gas too?
It isn't just a comdata discount, FedEx uses Tchek.
But with that said I really feel that there isn't much of an advantage of having points when you;
The points should be universally issued and accepted throughout the T/A system (petro and T/A both). The shower thing should not be one for set limit of 24 hours or what ever it is but one that you can have a few for a year or so.
But again we are a trapped consumer, we can't buy our fuel just anywhere nor can we just pull into any where to buy what we need.
I wonder if the fuel discounts that the carriers get, like FedEx and Landstar also include gas too?
It isn't just a comdata discount, FedEx uses Tchek.
But with that said I really feel that there isn't much of an advantage of having points when you;
- can't use the to buy a shower
- use them to buy truck related products like oil and lamps
- have employees tell you that you can't use them to buy food or coffee even though there are signs all over the place saying so
- use them to discount items, like road atlas or electronics
The points should be universally issued and accepted throughout the T/A system (petro and T/A both). The shower thing should not be one for set limit of 24 hours or what ever it is but one that you can have a few for a year or so.
But again we are a trapped consumer, we can't buy our fuel just anywhere nor can we just pull into any where to buy what we need.
Well, the carrier discounts can come from Comdata, Tcheck, or any other way to let the truck stops know you are with a given carrier. Some use Comdata, some use Tcheck, but in many cases all they need is the MCC or DOT number and your VIN, and you get the carrier discount even when paying in cash.
As far as I know, the fuel discounts the carriers get is for diesel only, not for gas. But at least the Flying J Frequent Fueler and the TA Expedite King cards let gassers get the free shower credits.
As for the hoops to redeeming points, well, in a van with a 26.5 gallon tank, it takes me a really long time to accumulate enough points to redeem them for much of anything. I can eat free, once or twice a year, with my Pilot Driver Payback card. I can accumulate enough points for a day, or sometimes even a whole month, of free Internet at the TA. I even have an Ambest card. One of these days I'll have enough points for a candy bar or something.
It ain't much, but it's free. They don't have to give me anything at all, and when they do, I'm very appreciative.
As for being a trapped consumer, for trucks that's largely true. Not so much for a van. Most BP/Shell stations even accept Maestro cards (Comdata), just like Walmart does. I don't use the Comdata card at places like tht very often, because there's no discount involved but there is a Comdata transaction fee involved. When I'm low on fuel I don't necessarily have to find a truck stop. When that yellow fuel light has been on for a few miles, Flying J or TA takes a back seat to whatever the closest place is that has diesel, and I'll just pay for it with my bank debit card.
As far as I know, the fuel discounts the carriers get is for diesel only, not for gas. But at least the Flying J Frequent Fueler and the TA Expedite King cards let gassers get the free shower credits.
As for the hoops to redeeming points, well, in a van with a 26.5 gallon tank, it takes me a really long time to accumulate enough points to redeem them for much of anything. I can eat free, once or twice a year, with my Pilot Driver Payback card. I can accumulate enough points for a day, or sometimes even a whole month, of free Internet at the TA. I even have an Ambest card. One of these days I'll have enough points for a candy bar or something.
It ain't much, but it's free. They don't have to give me anything at all, and when they do, I'm very appreciative.
As for being a trapped consumer, for trucks that's largely true. Not so much for a van. Most BP/Shell stations even accept Maestro cards (Comdata), just like Walmart does. I don't use the Comdata card at places like tht very often, because there's no discount involved but there is a Comdata transaction fee involved. When I'm low on fuel I don't necessarily have to find a truck stop. When that yellow fuel light has been on for a few miles, Flying J or TA takes a back seat to whatever the closest place is that has diesel, and I'll just pay for it with my bank debit card.
greg334
Veteran Expediter
Even at 26.5 gallons, there are some accumulation of points, I think after doing local work for a while I accumulated enough to buy a subway $5 half sandwich.
The walmart thing is also carrier negotiated thing or I am told that, I can't use mine at walmart, but used to at other companies.
The walmart thing is also carrier negotiated thing or I am told that, I can't use mine at walmart, but used to at other companies.