truck stops

[sandqueen]

I want to get somewhat straight on being able to spend a few hours at a truck stop or rest area to sleep etc....
From what I have read in previous posts, some truck stops allow you to park there if you pay, fill up w/gas, and some rest areas only let you park there for a an hour or two...

Question #1: Can you park at a Flying J, Pilot, or Petro for free? Or does it depend on the location?

Question #2: If you purchase something at Wal-Mart for example, they usually have a large parking space, could you park there for a few hours without being hasseled?

Question #3: Who monitors a rest area to determine your length of time there?

When I stop for a rest I do not want someone banging on the door asking me to leave!!!

thanks,
sandqueen :*

 

[RichM]

I could count on one hand the number of truck stops that charge for parking. Just about all of the flying J's ,Petro's Pilot's etc have no restrictions.
We generally use Walmarts and have never been kicked out.We also usually purchase something but that is no requirement.You can generally find 2-3 RV's off in a corner,park by them and you should have no problem.
Large 24 hour Supermarkets such as Kroger ,Meyers etc also usually do not hassle you.You didn't mention your type of vehicle. My information is based on D unit size,t/t's may have more of a problem. I generally don't stay more then 24 hours in a Walmart or similar store.Also with truck stops unless I can park up front I avoid them due to the noise in the back lot.

 

[sandqueen]

Sorry, I forgot to mention that it is a D unit...

thanks for the info...sounds like one less thing to worry about...

sandqueen

 

[hitek]

a little FYI... if you here drivers saying ( on the radio) that such and such truck stop is full and no parking left, my experience has always been to be able to squeeze in somewhere with my D unit.

 

[ATeam]

>I want to get somewhat straight on being able to spend a few
>hours at a truck stop or rest area to sleep etc....
>From what I have read in previous posts, some truck stops
>allow you to park there if you pay, fill up w/gas, and some
>rest areas only let you park there for a an hour or two...
>
>Question #1: Can you park at a Flying J, Pilot, or Petro for
>free? Or does it depend on the location?

Yes. You can almost always park at such truck stops for free. And with a D-unit, you can often park near the building in a bobtail lot if bobtail lots exist. (Bobtail is a semi tractor without a trailer attached.)

>
>Question #2: If you purchase something at Wal-Mart for
>example, they usually have a large parking space, could you
>park there for a few hours without being hasseled?

Most Wal-Marts allow truck parking at far ends of parking lots without a problem. Some have "No Trucks" signs posted. At those, we've asked the manager for permission to park and always received it. I've heard of one Wal-Mart south of Atlanta (don't know which one) where the community has adopted an anti-truck attitude and will ticket trucks for parking in shopping areas even if the store in question has no problem with it. Having heard that story, we almost always ask a store manager about parking in his or her lot. Grocery store managers have told us more than once that they appreciate being asked and have run trucks off the lots where the drivers don't ask.

>
>Question #3: Who monitors a rest area to determine your
>length of time there?

Don't know the answer to that one, I presume the State Patrol. I've often wondered just what the various states mean by "overnight" when the signs say, "No Overnight Parking." Is it sundown to sunrise? If you arrive at 2 AM and leave at 8 AM, are you parking overnight? What about 10:00 PM to 4:00 AM?

>
>When I stop for a rest I do not want someone banging on the
>door asking me to leave!!!

Amen!

>
>thanks,
>sandqueen :*

 

[mhoy40]

rest areas are typically a four hour max unless otherwise posted. the state highway patrol is the patroling authority in these areas which in most cases also means the dot officers to.

 

[Crazynuff]

I'd be careful at WalMart . It depends on the attitude of the store manager . I read of one WalMart store manager that called the local police to ticket every truck on the lot . They did - including 2 WalMart trucks . I've never had a problem taking my full break in rest areas even though the posted limit was only 4 hours but I do avoid CT areas . DOT hangs out there and likes to check logs . I read one post of a team that likes to park in hospital parking lots . Most shopping centers won't bother you . Ask advice on the CB and avoid cities like Memphis with high crime rates .

 

[mhoy40]

i agree most rest areas dont enforce the time limit,one other thing to watch out for in rest areas and turnpike service plazas is if the state or local municipality has a anti idol law in effect the fines there can be steep the only one i know for sure is the mass. turpike and i seen on the news awhile back that maryland and virginia were both considering the anti-idol laws in there states to.on the truck stop thing i have only seen 2 ta,s that charge to park one in pa on i80 i think been awhile and the ta on the south side of dallas, never seen a flying j,pilot,loves or a petro that charges to park. from what i understand some of the new tas charge to park because of the new idol-air systems don'know about that though.

 

[Crazynuff]

I think I know the T/A on 80 you're talking about but even the ones that charge will allow free parking when you spend a certain amount on fuel or in the store or shop . Their prices are high on everything though .

