Pilot and showers

greg334 · Apr 13, 2010

If you really want a real response, don't bother with low level people, write directly to Jimmy Haslam. He or his staff does respond to customer's letters.

Put together a Letter to send to him and tie the need of an "expediter's program" into their commitment to the customer, using their values. While you are at it tell him that if Pilot combines J and Pilot cards into one card, it will draw more people into their system.

Noname · Apr 13, 2010

Let me jump into this thread and be the devil's advocate. Truck stops exploiting us? Maybe we're exploiting them. We use their safe(?) parking lots to rest for hours, use their microwave for free cooking of the food we bought elsewhere, use their tv lounge to watch all those wonderful programs (yeah, right) fill up with their low price fuel, take a rest in their delightful rest rooms, then use their laundry facilities to add mysterious spots and dingy gray colors to our clothes. All at no charge. Aint it wonderful of them?

Jefferson3000 · Apr 13, 2010

Here is another option all of us might want to think about. I am certain that EVERYONE is concerned about the rising cost of fuel once again. Sometimes I am in need of fuel, even when I don't need another shower. I am finding larger chasms between the major name truck stops and "mom & pops" as of late. Coming through Duncan, SC on Friday, the TA and Pilot had fuel for $3.12 per gallon at CASH price. I knew I could find it cheaper elsewhere. I got about 20 miles down the road, and lo and behold, there was a small Shell station with truck pumps and parking. Diesel was $2.82, cash or credit. Thirty cents difference. Is this off topic? No, because these smaller truck stops also have cheaper showers, should one need to pay cash for it.

Just up the road from there on I-26 is a Circle K in Inman, SC that had reasonable fuel, and $3 showers, should you need to pay cash. I think they only had one shower room, but it was clean and the towels were nice. The parking lot was paved and the facility seemed safe.

Many mom and pop truck stops, unless in some major metro area, do not have a mandatory 50 gallons in order to get a free shower. If a van driver walked in and asked, they could probably fuel 20-25 gallons and get a free shower.

jelliott · Apr 13, 2010

I would be happy to email my Pilot rep to discuss this. A lot of carriers represent a large amount of gallons to them. I think it would be more effective to complain to your carrier and try and get them to complain on behalf of their fleet.

AMonger · Apr 13, 2010

Jefferson3000 said:
Many mom and pop truck stops, unless in some major metro area, do not have a mandatory 50 gallons in order to get a free shower. If a van driver walked in and asked, they could probably fuel 20-25 gallons and get a free shower.

The Detroiter did this for me. Told them I was in a van, and she said if I filled up, she'd give me a shower. Told her I already had about 1/3 tank, and she gave me a shower for putting in the remaining 2/3.

AMonger · Apr 13, 2010

jelliott said:
I would be happy to email my Pilot rep to discuss this. A lot of carriers represent a large amount of gallons to them. I think it would be more effective to complain to your carrier and try and get them to complain on behalf of their fleet.

Please do. My carrier is so small, our voice wouldn't be heard. And we're all O/O without any fuel card, so everyone just fuel where they want.

I'd be happy with a 50% discount on the shower after filling. I don't mind paying $5 for a shower, but $10 is too much.

OntarioVanMan · Apr 14, 2010

you guys are too much..I thought you were businessmen?

you know what the unit cost is for a gallon of water these days?

the cost to heat that water? the maintenance of the heaters and plumbing?

The cost of them towels and the cost to launder them?

then the labor to clean and general upkeep?

if a cleaner was to clean to somes exacting standards and it took 15 minutes for a stall at 8 bucks an hour that is $2 in labour alone...

and then the nerve of you guys also want a fuel discount....

you don't haul cheap freight, then don't expect cheap showers...

get real gentlemen..it is a user pay world out there...there is no free ride anymore..besides showers are a tax deduction...

layoutshooter · Apr 14, 2010

It would not be so bad if they cleaned the showers, kept up the stalls, maintained the water temps, in fact, many of them to very little. It is not hard to find dirt built up in the corners. Mold everywhere. ETC ETC. Customer service is not a primary concern at many of the truck stops out there today.

