There is more to life on the road than truck stops.
- Thread starter ATeam
- Start date
Sounds like a nice break.
Today I spent time at the Gulf Shores, AL beaches and then on the way back towards I10 stopped at an art in the park festival in Foley, AL. Vans have their disadvantages but being able to enjoy side trips is one great advantage they do have.
Now it is time for a nap before a 11pm pickup to start the week with a load.
Today I spent time at the Gulf Shores, AL beaches and then on the way back towards I10 stopped at an art in the park festival in Foley, AL. Vans have their disadvantages but being able to enjoy side trips is one great advantage they do have.
Now it is time for a nap before a 11pm pickup to start the week with a load.
While you keep your guard up at truck stops for safety reasons, both for yourself and your truck, I have noticed that I drop my guard in another way. At a truck stop, you are among your own kind; meaning people who understand your needs, life and work pretty well.
You don't have to worry about getting a parking ticket or run out of the place because people don't like trucks. The food, fuel, showers, laundry and other things you need are right there. It is easy to start a conversation with strangers without having to first explain your presence and different way of living, because the strangers have much in common with you.
Our park visit today provides an example. Not long after we parked the truck, the park ranger showed up to check us out. Had we been in a car, that would not have happened. Once he figured out that we were there to enjoy the park like everyone else, he was fine and we were too. But until that was cleared up, we were the object of the ranger's gaze.
To be fair, it is not every day that a gleaming, 34,000 lbs. FedEx truck shows up in the park. Having one appear not only on a Sunday but also on Mother's Day can be expected to raise questions in a park ranger's mind.
You don't have to worry about getting a parking ticket or run out of the place because people don't like trucks. The food, fuel, showers, laundry and other things you need are right there. It is easy to start a conversation with strangers without having to first explain your presence and different way of living, because the strangers have much in common with you.
Our park visit today provides an example. Not long after we parked the truck, the park ranger showed up to check us out. Had we been in a car, that would not have happened. Once he figured out that we were there to enjoy the park like everyone else, he was fine and we were too. But until that was cleared up, we were the object of the ranger's gaze.
To be fair, it is not every day that a gleaming, 34,000 lbs. FedEx truck shows up in the park. Having one appear not only on a Sunday but also on Mother's Day can be expected to raise questions in a park ranger's mind.
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DougTravels
Not a Member
Is this the guy?
pelicn
Veteran Expediter
The problem with parks, is that many times, they have signs that say "No Commercial Vehicles".
We called to make reservations at a campground and they had to see the truck first. The campground was very close to where we had delivered so it wasn't a big deal, but if we would have had to DH very far for them to look at the truck before saying yes or no, then we would have just skipped it.
It's nice to be able to stay in other places besides truck stops, but it isn't always as easy as it sounds. Sometimes it's just not worth the effort.
We called to make reservations at a campground and they had to see the truck first. The campground was very close to where we had delivered so it wasn't a big deal, but if we would have had to DH very far for them to look at the truck before saying yes or no, then we would have just skipped it.
It's nice to be able to stay in other places besides truck stops, but it isn't always as easy as it sounds. Sometimes it's just not worth the effort.
One of the other problems with staying in a campground is shore power.
Our Rig Master is VERY loud and many campgrounds frown on that day and night.
Another problem is right now many of us are really cutting back on our expenses and one thing that we let go was the luxury of staying at a pay campground. We can stay at a most truck stops for free, have access to bathrooms, showers, laundry and if we want to eat inside.
As an Express truck we are not often pre assigned on a load and so out of courtesy for campers (which we are not) we do not want to get parked get a load in the middle of the night and have to start the truck and take off. If you are in a truck stop this is expected and is the normal way of doing business.
I think maybe campgrounds are the luxury of the T-Val O/O crowd as it just does not work well for us who are waiting for a load to be offered for immediate pickup.
Our Rig Master is VERY loud and many campgrounds frown on that day and night.
Another problem is right now many of us are really cutting back on our expenses and one thing that we let go was the luxury of staying at a pay campground. We can stay at a most truck stops for free, have access to bathrooms, showers, laundry and if we want to eat inside.
As an Express truck we are not often pre assigned on a load and so out of courtesy for campers (which we are not) we do not want to get parked get a load in the middle of the night and have to start the truck and take off. If you are in a truck stop this is expected and is the normal way of doing business.
I think maybe campgrounds are the luxury of the T-Val O/O crowd as it just does not work well for us who are waiting for a load to be offered for immediate pickup.
i agree, more to life then t/s. we almost never stay, but i do understand why most do, the convenience. we only need the t/s for fuel and showers and i am very thankful for that. i can't imagine having to go there imediatley after each load. every other day or third day is enough. to much traffic, filth, and other stuff for us. dont get me wrong we have certain ones we will stay at for extended periods when needed but for the most part we have never had a problem finding a safe alternative place to park.
Most campground managers have internet access at their desks. If you direct them to a photo of your truck somewhere online, it might do the trick. Such questions are rare for us but when they rise, the photo of ourselves and our truck we have online provide a quick introduction.
We would not go to an RV park or campground to spend the night while waiting for a load. It makes little sense to put your admission money at risk. If you are in service and available to roll on a moment's notice, you are not on break. You are on the job, ready to roll. We pay to stay at parks only to take a break while being out of service or to stay over a weekend when dispatched on a Monday pickup.
In this case, we paid nothing. The park is free but it closes overnight. We slept at a nearby Wal-Mart and spent the day at the park.
Regarding generators, our Onan is one of the quietest generators on the market but campground rules generally prohibit generators of any kind from being run during certain hours. For that reason, we don't pay to camp where shore power is not available.
