Using truck fill up lanes

[rtguy007 74]

Now that we have the 2500 with a diesel, was curious if using the truck lanes are open to rv's as well. I have read a lot of places online that truckers seem to get frustrated by the guys filling up rv's in the truck lanes.

If it is ok to use the truck lanes, is there anything different I need to know before going into one? Can you pay at the pump or do you pay inside first? Read that some you pump, then park, then pay inside.

Just want to know what I may be getting into before I go into one.

[LONE-STAR 370]

Some you can pay at the pump some you have to go in and pre pay. Just don't leave your truck and trailer at the pump when you finish and the truckers won't get mad.

[ependydad...Doug 176]

I think the stories of truckers getting mad are the rarity and generally a result of the RVer doing something stupid (sitting at the pump while eating lunch inside). I've pulled maybe 15-20k miles and almost always fill up at truck stops with the big boys. Generally speaking, I'm filled and gone before a truck fills.

Now, as for the process- most of what I have seen, you need a fleet card to start the pump. Pilot/Flying J offer a RVer card and you get discounts if you're a Good Sam member. This lets you authorize and charge to the pump. The bill has to be paid in full each month (or supposedly you can fill and then go inside to pay with an alternate form of payment).

Otherwise, we'll pull up to the pump and my wife and daughter go inside to authorize the pump. The cashier will swipe her credit card for a pre-determined amount (we guesstimate high). After that, she calls or texts me to go ahead (usually I know because the pump beeps and resets itself to zero). I'll pump while she waits inside. When done, I text or call her with the amount and she gets a receipt. This part is optional as they'll automatically only charge the correct amount if you just leave (they out a hold for your estimate but send the sale to the credit card for the actual amount).

Once I tell her how much, I'll pull the truck forward to the "pull up to here line". Basically, you're freeing up the pump for someone to pull in behind you. At this point, I head back to the camper to use my bathroom. My wife and daughter use the bathrooms in truck stops. I think they're insane, but she doesn't mind. If you're going to be more than 5-10 minutes in the camper, you should go park it. At that point you run the risk of holding up the trucker behind you.

Back to the angry truckers- I've only had good experiences. On many occasions, I've been asked questions about my truck and camper. She gets thumbs up and waves when she is driving. I've commiserated about the (not forum friendly terms) the trucker behind me said about the guy in front of me who was taking *forever*. And once, a truck and I coordinated backups so he could go around another trucker who disappeared inside.

[Grumpy and Grandma 739]

We use the truck lanes 95% of the time. As Lone Star said just pull up when you go into pay if the pump won't take your CC. The Pilot/Flying J RV card will let you start the pump without going in so you can fill and then go in and pay.

[BeckersDadJohn 44]

I use auto lane diesel pumps at Pilot.

PS truck lanes nozzels diameter larger and fill my 38 gal tank fast.

[rtguy007 74]

I know about the larger nozzle and it isn't an issue. The ram has the larger fill port and I have used it at a local certified station that had a large nozzle on the diesel at an auto pump.

How does one get a pilot/flying j rv card? Will the good Sam card do the same thing. I know it gives the same discount.

[parrothead7368 aka Norm 101]

http://www.goodsamclub.com/faq.aspx?faqcat=10&category=Pilot-Flying-J-Plus-Card

Here are the details.

Best Regards,

Norm

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[MacDR 1]

I only use the BigBoy pumps.. They have a fresher product

Greetings from Wisconsin

[caveat lector 181]

If you are conscientiously making an effort to "do it rIght", to heck with anyone getting angry.

[Specularius 102]

I drove trucks for over ten years. Like was stated earlier, as long as you don't camp out at the pump, no one will be bothered by you fueling up in the truck lanes. Be polite and pull forward to the line before going in to pay. Most truckers like to admire the rv's and wish they were able to do it too. 

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

I drove trucks for over ten years. Like was stated earlier, as long as you don't camp out at the pump, no one will be bothered by you fueling up in the truck lanes. Be polite and pull forward to the line before going in to pay. Most truckers like to admire the rv's and wish they were able to do it too. 

 

That's good to hear; it's so much easier using the the "big" pumps!

[BigTom 76]

I had a Chevy Luv Diesel and filled it many times at the truck island. It only held about 10 gallons and never had any problem with the big trucks.

[CJHokie 43]

We use truck lanes almost always.  Our MH is just too big not to.  As others have said, just don't hang out for a while, esp. if there's someone waiting behind you.  Do like the truckers and pull up after pumping if you need to go inside again.  FTR, we have even been held up by truckers who pulled up and went in. 

We have the Flying J savings card, but I feel like my husband always has to go in and pay first.  That's interesting some of you other posters say you can start pumping with that. So, do you all have an actual Flying J credit card, or just that savings card from Good Sam's?

 

One thing I haven't seen mentioned (doesn't mean it wasn't, though) is DEF pumps.  Our DEF tank is on the opposite side of the pump at truck stops.  I asked at one Flying J or Pilot and was told to just turn around and go in the wrong way after getting the diesel.  We did that once when there was no one else around, but usually truck stops are way too crowded to pull that off without angering someone.  We discovered you can buy boxes at the truck stops and Wal-Mart and such, but that is like 3x more expensive than the bulk DEF.  

