Pilot Truck Stops

man that pilot "intense energy" coffee is great! LOL it'll make ya

 

I tend to like the Pilot's because I have one very close to home and its in a very good area so it doesn't attract the scum of the earth. I use to go to TA but everytime I go to the one Dallas there is always someone $14 short of a bus ticket home. Its annoying. I have only been to the TA's, Love's, and Pilots in Texas so I don't know anywhere else. I will continue to go to Pilots as my first stop.

 

Pilot's are what you expect them to be - convenience stores. They are what they are, you know? I do like their coffee, and drink area, they have the best variety of coffee and fountain selections by far. But Pilot is the Swift of the truck stop industry. 5 out of 10.

Flying J I like in general, because the restaurant puts new things on the menu periodically, and have pretty decent food. Their drink selection sucks, and they always have 1-2 people behind the counter, all the time. The J's were built for the O/O, and while companies fuel their also, some of them anyway, they target O/O. I give the hook a 7 out of 10.

TA's have gotten dilapedated and crappy, in my opinion. Their restaraunts suck, and their coffee is a joke. Parking lots are usually like the moon surface, full of craters and dusty lol. I like a few of them, but 4 out of 10.

Loves are ok, again you have the fast food, but you expect it so no big deal. I like the way they have the diesel desk totally seperated from the gas side, brilliant. They are usually pretty clean. Coffee is ok, and decent drink selection. They are like a slightly nicer Pilot. 6 out of 10.

The winner, in my book, is by far Petro. I love their food, buffet, good breakfast, and they put some time in the design of their stuff. Huge parking usually, seperate deisel fuel island building, so you don't have to go inside the main one if you're in a hurry. Usually have c.b. shops, knife shops, movie room, etc. Petro is what truck stops should be more of. I was devasted wen I learned that TA was buying up some Petro's, that spelled disaster for the Petro then I felt. So far, no big changes, but time will tell. 9 out of 10.

With the independent truck stops, Mom an Pop if you will, it's hit and miss. Every driver has a few he loves, and stops at regulary. I have a few myself. Sucks tough, when you stop at one hoping it has certain services, and realize it has nothing but old hot dogs and 6 oz coffee cups no lids lmao. No rating since they vary so much. lol

 

Small world! Just spent a snowy weekend at the Minooka Pilot about 2 weeks ago. We dropped our load in Joliet and they didn't have another one for us 'til Monday...

I agree about the food in most of these stops, other than Subway, no healthy choices. From what I'm reading the health criteria is going to tighten up which will put a lot of over weight truckers out of work.
Either we truckers aren't demanding healthier choices or the industry has their head in the sand as far as access to healthy, nutritious meals... like our school systems!

 

Well, I'm at the Pilot in Salinas and nobody has been killed today ... yet. So, I guess that's good, right?

 

Pilot is our fuel network as well. Some of them are nice enough. The one at Beaverdam, OH is pretty good, although it does tend to get crowded. There are some others around. BOTH Pilots in Des Moines (one is a Bosslemans that is now in the Pilot network) have full service restaurants (Grandma Max... pretty good). There is also one of these Bosselmans at Grand Island, NE and Big Spring, NE... both again with full service restaurants. The Pilot in Laredo is massively huge. The Pilot at Sioux Falls, SD also has a full service restaurant. SO they are changing here and there. Many are still the cramped and nasty variety (like Drums, PA). I would NEVER go into Minooka Pilot unless knocked out and dragged there by brute force. I would rather go up the road a few miles to the TA at Morris, IL and hang there. It's only 10 miles west! As far a Flying J... the one at Davenport, IA is a dive, and so is the one in Elk Run Heights, IA.

 

yes most definately that is a good thing.......

 

The ONLY thing I liked about the Pilot truck stops were the Oscar Mayer hot dogs! They are huge and #### good! Have never found them anywhere else...for some reason. Guess they have a monopoly on those. Other than that...Pilot sucks!

 

yes I feel like the Pilots are dirty......I have a feeling it is more the color scheme they use...I have the same feeling at the Petro's.......dark and dingy...especially the resturaunt......but as far as showers.....go to the J they are the cleanest looking......notice I said looking.......

 

Yeah showers,take flip flops to wear! Pilots seem to be slow,the service that is.Waiting in line because they only have 1 cashier on a friday afternoon when EVERYONE wants gas and diesel and lottery tickets.Parking is very limited in most locations.Always fast food(sometimes not so fast,sometimes not sure it's food)Beloit,WI=Cluster $#&#.The one just west of Chicago/Gary,IN there in IL on 80 also is a cluster and should be avoided.The Pilot cars is nice tho.1cent per gallon of fuel that you can use for food or store items not including alcohol and tobacco,as well as free showers with 50gal of fuel I think.And tha jalapeno hotdogs are AWESOME! Just don't get them when entering a big city as they tend to make you wanna stop and crack a toilet bowl =P