We avoid most truck stops first because of the risk to the truck. Parking a van in front of a Flying J is one thing. Parking among the big rigs in any truck stop is quite another.
Look at the grounds where the trucks go at any truck stop. There is hardly an object standing or sitting that has not been run into, run over, or otherwise damaged by a truck. And that includes other trucks. With as little time as we spend at truck stops, I am amazed by the number of truck-on-truck accidents I have watched happen. I shouldn't see any, but have seen several.
We don't sleep well at truck stops, knowing that at any moment a truck may run into or back into ours; even though we are properly parked in a presumably safe place.
We have been pestered by prostitutes at truck stops, which is another reason to avoid them. Knocks on the door in the middle of the night are not welcome or appreciated. Beggars pester us too, both in the truck and in the lot. They too seem not to care that we might be asleep in the truck.
Walking inside from in front of the building is probably safe most of the time. But the further you are away and the darker your path, the greater the risks. We never walk between trucks at night. Have heard too many stories about muggers trapping victims there. It may not happen one in 10,000 times. But why expose yourself to that risk even once if you don't have to? If parked at a truck stop at night and we need to go inside, we stick to open ground and well-lit routes.
Truck stop fuel is a necessity. The showers are OK at most and great at a few. As for the food, you know those free food coupons Flying J sends in the mail? We have a bunch of them that we never use. We find Flying J food to be so bad that they can't give it away. Home cooking in the truck is better, as is food in other restaurants.
Out of necessity, we use truck stops a bit. But minimizing our time at them has improved our quality of life on the road.
The best part about truck stops is the easy opportunity they provide to meet other drivers, talk shop and make new friends. Life is what you make it at truck stops. On Thanksgiving, 2007, we had a great time with other expediters at a truck stop in New Jersey.
See:
Expediter Thanksgiving at Bordentown
We know a number of expediters that automatically head to the nearest truck stop after almost every load. Whether they are in a big rig, straight truck or van, truck stops are their layover place of choice. Parking elsewhere takes more effort, as trucks are welcome at truck stops and drivers are welcome to hang out.