With freight slowing as it has, we have been waiting for freight more and been pre-dispatched over a weekend less. That reduces the need and opportunity to stay at an RV park such that we have not stayed at one in 2009. We have, however, enjoyed time at various city, county and one state park where the truck is allowed, admission is not charged and the surroundings are nice.
Another factor is the weather. If we need to run the generator 24/7 to stay comfortable in the truck, an RV park and its shore power becomes more attractive. This time, with the weather being near-perfect and a truck-OK park nearby, we got yesterday's non-truck-stop break for free.
Generators help drivers save a ton of fuel money by eliminating the need to idle the truck, but they still cost money to use. Generators have their own purchase price, life cycle, and maintenance and fuel costs.
While it is less expensive to run the generator for say 48 hours instead of paying to spend two nights at an RV park, keeping the generator turned off for those 48 hours saves money that partially offsets the RV park fee; thereby reducing the cost of an RV park stay and making the park's showers, laundry, safety and pleasant surroundings more attractive.
I guess you could say we sort of did a compromise this weekend. We were parked at a TA but we went to the very back part of the truck stop and found that if we parked with our windshield away from the parking lot, we were facing a beautiful woods. We bought steak and potatoes and got out the grill. There was a cattle truck parked next to us. It was empty (thankfully!) and had recently been cleaned. Well the old cowboy driver got out in his big ole boots and his huge cowboy hat. He walked over to where Frank was cooking the steak and he said, "Howdy! Kinda funny, ain't it, you sitting next to a cattle truck cooking steak." We got a huge laugh out of that!
We felt like we were parked in an RV park or a woods this weekend. What a great change from the regular truck stop situation - but we still had the advantages of the restrooms, showers and such.
We felt like we were parked in an RV park or a woods this weekend. What a great change from the regular truck stop situation - but we still had the advantages of the restrooms, showers and such.
greg334
Veteran Expediter
I think this says a lot about the subject.
Many of us.... no make that MOST of us are not in the position to know when or what the work will be and to think that we, the common expediter, without that shiny new looking apartment on wheels to think we fit in with campers who have invested a lot in their popups' and Prevost mansions stretches this into RVing style expediting.
Humble2drive
Expert Expediter
Most of us . . . no, make that ALL of us are in a position to go out of service and take a break or enjoy a weekend while waiting for a Monday pick-up.
Sorry, you feel you need to limit your options because you may not "fit in". We spent a nice weekend at a campground (out of necessity) and the campers were nice and friendly and showers were clean. We did not fit in and it didn't matter.
If it makes you feel better, the office staff may let you pick a space in an area where there are older, run down trailers. None of those snooty "pop-ups"? or Prevosts.
greg334
Veteran Expediter
I understand what you are saying but not all of us can do that. Many have to deal with touchy boards where they move 100 feet, they lost their position in high congested truck centers, while others will lose their board position by going out of service and others are not pre-dispatched.
Humble2drive
Expert Expediter
Greg334,
Ok, I get it. I was under the mistaken thought that all expediters occasionally got dispatched on a Friday for a Monday load.
My Bad.
Ok, I get it. I was under the mistaken thought that all expediters occasionally got dispatched on a Friday for a Monday load.
My Bad.
Truck stops are great for fuel, sleeping in and all the other normal stuff we do there. But one thing I loved about the van was I could take it anywhere a car went and there were quite a few times I took advantage of that fact. All over Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba there are lots of lakes. In the van I took some of the small narrow access roads down to a spot on a lake, got out the lawn chairs, the fishing pole and sat back and relaxed for a couple of hours. Sometimes crashed there as well, real quiet, out of the way no other trucks cranking up at 1 in the morning etc.
One other point was of course the opportunity with a van to go do the tourist thing in any town or park and no one bothered me for having commercial vehicle as so many ppl utilize company vehicles on vacation. Can't get away doing that the same with the s/t. ****ed thing makes parking at most donut shops a pain especially after 0700.
Rob
One other point was of course the opportunity with a van to go do the tourist thing in any town or park and no one bothered me for having commercial vehicle as so many ppl utilize company vehicles on vacation. Can't get away doing that the same with the s/t. ****ed thing makes parking at most donut shops a pain especially after 0700.
Rob
Rob,
I imagine you have been able to see some awesome sites in Canada! When every we have gone north in any of the provinces the scenery is breathtaking and we wish we could stay longer. We then get in a hurry to go south so we are available for another load!
I imagine you have been able to see some awesome sites in Canada! When every we have gone north in any of the provinces the scenery is breathtaking and we wish we could stay longer. We then get in a hurry to go south so we are available for another load!
nightcreacher
Veteran Expediter
Well for me,if I must be in truck over week end,you will usually find it at a Days Inn.Free breakfast in the morning,maid service,swimming pool,and usually resturants near by,many that deliver.Right now trailer is in TA truck stop,Kenly Nc,we are in Days Inn,cant deliver til after 2200 tonight,the 17th of May.We will check out about 2100,as we are about 1 hour away from delivery.Room was less than 40 bucks a night with the Corporate Lodging Card.
truckn-lace
Seasoned Expediter
Hi just to add to fun we always love to go visit Zoo's we could be Zoo critics. So many great as long as there is RV and bus parking call ahead. One we got threw out of also on mothers day. Oh yes for real was Akron Ohio Zoo. We saw almost all of it and got called over loud speaker for Tri-State to report to the main office. OK so no pets guilty as charged our working RV had our dog looking out the drivers window. Should of went to the Cleaveland Zoo instead ok always next time.