Stoping for fuel when towing???

[Willy Bee]

I had to take my Montana into AAA for inspection today. On the way back I stop in at a small truck stop to fuel my truck. Because I am about 55 foot long (Truck & Trailer) I went into the truck line (Big Rigs) to fuel up. I was told that I was to go to the RV line which is where the auto's fill up just they use the last bay for RV's. I told the women that I wouldn't fit and my trailer would be in the road while I was fueling. As we were talking a guy came in with a 32 foot motorhome. The back of his motorhome was in the road about 3 feet. He was a gasoline motorhome so he couldn't come over to where I was. I had 3 truckers on my side telling this women she was nuts. Anyway, My question is has anyone stopped in a truck stop off a highway and had this trouble? Also for the Montana owners that are over 30 feet, where do you fuel up at when your on the road?

[steelpony5555]

Hmmmm sounds like she had control issues...never heard of an RV chased out of the truck lanes. Most would have enough common sense to know how long you are. Now if possible I do use the RV lanes if there is room just because I don't like how sloppy the truck lanes are..don't like stepping out into a puddle of diesel fuel and the nozzles are usually a mess....

[sambam]

I have to plead ignorance. RV lanes? I just use the ones the big rigs use. I've never had any issues. Dave is right though, those pumps can get pretty slimy. The ground, too.

[richard66]

Normally fuel up at Flying J's when available.

[1retired06]

Never had a problem filling up at a truck stop.

[BB_TX]

I have been to a true truck stop a total of one time. Did not like it as it was pretty greasy with spilled diesel. Big trucks all around. And I had to go in and give them my credit card before I could pump. I have stopped a few times at a small station in childress, TX that has two truck lanes, but rarely have I seen a big truck there. But even those were pretty gunked up. I prefer to look for regular stations with diesel lanes that I can get into reasonably easy. More often than not I try to fill up after dropping the Monte at an RV park for the night. Have not had a problem so far. I do have a 37 gallon tank so I can easily go 300+ miles before I have to stop. That is usually a day's worth of driving.

[davidaf]

I do my best to avoid filling when hitched but if I am there is no way i'm going use the little pumps when the truck lanes are available.

[DQDick]

We are 57' front to back and I seldom use the truck lanes. In some states like AZ the diesel costs more in the truck lanes due to higher taxes on commercial use. In others like Indiana it's cheaper due to less tax on commercial use, but the fine if caught far exceeds any benefits. I always look how the pumps are laid out before I pull in and usually avoid any issues that would make it a memorial stop. When traveling across the country we usually stop at Flying J/Pilots or similar truck stops that usually have RV lanes and, of course, I have loyalty cards to almost all of them.

[leemedic]

I put a 40 gal aux tank in the bed of my truck. I can only drive so far in a day, and burning up my 40 gal aux and my 38 gal internal finishes my day, I unhitch, refuel then sleep the rest of the day. Consider getting an aux tank. Mine just does gravity feed into my onboard tank with the turn of a lever.

[Chip]

Had that happen to me once. We left and went elsewhere.

[Krease]

What state were you in Willy Bee? Like Dick said, sometimes it's different based on commercial taxes, but there's no reason why they shouldn't let you fill up. Your money is just as good as someone elses.

Having a gravity fed aux tank, I try to fill up without the RV because I can get the fuel cheaper than at a Truck Stop.

[dieselguy]

I'm 68' long truck - trailer - boat. I'm a farm kid and right or wrong, I fill up at about anywhere I want. Quick Trips, Phillips 66, Wally World, Casey's, Chevron all have diesel on the outside pumps. I do stick out past the canopy as do big horse trailers and goosenecks with backhoes aboard, but I've never totally blocked a road or drive while fueling. Around my neck of the woods, many truck lanes don't have the smaller nozzle, so you'd have to hold the handle against the fill hole in the tank neck and be careful. I tend to stay away from Flying Flip J's and Loves as in the 4 states I frequent, they are busy, pricey, and the ability to shower and lounge isn't included in my fuel stop criteria. Ha!

[mhs4771]

We tried using the RV lanes a few times and always seemed to be an issue, cars in the way so you can't get there or leave, rigs sitting there getting propane, dumping, or shopping.
So we got the GS Pilot/Flying J card and since we Life members get 8 cents per gal off the cash price, generally making them the cheapest except for the CutRate places that I question the quality of their fuel.
Pull up to the Truck pump, insert my card, enter my pin code, pump my fuel and we're done, no going inside for anything. Works for us and with their App can plot our travels noting where they are.

[Willy Bee]

quote:Originally posted by Krease

What state were you in Willy Bee?

California of course! Think same cost at both pumps

[Rondo]

I'm with Michelle and Anne. I also have the GS Flying J/Pilot card and do just as they said--pull up to the truck pumps, insert the card, enter the code, fill up and pull ahead. If I want a receipt, which I normally do, I just go inside and ask for one. They are happy to give me one and then off we go continuing our trip! IF I am not towing I do use the RV or the auto pumps but I still use the card and get the same discount there as I would from the truck islands!

[steelpony5555]

I do the same and Michelle and Anne and Rondo....never had an issue and it is easy peasy......also have the Flying J app on my cell phone which has a trip planner and it gives the locations of the Flying J's on your route and the distance to the next one,,,,

[DarMar]

If we have to fill while hooked we use the truck lanes for sure, but having the auxiliary tank means we hardly ever have to deal with those situations.

[JandC]

I am with the truck lane crowd and mainly we fuel up at Flying J and Pilot. Sometimes at Loves if I have to. Since my tank is only 26 gallons I always have to fuel up once during the day while towing. I tired using the RV lanes a couple of times but always seemed to get stuck behind folks that were slow pumping and then must have been doing their weekly grocery shopping inside the store, while leaving their rig at the pump.

Two major benefits of truck lanes at major truck stops, they are usually fast, plus you are getting fresh diesel. I stay away from that out of the way auto gas station selling diesel for less because sometimes their diesel has been in those underground tanks for months.

[DonandBonnie]

We prefer the auto diesel for convenience when using a truck stop such as Flying J. Having said that, the ease and ability to fit at the auto pumps is certainly our first concern. We have never been turned down at the truck pumps, but have had several clerks with bewildered looks on their face when we didn't have a corporate account or a trucking company identification number.