 

[mhoy40]

this ta dosnt charge if u buy like 50 gallons of fuel if i remember correctly. like i said its been a few months since i was there.

 

[Tennesseahawk]

Pilot might as well charge you to park... they're a ripoff on everything else. I think that TA that charged us was in PA. There are plenty of others in New England and New York that charge. If I remember correctly, one charged $7 in Massachusetts, but that was about 8 years ago. I'm sure that's gone up to $25 now, since they couldn't get Kerry into office. LOL :7 :7 :7 :9

T-hawk - ATL47 STL17... we have been redemed!

 

[Broompilot]

This is my real expierences, Wall Marts are great after ten PM before than impossible to get any rest, little itty bitty cars with very big mufflers, steroes, and doors closing no matter how far you park away.

Truck stops where campers park this is my real life story got blocked in watch it up there parked away from everyone woke up and it was like my truck was a magnet could not get the big D unit out they locked me in so watch it up there get a load offer and your blocked in good luck. Same goes with doors shutting and Mothers yelling at her kids or should I say Mom ignoring her kids and kids yelling at Mom. Safest bet for me is back there with the big rigs your safer at a truck stop kind of a sitting duck in my opinion at a shopping center. I can sleep with a Truck Ideling its the steroes, kids, mufflers and doors slaming that wakes me up. Just my rookie opinion for what its worth. And yes I have already been hit but still park back there with the 18 wheelers.

 

[RichM]

I am sure that the A Team will take me to task for this,(LOL) but Hospital parking areas work real well , as long as you stay away from the emergency room area. The lobbies are open all night,rest rooms are clean and no one bothers you. Just make sure you are way in the back or near the receiving area and you will be OK.
RichM
Owner/Operator
Professional
18 years

 

[raceman]

I only hit one place that wated pay for parking and that was the Detroiter in Detroit. One of my drivers also reported that as it still being true. There is a stop over in Indy where you have to pay if get on the very back. It is privatly owned. One of my drivers who is no longer with me always had a great story for anyone that bothered her in a big store lot. She said this worked best around holidays and after 8:00 at night. When approached by a store person she would tell them she had no idea what was on the truck she just knew she was to meet some big manager in the lot first thing in the morning. Now she said time was important because it meant by morning there would either be no body there or a new person due to shift change and if it was after 8:00 there would no one for them to check with at a home office. In some cases she would say she had heard it was some kind of gifts for employees. She was the creative type and swore this never missed for big store lots.She said she started this with some smart a@# manager and it worked so she used it from that point on. Sounds good to me if you do not mind telling a little white lie.

Raceman
Owner Two Straight Truck.
Part time driver of one of my trucks and local TT.
15mon.OTR Expediting
1 yr local Expediting
Line Haul TT 2mon.
OTR Straight Truck Plt to Plt off and on 5 years.
Based in Cincy Ohio
Currently run Express-1

 

[chetjester]

Pilot in Laredo charges to park, unless you get a truck wash, buy merchandise or fuel. $5.00 for every 12 hours. They also charge more for fuel than should be legal. In Laredo, I either park at the Wal-Mart on Loop 20 or will drive back to Encinal (exit 39 on I-35) to stay at the Love's.

Petro in W. Memphis charges to park. "D" units and smaller can park in front. FYI, there is a dentist available there.

TA in Dallas charges to park.

Petro in Atlanta (off I-285 near I-20) charges. Buying fuel will eliminate the cost.

I have never heard of a Flying J charging. Also, a "D" or smaller unit can easily park in front with the RVs. I do that in London, Ontario all the time.

The Detroiter charges to park. They only have one TV channel in the "lounge".

 

[Doggie Daddy]

the T/A in baltimore charges to park,as does the T/A in tampa,fl.we refuse to park anywhere they charge to park. we have gone to the detroiter before,but leave before the 4 hours is up.we haven't gone there in quite awhile tho because in our opinion it's a dive and getting worse every year.DD.

 

[RichM]

Loks like I have been out of the truck stop loop for a while. The only ones I could think of that charge to park are the Detroiter,The two TA's in Ontario CA,and the TA east of Hartford CT on I 84 and I think that one is now free,but it has become a real dive.x(

 

[Crazynuff]

I was at that T/A in CT earlier this week . Only the first 2 hours are free . I didn't stick around to see how much it was after that .

 

[mhoy40]

probaly wont have to worry much about the detroiter for long with the t/a and 2 pilots in monroe,mi and the additoin of three new fling j's going up in the detroit metro area.one in monreo on 75, one in bellvile,mi on 94 and one on us 23 exit 1 on the mich. ohio border.

 

[chetjester]

I'm excited about that, too. Also, a new Flying J in Laredo. No more inflated fuel prices at Pilot. No more Pilot monopoly in Laredo. No more "pay to park".

And, a new Flying J in Edinburg, TX. And a new Flying J Fueling location in Saginaw.

Thank God for Flying J. They have the best prices on the road.