Truck stops

I am brand new here and enjoying it. There was a mention of truckstops for showers and things. Where would I look for truckstop info? Thanks

Dearfolk,
I'm interested in this as well. I can remember when there were several mom-and-pop 24-hour truck stops in this neck of the woods, and now they've all been replaced by chains.
One of the best is Perlis Truckstop in Cordele, Georgia, along I-75. Although I think they're aligned with Truckstops of America, the Perlis family still owns and runs it (Greek Sephardic Jews in South Georgia: who'd'a thunk it?).
If I run across anything, I'll post it here later.
Curiouser And Curiouser, Ort. Carlton in Hot Athens, Georgia.

Mikstu-

A short distance from you "up the 5" is Corning CA. At the Corning exit several of the major Truck Service Companies have facilities. Flying J, Petro, and (I think) Brown Brothers all have trucks stops at that exit. Take a ride up to that exit and explore the services available at the major stops. Some have chapels, laundries, and other services that go far beyond the usual fuel and food.

One of the major independent truck stops that has been discussed often on this site (and reviewed by the Stern's) is the Dixie Truck Stop in Mclean IL. It is at the junction of Old 66 and US 136 (next to I-55) We were there last year and enjoyed some really solid CFS in a traditional 'heavy plate' dinner. Some others have reported that the quality has slipped in the past few years. So check it out when you are in that area, and update the reviews if need be.

Pilot Oil Company from Knoxville is now nationawide and they are the largest distributors of diesel in the USA. Their travel centers are mostly new and stocked like a mini Walmart with many kinds of coffees and all kinds of foods. Each also seems to have a different varienty of fast food connected to them. I counted nine on their web site. plus the pilot has many types of sandwiches made fresh daily, multiple kinds of hot dogs and dip dogs. Their condiments for them tend to be very good.

You can check their web site to see if any of their locations fit your needs. I think you will like them.

http://www.pilotcorp.com/

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

I was curious also to the question if there's a guide.. I just did a search, and seems each 'Oil / Petro' company has their own locators. Anyways, if there's a truck stop with food, and you'll see the signs cruising the highways, they'll probably have a shower and such.. Including basics like radios, mikes, antennas, and weird stuff.

quote:

Originally posted by mikstu


I am brand new here and enjoying it. There was a mention of truckstops for showers and things. Where would I look for truckstop info? Thanks

Welcome to Roadfood, mikstu.
An online limited information directory searchable by state, with showers, WiFi, scales & parking lot size is at:
http://www.dieselboss.com/truckstops.asp

Nice work 6Star!

A while back, Travel Channel did a show on the ten best truck stops.

http://travel.discovery.com/fansites/worldsbest/truckstops/truckstops.html

I love Love's. What can I say? I've slept in their parking lots on many a summer night.

One of the Travel Channel's 10 best was here in Portland, Oregon.Jubitz truck stop is the name. It has a restaurant owned by German chef Horst Mager with gourmet food,a movie theater, travel store, and the obligatory other services for people and trucks.

By the way, welcome to roadfood mikstu!

Thanks for some good information on truck stops. I happened to think of a good one in Weed CA. Mt. Shasta looms and it is very pretty. I am not sure whether it is a truck stop or a traveller's stop.I forget but I will check it out in about a week.

I ask because I am planning to retire from teaching in 3 or 4 years and live in my motorhome, wandering aimlessly around. Which I just LOVE.

Thanks for the welcomes, too. This looks like a cool site.

There is a Nation wide syndicated raido talk show that caters to over the road truckers. It's a late night call in type format, they always discuss different truckers issues and tips on good clean truck stops and what have you. It's an AM station. Chow Jim

quote:

Originally posted by Jimeats
There is a Nation wide syndicated raido talk show that caters to over the road truckers. It's a late night call in type format, they always discuss different truckers issues and tips on good clean truck stops and what have you. It's an AM station. Chow Jim

