Truck Stops

Tim, if you pull into anyplace that you don't have permission to park, you may wake up to "The Hook" attached to your truck...and you WILL be charged for it....Be sure an get permission...and written permission is the best

I appreciate this advice. What I would love is an app or book that also lists rest areas, roadside parks and turnouts on smaller highways as well as interstates that trucks can legally park at, but maybe that is asking the impossible. It would seem to me that if one had access to that information, it would come in very handy for trip planning, and for times that you are crowding the end of your driving HOS and need to find a place sooner than later to park if you can't make it to the next truck stop.

I use the truck stop guide that is built into my Rand McNally GPS. It list every truck stop weather big or small and list the stuff they have there like gas,diesel,restaurants or c-store and showers and much more. It also list it by the route you have programmed into it so you get the ones a long your entire route.

Guy, does that Rand McNally GPS allow you to permanently "pin" a position on the map as you drive on your current route? For example, as you pass by smaller roadside parks, rest areas and turnouts at your current location on routes like US and State highways, just hit a button applying a pin that you could later add info to? Not having ever used a GPS in a vehicle, maybe I am dreaming here. I know this can be done on Google Earth and Maps, but obviously not while driving.

Yes you can add a pin to the map for future reference. I do it all the time. Its really easy to do.

I use the "truxter" app it shows rest areas, truck stops, Wal-Marts etc. But like was mentioned by red above I plan my stops ahead of time.

Kings and queens of the road hope this helps....This was originally a list of heaven and hells but i didnt save it so this is a quik omg what did i do version if u like it let me know i will make new thread or expand first

Heaven #1 i5 exit 99 or 7 feathers always expanding front in parkin with port o lets outside for emergencys even a shuttle to slots fun and a lobster buffet #2 Rolling hills casino i5 just passed red bluff watch the signs free soda great eats front in park casino golf and more Thats it for now tell me if u like

HELL Castiac ts castiac ca high charge for staying even an hour Conoco spokane wa high charge for nuttin Pioneer villiage i5 or lots of lights for dirt park 1 lousy store and no internet Pilot brooks oregon always packed lots of accidents and a trucker got killed by another driver for his new pete the crazy guy cut him into pieces and spread his body all over the highway...

Since this post is resurrected, I use Truckers Path to find truckstops. Since I have both Apple and Google Maps on my phone, I load my SHPR/RCVR in 1 and my chosen rest stop in the other. TruckersPath lets me choose which one I want to use every time I get directions to a place.

Truckers Path has all the info you need about a stop. Current parking status, fuel prices, how many spots total, laundry, showers and how many, pet friendly, etc...

There are also reviews people post. I use them and sift thru the BS for actual intel. Other than do they sell beer and the realiziation there are a LOT of alcoholic truck drivers that need to go turn in their CDL and stop being a public danger. Stuff I look for is there are multiple posts about beggars, swindlers, & prostitutes. Are there multiple posts about the quality of the food, shower, or parking. Does every last person say that parking is a fuster cluck. Or that there are more craters than a moon landing.

I have found many a gem using the app. Like the TS I am at now. It is called the Falcon Mart. It has enough space for 20 trucks. Dependent on how ignorant people park. Truckers Path says it only has 10 spots, hehehe. There are maybe 7 trucks here including myself. Not 10 mins up the road at the Pilot (junction of 74 and 63). It is crammed full with people creatively parking there trucks all over the place. All I had to do was pull in, setup, and back up. No muss, no fuss. No one next to me either.

Drive Safe and God Speed

I know there are several books out there that have truck stops listed. I have picked up a couple here and there. I know Brett is working on an app for truck stops. I know some of the bigger truck stop companies have their own apps for the smart phones.

I have picked up "The Next Exit" which is a good book for what it is intended. For the vacation traveler mostly. Way too much information for trucking. I have also picked up "Truck stops across America". It just lists the stops. No rating. No in depth information such as restaurants, showers, fuel isles, etc. Just a name, address, highway and exit number was just about all it gave.

There are thousands if not hundreds of thousands of truck stop across the country. Some big company. Some "Mom and Pop" joints.

Most of the Mom and Pop joints that I have run across (I am sure not all are the same) are not the most desirable places to be. The food might be good or not. But just looking at the place, you want to have a guard dog with you when you get out of your truck. Or the place is so dirty, you hope your shots are up to date so you won't catch anything.

And not to just put the light on the Mom and Pop joints. I have visited some of the chains truck stops that were just as bad.

Are there any books out there that list AND rate the truck stops? From a truckers or travelers point of view.

Keep it safe out there. Joe S

Just a side note: I like the picture of the cat. I'm cat lover myself

I have been told about truckers path from a couple of friends I know. its pretty sweet when I played with it. cant wait to actually use it in weird places across the US lol

Some of the reviews on TruckerPath app can get a little bizarre though. Seems like they try to moderate them as best they can (at least for language).

Rick