Do truckers actually pay retail diesel prices at major truck stops?

[belfert]

I used to use Flying J's all the time when I had my 36' Fleetwood Discovery with a trailer, as everything was right there. However with my 40' bus and toad, I am afraid to use them, as frequently people park in the spaces in front of the RV pumps and I have always been concerned

I would just use the truck pumps at Flying J.  No reason to use the RV pumps at Flying J.  I assume your bus can handle the large nozzles.  I know mine can.

[belfert]

When I started this thread I wasn't asking about how to get cheaper fuel for my bus.  I already use a variety of methods to get cheaper fuel for my bus.

I was asking if folks know if truckers actually pay full retail for diesel at Loves and other major truck stop brands.  These truck stops are always higher priced than other options.  Sometimes there will be a truck stop literally across the street that is much cheaper.

[Gary Hatt - Publisher BCM]

When I started this thread I wasn't asking about how to get cheaper fuel for my bus.  I already use a variety of methods to get cheaper fuel for my bus.

I was asking if folks know if truckers actually pay full retail for diesel at Loves and other major truck stop brands.  These truck stops are always higher priced than other options.  Sometimes there will be a truck stop literally across the street that is much cheaper.

If they did, they probably wouldn't stay in business long. But if they have two tanks and can carry 300 gallons of fuel, if they do not get a discount, they can travel until they can buy fuel in the cheapest states as they travel cross-country. I would love to have a 300-gallon fuel capacity in my bus. Just sayin'.

[rancher]

I have friends that work at two large national trucking company's that there home offices are in eastern Nebraska and both have taken out there underground fuel tanks and all trucks and reefers are fueled at truck stops. Both have a two thousand gallon above ground tank to fuel equipment used at the terminals. I buy all my onroad diesel I use for the farm at Sam's club. I will drop the grain trailer in Sam's parking lot and go to the station and fill up. Our local Sam's is a little tight to get into but they are always 30-50 cents cheaper than the truck stops or Casey's. At the start of harvest I always go into Sam's on a early Sunday morning and fill my 1000 gallon fuel trailer with road diesel for the trucks to get started.

[luvrbus]

I have friends that work at two large national trucking company's that there home offices are in eastern Nebraska and both have taken out there underground fuel tanks and all trucks and reefers are fueled at truck stops. Both have a two thousand gallon above ground tank to fuel equipment used at the terminals. I buy all my onroad diesel I use for the farm at Sam's club. I will drop the grain trailer in Sam's parking lot and go to the station and fill up. Our local Sam's is a little tight to get into but they are always 30-50 cents cheaper than the truck stops or Casey's. At the start of harvest I always go into Sam's on a early Sunday morning and fill my 1000 gallon fuel trailer with road diesel for the trucks to get started.

EPA rules are so bad now with the insurance and per gal surcharge on tanks it is not worth having your own tanks you can buy cheaper from a outlet without the hassle and record keeping.I did away with my tanks my service truck carried 2000 gals and we just filled at the bulk station everyday or as needed

[plyonsMC9]

At the risk of being off topic from the original post, but for sake of completeness ref: fuel price discounts;

I have good success using Mavericks when they are available and usually at a very good price, then pairing that with their Nitro card which also gives an additional .10 /gallon discount.  I'll check out Open Roads.

With best regards, Phil

[luvrbus]

At the risk of being off topic from the original post, but for sake of completeness ref: fuel price discounts;

I have good success using Mavericks when they are available and usually at a very good price, then pairing that with their Nitro card which also gives an additional .10 /gallon discount.  I'll check out Open Roads.

With best regards, Phil

The new Mavericks are getting back to the Flying J system, the Call family owns Maverick and were the owners of Flying before Pilot, Flying J was sold after Jay Call died in a plane crash, Crystal Jay's daughter has done a good job with  Maverick I meet her at one Sonja's family gathering in Utah. Maverick has always been owned by a Call it was Jays brothers with a few stores in Montana and Idaho  With Warren Buffet the owner of Pilot now don't look for any good deals Buffet didn't get rich by giving super deals lol he made the good deals when buying

[windtrader]

You can find Walmart,Sam's and Costco across the US that have plenty of space for RV's towing to fuel,I stop at one in West Texas that has truck pumps with the large nozzles for fueling in a hurry,I use the W/M app for fuel it saves money. Don the difference between fuel in Needlesvs Az here is a little over 2 bucks a gallon ,well worth the 3 mile trip across the river ,heck we are getting places selling non ethanol gasoline now

I am very aware of fueling in OR or AZ and plan fueling stops and even travel plans to run low into those states. I just went to one local Costco, drooling over the 4% extra credit but bummed this one has no diesel. There are 3 that do but are 10 miles away; when low on fuel its worth the trip . $4.05 at the pump but net $3.65 with 4% back.

[luvrbus]

Diesel was $3.05 at Sams in  BHC they give a rebate off that price with their Plus Membership card

[Gary Hatt - Publisher BCM]

I generally use the larger truck stops because I pull a Toad and backing a Toad out of a small fuel station can be challenging unless you are backing straight.

I will also choose a Truck Stop if I fuel up later in the day and am looking for a place to spend the night. Truck Stops, especially those out west away from cities, have large open parking lots with plenty of room to catch some ZZZs.

[buswarrior]

Truck stops up here have inflated retail diesel prices, compared to regular stations local to them.

Our market is also much more fuel brand oriented than down there, you are more likely to have a fuel card affiliated with Esso, Shell, Petrocan, etc, than a generic fuel credit service.

All the trucks are using a fuel card, which gets them some variable discount, or contract price, different from what is posted, based on fleet volumes.

Any trucker buying retail fuel will not be in business for long...

For a busnut, commercial cards for these stations may be acquired, acting as a sole proprietor.

With today's tech, Google satellite and streetview in particular, potential fuel stops pointed to by the various fuel apps, can be readily scouted remotely.

Don't drive your rig anywhere you don't feel comfortable, any fuel savings gets wiped out with the smallest of clearance collisions...

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[windtrader]

Great advise, a little late for me. Early on after getting a bus, I pulled into a consumer fuel station and an angry concrete pole BASE jumped at my bay door. I had the pole in view but did not realize there was a base sticking out. Much wiser these days but to all wanting to grab the lowest prices be very careful in the often much tighter lanes.

[luvrbus]

Traveling to Texas and Idaho so much I pretty much knew where I was going to fuel.in 2 miles of me there stations not truck stops you could pull trucks in hauling a tank,the RoadRunner here is building a larger truck and RV fueling station in the back that place is always packed  with auto's Rv's and boats