Dearfolk,
I haven't tuned in of late, but as I remember, the stations you can hear this on are WBAP in Dallas, Texas (820) and WWL in New Orleans (870)... both of these are 50,000 watt non-directional outlets good for 750 miles or more (actually, WWL IS directional, but northward!). The same programming is also on WLAC (1510) in Nashville, Tennessee sometimes, and a similar show is on WSM in Nashville (650). I think there are two or three or four more simulcasting stations in other regions, like Wyoming, Nebraska, Colorado, and New England.
When I rehear this show, I'll try to annotate the stations and report back here. (Of course all of these will be on AM. The largest FM station in America goes only about 200 miles from -- of all places -- Grand Rapids, Michigan!)
DXfully, Ort. Carlton in Skywave-Skipful Athens, Georgia.
P. S. My favorite nighttime station, WCRK in Morristown, Tennessee (1150), does NOT carry this... but I heard them playing "Life In A Northern Town" by Dream Academy the other night (as clear as a bell), and it's been running through my head ever since.

I have found that the larger the footprint of the truckstop the more services. I have to visit one about once a month for a shower in the middle of the day during the summer. I get soaked w/ sweat in the morning at a plant site, have checked out of my hotel and need to be fresh for an afternoon meeting. Five or ten bucks for a shower and I'm set to go.

The bigger the better.

quote:

Originally posted by Jimeats

There is a Nation wide syndicated raido talk show that caters to over the road truckers. It's a late night call in type format, they always discuss different truckers issues and tips on good clean truck stops and what have you. It's an AM station. Chow Jim

I'll add onto Jimeats & Ort's notes.

50,000 Watt stations for the Midnight Trucking Network are:

WJR - 760AM Detroit
KXEL - 1540AM Waterloo, IA
KRVN - 880AM LExington, NE
KOKC - 1520AM Oklahoma City, OK
WBAP - 820AM Dallas, TX
KTNN - 660AM Window Rock, AZ
KBOI - 670AM Boise, ID

And Sirius Radio Station #147

Here's the coverage map http://www.midnighttrucking.com/affiliates.html#coverage

The truckers channel "Open Road" is found on XM Satellite Radio on channel 171. As for rating the big-chain truck stop restaurants, I would say 1-Petro, 2-Flying J, 3-Pilot, 4-Travel Centers of America (TA) - in that order. Petro always has the best buffet with a good selection of meats & vegetables. Flying J has awesome Steak & Salmon (Choice Steak!). Most Pilots don't have a sit-down restaurant, but if they do, it's "ok". TA has poor quality food, except breakfast, which is acceptable. The only dinner entree I will eat at TA is the Taco Platter - it's hard to mess up Tex-Mex food. Their buffet never looks good, seems like everything is always the same color - fried chicken, macaroni & cheese, corn, not appealing, and not healthy in my opinion, too many high carbs. By the way, I am a truck driver; and any chance I get, I will find a way to get into the Longhorn, Cracker Barrel, Flanigan's, Portofino, Lucille's Smokehouse BBQ, the Rainforest Cafe, and the Mad Greek; and we appreciate the Pig-Out Palace in Henryetta OK for their great food and truck parking!

The best thing about Pilot is that they are ubiquitous and their coffee tends to be very good. Their snack selection is the best among the groups you listed. Their rest rooms tends to be so so due to the heavy usage. That turns me off. I wish they would hire me to improve the overall cleanliness of their great concept.

The worst thing about the great truck stops being a four wheeler is the traffic getting in an out.

Jim Haslam is the owner of Pilot is a neighbor of mine and his son is the mayor of Knoxville, TN

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

quote:

Originally posted by mikstu


I am brand new here and enjoying it. There was a mention of truckstops for showers and things. Where would I look for truckstop info? Thanks

I worked as a Director of Truckstops of America from 1979 to 1983. At that time they were ouned by Ryder Systems. They were later sold. At that time, TSA has a reputation of being r5the top ofv theline Truckstop. I think they're still inn the top 25%. To find Truckstops that adhere to a higher standard of operation, Check out NATSO, National Association of Truck Operators, www.natso.com They're the PROFESSIONAL Truckstop Operators

I managed one of your biggest units, Ontario West, where Alton Brown stopped on his motorcycle tour.

