The few truck stops in my area here in Keene, TX were advertising diesel prices about 2.68 a gallon give or take. With a 156 gallon tank empty on our coach, I saw a QT auto gas station advertising $2.38. Of course I squeezed in and fueled up today. Is this bad protocol? Is there a rule about not fueling at regular stations? I took up two pumps in terms of space. And I had to restart the pump with 4 separate $100 transactions cause of the limit...but I guess it seems like it was worth it to save .30 cents a gallon on 150 gallons...am I the only one that sometimes fuels up at auto stations?
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I don't see a problem with this as long as the station doesn't complain. My local Citgo has both truck pumps and auto pumps with diesel. I just go in hand over my credit card say i want to fill it and they let me fill it up with no pump limit at the auto diesel/gas pumps.
Go either early in morning or late at night if you think it bothers anyone, personally I don't think it would
If you can fit in and spend $400 + and save $50+ - I say go for it and feel good about it!
Chances are the other pumps were only spitting out $30 - $60 in gas and you spent more in your time there than one other pumper.
I do it anytime I can fit. Auto fuel stations are frequently more affordable than truck.
What's fun is pulling in and blocking the whole place waiting for a space where some beat up Ford is sitting with screaming kids while mom is inside buying beer and cigarettes. Nobody leaves until I get my space ::)
I've pulled into a lot of Mom and Pops buying 4-500$ worth of diesel...they were happy to take my $$'s.
If it fits, and i need it I go there.
The only problem I see is that generally auto diesel pumps are a lot slower than truck diesel pumps. The last time I did it, I just went inside to prepay for the fuel than took the extra time to wash the windows and talk to everyone who wanted to talk about the bus.
I cannot remember the last time I went to a truck stop as we search out the best deals on fuel for sure. The small stations are always glad to see us and I usually leave with a free coffee or water. Giving them your card in advance saves the multiple swipe at the pump game! Much better to spend the savings on good beer!
TM
Even though you are taking up two pumps, you are buying more fuel than any other two pump combo they have. As long as cars can come and go, there should be no problem. I think that the drivers that fill up and leave their cars blocking a pump while they go inside are much worse.
Awesome. Thank you. I felt like a nincompoop but it turns out I wasn't. Nice advice on leaving my car with them to prevent the multiple swipes. That was tremendously annoying. You'd think after 4 years of fulltiming, I'd get this by now, but I generally fill up at truck stops, so I'm still learning.
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About the only concern I may have is a low fuel turn over rate at some stations. Condensation/contamination or those pesky little dieselmites but with more and more diesel pick ups around that concern is slowly going away.
Its a lot easier to find diesel at retail pumps now than it was 10 years ago. Multi-swipes with your card can be a royal PITA and most pumps won't let you do that more than twice. Lots of the time at the smaller stations they don't expect you to come inside before fueling. I guess they can tell you're not a fuel and dash type just by looking so they will turn the pump on and assume you will come in to pay when you are done fueling. That's the way it used to be at every station - some of us still aren't accustomed to the whole mistrust the customer mentality that requires prepaying for fuel.
We own a gas station. Prepay at the pump or inside is a necessity now in the industry. A lot more low-life types gas and dash than you think before we went to that system.
JC
I do it all the time. Aside from there not being a truck stop within 60 miles of where I live, most if not all major brand truck stops up here only take business fleet cards, no normal credit cards allowed.
Brian
Krank, honestly, my bus sits for months at a time with a half empty tank. Condensation is probably just as bad
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I stop at regular gas stations whenever it's practical, the getting in and out with the toad is the determination on wether I do it or not. The slow pumps don't bother me as like someone else mentioned theres plenty of folks usually want to chat. I do like a flying J when I need to dump tanks though.
Last week we hit a small town and I knew we were only a mile from our destination, so I pulled into a Mom and Pop that had the going rate for diesel around here. We had the toad in tow as usual so I knew not to pull into something that wouldn't allow a straight through shot. Unfortunately, their awning sloped down to the point it made me nervous of hitting the sat dome, so I lined up about 6-8 feet out from the pump on the outside of the awning. The hose stretched and they were tickled for the huge sale. I always fill the tank to the brim when I know we're going to be parked for a while. (210 gal) Lots of people stroll over and talk to you with comments ranging from "glad I ain't paying your bill' to "nice looking bus". Despite the pain to the wallet, I can't wipe the grin off my face.
I'm the most impatient man in the world and even take my diesel pick ups to the truck islands if they are not busy. Don't care if it costs a little more . Had to fuel up a couple years ago on the Gulf Coast late one night and took forever at the passenger fuel island. I like the bigger nozzels and faster fill ups. It doesn't hurt to fill at the car isles though.
It's been years since I fueled at a nasty a** truck stop,QT,Safeway,Smiths,Walmart and others work for me plus they don't gouge for credit cards
Well, all this banter makes me feel
Better about fueling up at auto stations. Stand by for my new thread on fast food drive thru in a bus......
....
:-)
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Most of the convenience stores in my area are starting to modify the area for trucks.
I haven't tried to get into any of the ones that have diesel here, because the look tight, and the way people zip around near the pumps, someone would surely hit me, or one of those big red bollards might jump into the side of my bus!
I think it is bad form to hit the red bollards.
Steve Toomey
I hit a yellow bollard with an old Dodge MH many eons ago. It's definitely bad form. I can't wait to hear Scott's tales of the drive thru. I hear Micky D's has a special on coffee right now, is that tempting enough to try it. Oh, and watch the head room... :o
I almost went through the drive through yesterday----on my Honda Goldwing !! Hunger and caffeine addiction were driving. ::)
I went inside, but it took forever, so I need to figure out how to make it work. I do have a makeshift cup holder in my rear trunk to hold the coffee upright until I get to the office.
Re: Drive-thru in a bus. Been there, done that, didn't get an orange jump suit!
Parked the bus and walked up to the window, snotty young lady informed me that they didn't serve walk-ups. So I surveyed the site, and informed her that I would drive through. They watched intently as I pulled to the speaker, and then to the window.
They had to deliver a la carhop, because nothing would fit through the toll window on my 4104! Serves 'em right.
Once saw a charter driver get too close to the "chalet roof beams" sticking out from a MickeyDees, not trying for the drive-thru but just circling to find a spot to change drivers, impaled his middle left-side windows on beam. Some of his pax went to ER with glass cuts. Nothing major, but ruined his day!
Oh dear. Yeah. I'm guessing he lost his job
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Probably for the best, given his skills or (lack of) attentiveness to his surroundings.