OntarioVanMan · Apr 14, 2010

layoutshooter said:
It would not be so bad if they cleaned the showers, kept up the stalls, maintained the water temps, in fact, many of them to very little. It is not hard to find dirt built up in the corners. Mold everywhere. ETC ETC. Customer service is not a primary concern at many of the truck stops out there today.

The showers should cost more especially to those who don't or even can't buy enough fuel to cover the operational costs...
TS's don't OWE us anything....IF I owned one..I may not even have showers...lot of drivers are just pigs...

layoutshooter · Apr 14, 2010

OntarioVanMan said:
The showers should cost more especially to those who don't or even can't buy enough fuel to cover the operational costs...
TS's don't OWE us anything....IF I owned one..I may not even have showers...lot of drivers are just pigs...

Some drivers are pigs. Some are not. If you are going to have them they should be kept up. Many are not. I would love to see showers looked at by some independent health safety officials. That would be a real eye opener. If a truck stop wants to charge fee for showers they can and should. They should know the cost of running that service. That cost should include doing the work, which many are not now.

It can be done. I have been in clean showers. If one can keep them clean, all of them can. There really is no excuse.

OntarioVanMan · Apr 14, 2010

besides shower credits are issued on the amount of fuel in the TRUCK not the drivers...teams should be charged at least the cost of those extra towels that are issued...teams are the worst offenders...if they paid the proper fare we solos might not get stuck with the whole cost...

OntarioVanMan · Apr 14, 2010

layoutshooter said:
Some drivers are pigs. Some are not. If you are going to have them they should be kept up. Many are not. I would love to see showers looked at by some independent health safety officials. That would be a real eye opener. If a truck stop wants to charge fee for showers they can and should. They should know the cost of running that service. That cost should include doing the work, which many are not now.

It can be done. I have been in clean showers. If one can keep them clean, all of them can. There really is no excuse.

Agreed...if the TS's are going to charge top price then it is only natural to have better conditions...

kinda like the toll roads...high tolls, lousey roads..

layoutshooter · Apr 14, 2010

OntarioVanMan said:
besides shower credits are issued on the amount of fuel in the TRUCK not the drivers...teams should be charged at least the cost of those extra towels that are issued...teams are the worst offenders...if they paid the proper fare we solos might not get stuck with the whole cost...

That's socialism for you!! We teams are "entitled" to more than you solo's and you should pay to cover OUR needs!!

The trucks stops know their costs, they determine if teams should get extra showers or towels. If it does not work for them they can, and should, change the policy. Then WE decide if we are going to continue to use that stop/chain with the new policy.

OntarioVanMan · Apr 14, 2010

One truck = ONE shower credit...

you are sounding like a koolaid drinking entitlement person now...

showers are a privaledge not a right

layoutshooter · Apr 14, 2010

OntarioVanMan said:
One truck = ONE shower credit...

you are sounding like a koolaid drinking entitlement person now...

showers are a privaledge not a right

Grape koolaid it best for those of use who wear Purple!! Purple Power is really "Grape"!! We are truly "raisin" the bar on expedited services!!

Truck stops are not required to give teams more, they CHOOSE too. Of course showers are a "right" Being clean is needed to stay healthy and keep the costs down for "Obama Care".

OntarioVanMan · Apr 14, 2010

layoutshooter said:
Grape koolaid it best for those of use who wear Purple!! Purple Power is really "Grape"!! We are truly "raisin" the bar on expedited services!!

Truck stops are not required to give teams more, they CHOOSE too. Of course showers are a "right" Being clean is needed to stay healthy and keep the costs down for "Obama Care".

Figures..just like a Michiganite to thro dirt up into the air and trying to cloud ones opinion...to hide the truth..*lol*

I can see "entitlement" written all over ya...

layoutshooter · Apr 14, 2010

OntarioVanMan said:
Figures..just like a Michiganite to thro dirt up into the air and trying to cloud ones opinion...to hide the truth..*lol*

I can see "entitlement" written all over ya...

A "Michiganite" is a metorite that landed in Michigan. A person born and raised in Michigan is a "Michigander"