I'm not a trucker, and don't even play one on TV. But my employer (accounting software sales & implementation) just landed a new client called Idle Aire. Very interesting service they provide at truck-stops:

"IdleAire allows drivers to shut off their engines by providing heating and cooling wherever long-haul trucks idle. The only "retrofit" is a $10 window adapter for the truck. IdleAire also provides electrical outlets and a variety of communication and entertainment options for the driver."

http://www.idleaire.com/

John

I bookmarked this thread now that I drive a Freightliner Mercedes Benz diesel camper van on vacations. Truck stops are now more of interest to me.

Whenever I travel by car I do 2 things. 1 I include a well tuned CB radio in what I'm driving and 2 I always stop at Flying J for gas, potty and food.

MikeS.

quote:

Originally posted by Poverty Pete

I managed one of your biggest units, Ontario West, where Alton Brown stopped on his motorcycle tour.

Is there anything Poverty has not done or any place he has not been???

Sincerely I am envious of the many talents of Poverty.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

If you are hungry, stop by R-Place. Amoung other things, they have a 2 pound burger. I have not had the pleasure but hear it is a place worth stopping.

R-Place Family Eatery
21 Romines Dr.
Morris, IL 60450
815-942-3690

Mike,
I am a flying J fan myself. I used to carry a CB for 'company' when traveling alone, but now, with 'Her majesty' with me the CB is not active anymore. I have a scanner for listening to the various channels of rail traffic if we are in the area of a line I am interested in, but I keep it off so 'She' and I can converse.
The Flying J stops are almost always clean, and the fuel prices are good for whatever area we happen to be in. Pilot is ok for a Pit Stop, and Loves is hit and miss for cleanliness. Flying J and Petro do the best at those services we usually use. I don't do the buffets at the truck stops...but Flying J and Petro both make a pretty good CFS if it is meal time and no roadfood stop of merit is nearby.

I do like the Dixie Truck Stop in McLean IL. It was a classic for years and still is worth a visit to get the feel of the real truck stop from the 1950's and 60's.

If you ever get Down Maine Way in Bangor there is a truck stop called Dysart's. Great spot, to many locals it's their destination restaurant of choice. Bangor also has one of the last Howard Johnsons left in the country. But you better get there quick, they are down to 8 flavors. Chow Jim

Fun topic, and sort of a reason why I came to this forum in the first place. I figured that there was a need to discuss these places and how could you go wrong at a site called Roadfood?

I can get in my Element and just keep driving in a tunnel vision mode until a truck stop sign appears on the horizon. My rule of thumb is to stop, get gas, refill the coffee cup or get some beverage, stretch and keep on moving. There is more to it of course. I need sustenance and will get something to eat. I will sit down at a table for breakfast and dinner, but my lunchtime snacking is abysmal. I am a big fan of microwave burritos.. The bigger the better.

What I do enjoy about these places is the store, as there are so many things that can be found inside. I feel like I am in an updated version of a 'General Store' from the past. I am sure that many of you have considered those heating/cooling thermal boxes that you plug into the electrical outlets.....

===IdleAire allows drivers to shut off their engines by providing heating and cooling wherever long-haul trucks idle.====

My mention about my Element is that they are designed with the ability to fold the seats down to create a twin sized bed. This allows me to pull over and rest at these places for a while.
A great idea, as the engine noise can be heard no matter how far I park away from them. I have purchased a noise cancelling headset and the thing works very well.

In closing, a good rest stop must have one certain piece of criteria. The game room must have a working pinball machine.

mark

I love truck stops! Dysart's is a must stop either going or coming Downeast.
In the northeast US and Canada, Irving is pretty good. They're known for clean bathrooms and there are usually little snackbars/ restaurants attached. Some of the best food we've had in Nova Scotia was the fish n' chips and chowders in Auld's Cove Irving.

I haven't eaten at that many truck stops, but one stands head and shoulders above the others. That would be the P & H Truck Stop in Wells River, Vermont.

http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Writeup.aspx?ReviewID=179&RefID=179

I wasn't particularly surprised that a truck stop would have such good pie. That should be expected. But I was suprised that they make their own bread and it was excellent. While we were there, my girlfriend and I were obviously the only non-truckers there.