Which chain of truckstops is the best?

TravelerJ

Member
Of the nationwide truckstops, which ones do you think are the best? I am just getting started out on my own, and have several available at which I can fuel. Just wanted some advice on which ones have the best food, showers, parking, etc....
 
I am going to say that the Flying J's are the best. Food is decent (most of the time), showers have always been clean, and the parking lots are generally kept clean.

D
 
Not sure about the best, the of the large chains, the one I like the least is Loves. It's fine for a quick fuel stop if you catch one that isn't packed with trucks waiting to get into the fuel island.

I prefer to try and find a TA, Petro, or Flying J. Generally, they will all have clean showers and decent food.

Be sure to get a truck stop book and make a note of the ones that you run into that are bad, and make notes of the things you like about them as well.
 
Pilots are generally pretty clean as well (usually). They lack a restaraunt, other than fast food, but since it is a Wendy's you can at least get a salad and eat somewhat healthy.
 
I don't spend a whole lot of time at any of them, but I generally stop in the T/A's because I can usually get fuel, get a shower, eat, and get out of there fairly quickly during the day. (I try to fuel and shower during the day while the truck stops are the emptiest)

If I am stopping without taking a shower, I usually avoid all the large truck stops if possible and seek out somewhere smaller.
 
i use to travel with my hubby and i loved the petro's for showers and most of the food some of the showers had 2 shower heads so you could get the front and back flying J's as long as it has a cookery has good food Linda B's are not bad either watch the showers i used one at a Ta in ashland va yrs ago and got a foot fugas from the dirty shower that was when i was new to showering at truckstops and didnt wear shower shoes or at least stand on a towel some Ta's are good but i have to say i haven't eaten at anyone place for a long time other then the Ta in Greenland nh
 
TA's, Petro's and Flying J's are some of the good ones, depending upon which city you're in ;). I believe that your surroundings say alot about the way the truck stops are going to look and be kept up.

The larger ones are definitely you're best bet if you are needing to buy any supplies for your truck.

One word of advice though.... "Stay away from the large buffets". I believe you can control the way you eat by ordering from the menus instead of getting food off the buffet and "free feeding" like animals who don't get much exercise.
 
One word of advice though.... "Stay away from the large buffets". I believe you can control the way you eat by ordering from the menus instead of getting food off the buffet and "free feeding" like animals who don't get much exercise.

Hey! I resemble that remark! :D

Really though, I have avoided the buffets for about a year now and have watched what I eat. Lost alot of weight as a result and feel much better out here on the road.
 
Really though, I have avoided the buffets for about a year now and have watched what I eat. Lost alot of weight as a result and feel much better out here on the road.

See now that's what I'm talking about. Good for you!

Just because you have a job with not a lot of activity associated with it, doesn't mean that you still can't stay healthy. I've even seen some truck drivers keep the "hand held" type exercise equipment under their bunks and exercise while they are waiting to be loaded or unloaded and we all know sometimes how long that can take :D
 
This is some good information to know for when I get out on the road. Trying to learn all I can not so I'm not shell shocked once I start. :)
 
FLYING J, shower credits stay for 1yr not 3-5 days like TA or Loves, get the o/o card saves 5cents per gal.
 
best truckstops

hello everyone , I work @ Ta in Greenland NH and to tell you the truth if you don't get into our truckstop early you may not find a parking space it fills up quickly the food is pretty good but i still perfer petro and / or flying J's with a cookery in them showers are clean from what i hear i dont take showers at work but have asked the drivers stop by and say hello if your there on weekends late nights thats where you will find me in the store waiting on customers trying to give the best service possible have a great day;)
 
I was in that TA about a month ago. Like you said, if you don't get there early, you don't park, LOL. I was going to stop there for a while, but after fueling and circling through the parking lot, I ended up driving down the road a couple hundred miles.
 
Riding with my boyfriend for a year I learned a great deal about truck stops and rest areas. I liked Flying J and TA the best of the chains. There are some here and there that aren't chains and they are like mini mega malls!
 
Well, I traveled with my husband for a few weeks and I have to say that I prefer Flying J. Plus they offer free showers that don't expire as quickly and the showers were always clean. TA is good and so is Petro but overall I like Flying J and their food was always okay too...
 
How does Irving stack up for you? After having been the shower and toilet cleaner as well as the fresh coffee maker, I can at least attest to the ones I worked in. ;)
 
I think they are all pretty good except Loves. I can't stand to wait forever to get fuel, and have no place to park once I am done if I want a shower. So many of these locations seem to have the same amount of fuel pumps as they do parking spaces, and if you are in a parking space, it can be almost impossible to get out as the line for the fuel pumps is right in front of you.

My favorite overall place though is our terminals. A very safe environment, showers, lounge, and easy parking.
 
I like Pilot the best. Flying J and T/A has bigger showers but I don't like the way the do driver points. T/A and Petro makes you use $5 at a time and you still have to pay the sales tax in some places. Flying J sends coupons to your home. I don't need them at home. i need then NOW when I'm on the road. Pilot lets you use what ever amout you need of your points. I like to get a foot long sub at Subway so i pull into the pilot and fuel then go into the Subway to use the points I just earned. My sub usually cost me 550 points and that's all that comes off my card. The last time I used T/A points, I had to use a $5 coupon to buy $4.60 worth of food and still had to pay the tax in cash. I've thrown away my Flying J card. I keep my Pilot card and T/A card handy. I fuel at the T/A when I want a big shower. I fuel just enough to get my shower then I fuel again later at the Pilot so I can get my sub.
 
I like Flying J and Pilot the best. I was riding with my ex for awhile and those are the top two places that we stopped at the most.
 

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