 

We've never had anyone complain to us or even mean mug us at a truck stop.  Oh, funniest thing I've ever seen at one - I kept hearing a honking from a truck, and at times it would be steady for like a minute.  At first I thought someone was getting mad that someone had parked at the pump. I headed out to go inside the store, and realized it was coming from a truck that had pulled forward after pumping.  I could see something at the steering wheel and was worried someone may have passed out or something, so I walked closer.  There was a dog sitting at the steering wheel pushing the horn.  An employee was out smoking an it didn't even seem to faze her, but I was laughing hysterically.  I came out and got back in the MH. I heard it again and looked out. There was a trucker walking by and he angrily turned toward the truck like, you wanna fight? Then he started laughing hysterically. I wonder if that dog does that at every truck stop.

[tim5055 120]

We have the Flying J savings card, but I feel like my husband always has to go in and pay first.  That's interesting some of you other posters say you can start pumping with that. So, do you all have an actual Flying J credit card, or just that savings card from Good Sam's?

 

One thing I haven't seen mentioned (doesn't mean it wasn't, though) is DEF pumps.  Our DEF tank is on the opposite side of the pump at truck stops.  I asked at one Flying J or Pilot and was told to just turn around and go in the wrong way after getting the diesel.  We did that once when there was no one else around, but usually truck stops are way too crowded to pull that off without angering someone.  We discovered you can buy boxes at the truck stops and Wal-Mart and such, but that is like 3x more expensive than the bulk DEF.  

I have the Flying J charge card, not credit card.  Flying J makes you link it to a bank account and pay for it with an electronic transfer.  It has never failed to start the pumps at either a Flying J or Pilot station.

 

I feel so lucky that my 2004 does not use DEF.  Give me a couple of more years and I may get the itch for a new truck, but I'm happy now......

[CJHokie 43]

I have the Flying J charge card, not credit card.  Flying J makes you link it to a bank account and pay for it with an electronic transfer.  It has never failed to start the pumps at either a Flying J or Pilot station.

 

I feel so lucky that my 2004 does not use DEF.  Give me a couple of more years and I may get the itch for a new truck, but I'm happy now......

Ah, that makes sense then.

 

Luckily the DEF lasts a lot longer than you would think, so we don't have to put it in that much.

[LONE-STAR 370]

 

I feel so lucky that my 2004 does not use DEF.  Give me a couple of more years and I may get the itch for a new truck, but I'm happy now......

Go drive a new Def truck and it will change your mind. And you don't put Def in very often.

[keith_h 420]

One thing I haven't seen mentioned (doesn't mean it wasn't, though) is DEF pumps.  Our DEF tank is on the opposite side of the pump at truck stops.  I asked at one Flying J or Pilot and was told to just turn around and go in the wrong way after getting the diesel.  We did that once when there was no one else around, but usually truck stops are way too crowded to pull that off without angering someone.  We discovered you can buy boxes at the truck stops and Wal-Mart and such, but that is like 3x more expensive than the bulk DEF.  

 

 

How much DEF do you need? Would it be more cost effective to get a good gas can and fill it at the station so you could top off whenever needed? It would also resolve your DEF tank and pump being on opposite sides since you could fill it when filling the fuel tank.

[swimmarz 72]

How much DEF do you need? Would it be more cost effective to get a good gas can and fill it at the station so you could top off whenever needed? It would also resolve your DEF tank and pump being on opposite sides since you could fill it when filling the fuel tank.

I read somewhere its about 2-3% of the Fuel Consumption

so for a 35 gallon tank it would use 1 gallon of DEF

and from what I have been reading most trucks have a 5 gallon DEF tank.

another thing i read was about 1 gallon per 200 miles driven, so you get 1,000/ tank but that seems low to me.

 

[halla 8]

I bought a 55 gallon drum of DEF , delivered for $140.00. Saves me quite a bit per gallon and I just fill it before we leave.

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[LONE-STAR 370]

My truck doesn't use much def unless towing heavy a long distance.

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

Do you know what the main ingredient in DEf is?

[thegooftroopfla 18]

We typically always use the truck pumps. As stated above. I have never had a bad experience either, and usually stroke up friendly conversation with the friendly truckers while fueling. We also use the plan of my wife goes inside to pay and we communicate through text or phone so it speeds up my time. I try to spend as little time at the pump as possible.

We occasionally use the normal pumps, and that is a problem 90% of the time. We have used those in both a tt and a mtorhome. It seems every time someone will pull around to the pump in front of you and block you in, then go inside and get drinks and food. Then another car/or truck will pull up behind you oblivious to how difficult it is to maneuver our vehicles. Then you get blocked in, or block two pumps and anger everyone else, while stressing yourself out. So as long as you use the big boy pumps and are respectful that you are on vacation and they are making a living and need to fill up quickly sometimes. Everything works out great

[keith_h 420]

Do you know what the main ingredient in DEf is?

 

Water. The active ingredient would be urea if I recall correctly.

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

Water. The active ingredient would be urea if I recall correctly.

You are correct. I probably should have worded the question differently.

So if you run out of DEF and you just finished a Big Gulp. You can kill two birds with one stone. Lol.