Fuel for Thought

Beaver Blues

It seems that lately there are a lot of truck drivers with the Beaver Blues. While their sadness manifests outwardly as anger, hostility and resentment, the rest of us understand the root cause. 

For years, decades even, truck stops have slowly evolved into travel centers. As more and more 4 wheelers and RVs came to use truck stops on their journeys, truckers started to resent them for “taking up space” where trucks should be parked. Travel center, rather than a truck stop, better reflected the property owner’s wishes to proclaim that all travelers are welcome to visit their business. 

Years ago, a Mr. Aplin had a vision for a chain of gas stations with country stores that would rival the size of any travel center. And his growing chain of travel centers has become well known to all motorists. Almost all truck drivers know that Mr. Aplin’s chain of travel centers does not allow trucks in their parking lots or fueling areas. Of course this chain of travel centers is Buc-ee’s. As the word spread from trucker to trucker about the perceived inhospitable treatment of truckers at Buc-ee's locations, some truck drivers have developed the Beaver Blues. 

Truck drivers posting all over social media about the unfair treatment of truck drivers at these locations. Many claim they will never visit one even when in their personal vehicle. Some truckers like to post memes poking fun at the Buc-ee’s Beaver or the large parking lots that are sans trucks.

Some truckers just cannot be pleased. First you want the cars and RVs banned from “truck stops”. Then when a chain of travel centers opens to everyone except trucks, you want in, are then turned away and you are upset. You don’t want them (the cars) in “your” truck stop and believe that is okay, but then you want to get into their travel center?

I gotta hand it to Mr. Aplin, intentional or not, he has the angry truckers doing free advertising for his Buc-ee’s stores where you are not allowed in your truck… brilliant. Everytime you post your Beaver Blues on social media, you are bringing attention to Buc-ee’s stores. You are keeping the hype going and creating interest from those who now have to go see for themselves what all the fuss is about. 

I don’t understand all the hostility from some truck driver’s towards Buc-ee’s. There are numerous places in this country where trucks are not allowed, why does this one bother you so much? Just enjoy the travel center on your next vacation, in your personal vehicle. You will most likely appreciate the cleanliness and selection of goods available that you do not usually get at the”truck stop”.

To all the Big truck blowhards with the Beaver Blues, keep up the ad campaign, Mr. Aplin and his “Texas sized” travel centers surely appreciates the free additional media hype and that you are making his customers aware of the fact that they will not have to deal with a Buc-ee’s facility that resembles what many truck stops today have become.

Jealousy is the tribute mediocrity pays to genius. 

-  Fulton J. Sheen

See you down the road,

Greg