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Did you know there’s free overnight parking at truck stops throughout the United States and some even have full hookup campsites? The Flying J, Pilot and Love’s are some of the truck stops that offer designated overnight parking for big rigs, RVs and cars.
Overnight Parking at Truck Stops
Since we hit the road in 2015, we’ve stayed at different truck stops throughout the United States. The first truck stop we parked overnight was the Pilot in Tifton, Georgia. At the time, we were traveling full time in a Class A motorhome flat towing a Jeep Wrangler.
When we downsized to a Class B RV, it was even easier to stay overnight at the truck stop. After a long drive out of Yosemite National Park, we pulled into the Flying J in Ripon, California and parked in a regular spot for the night. Catch a glimpse of our experience sleeping overnight in the truck stop parking lot in the video below.
We’ve also spent the night at a Love’s truck stop in our Four Wheel Pop Up Camper. It was an easy and convenient way to get a few hours of sleep before getting back on the road for a long cross country drive.
Table of Contents
How to Find a Truck Stop
Our favorite way to find overnight parking at truck stops is through Allstays. By applying the truck stop filters, the map will display all the truck stops nearby.
We prefer Allstays because the notes section has information such as number of parking spaces, whether there’s a truck wash, CAT scale, shower facilities, chapel, restaurants and more.
Read Allstays Camp & RV App Review
Before we drive to a truck stop, we call to confirm that overnight parking is allowed. Sometimes no one will pick up so we will simply stop in and ask at the register. We’ve never been told we can’t park overnight but many times when you ask, the staff will direct you to the area where you they’d prefer you to park.
Free and Paid Parking/Camping at Truck Stops
Free overnight parking at truck stops is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Since larger RVs can’t fit in a standard parking spot, they will need to be parked in designated RV parking. For example, the Flying J in Ripon, CA has overnight parking spots for RVs that are free. Be sure to check with the cashier when you arrive or call ahead for availability. The diesel side offers reserved truck and RV parking for a fee.
Some truck stops will ask owners of large RVs to park in the standard truck parking that’s used by the semi-trucks. Note that the RV parking in the photo below is back-in only so if you travel with a toad, then you’ll need to disconnect it and park it in a separate standard parking spot.
Love’s Travel Stops now offer dedicated RV campsites with 30 and 50 amp service, water, sewer hookups and even WiFi for a fee. Similar to a campground, you can now go on their RV Stop Camp Life website and find a location along your route that offers these hookup sites. Select the location you’re interested in and you can book your stay through their website. There is a 28 night max when booking a site. Looking through various locations, a back-in site is around $43/night and a pull-through is $57/night.
If you have a campervan, truck camper or other small RV that can fit in a standard parking spot, you can typically just park in the lot that is associated with the “Autos” side of the truck stop.
Tips on Where to Park at a Truck Stop
Since trucks are on the road 24 hours / day, 7 days a week, the truck stops that support them are always open. As you can imagine, there is a constant flow of traffic from both trucks and cars which means a truck stop is not typically a quiet place at night when you’re trying to sleep. That said, there are ways to get a good night’s rest at a truck stop.
Observe When you arrive, park and watch the truck stop for a few minutes. You’ll quickly see patterns of where trucks enter/exit and notice any loud noises like loudspeakers or drive thrus and so forth. This will help you determine the best place to park, away from as much noise as possible. Just remember that if the employees at the truck stop asked that you park in a specific area, that you follow their request.
If you’re someone who is sensitive to smells, I would also recommend getting out and walking around if you plan to have a window open. Odor from dumpsters, fuel, dog parks, etc can be overwhelming at some places.
Be flexible and have a back-up Not all truck stops will work for you and you may just need to leave and find another place to park for the night. We’ve arrived at some truck stops and found that they were small and way to busy for us to find a somewhat quiet place to park so we moved on. We stopped a truck stop once in our campervan and shortly after we fell asleep, a loudspeaker woke us up alerting the truckers that showers were available. This happened about once every 15 minutes. Unfortunately, it was very late and we were far from another option so we just ended up having a terrible night’s sleep.
Truck Stop Amenities
The amenities vary depending on the truck stop. Below are some of the typical amenities offered at truck stops around the United States along with rates that we’ve seen.
RV Fueling Lanes Many truck stops now offer dedicated pumps for RVs that offer both gas and diesel. These pumps have more space to maneuver and are set away from the car pumps so it’s easier for you to pull through and out without trying to maneuver around vehicles at other pumps. They also tend to have potable water available. Just make sure to ask an attendant which tap is the potable water.
RV Dump Station While RV Dump Stations are not standard at truck stops, Love’s Travel Stops tends to have them at many of their locations for a fee along with potable water. When we’ve asked in the past, if you’re purchasing fuel, they’ll allow you to fill up with water for free and dump for a discounted rate. Typically, we’ve found the dump station on the “Autos” side of the station, occasionally in the RV fueling lane.
Wifi $3 for 24 hours. Free WiFi is sometimes available but it is much slower than the paid version. For more resources about staying connected on the road, check out our How to Stay Connected on the Road Guide. Some of the truck stops that have paid campgrounds offer Wifi as part of your stay.
Showers Most truck stops offer showers. The number of showers will vary and there may be a long wait depending on when you go in. Many will provide you with soaps, a wash cloth, towel and bath mat. The shower stall itself tends to be the size of a typical single stall bathroom with a toilet, sink, shower and some even have jacuzzi tubs (and they’ll even give you bubble bath to use). The showers are usually not timed, which means unlimited use until you’re done. We’ve also found some which allow multiple people in the shower room at the same time so if you’re traveling with someone, you could both use the shower for the price of one. In terms of cleanliness, each truck stop is different but we’ve seen some that clean the shower room after every use. To purchase the shower, go to the register where you will get a receipt with a customer number and sometimes a pin number for the door. Wait for your customer number to be called to find out which shower stall to go into. We’ve typically seen these cost $12 per customer.
Truck Wash Some truck stops have truck washes such as the Blue Beacon truck wash. They will take RVs, big and small, but before you take your RV through a wash, make sure to do some research. Some truck wash facilities have brushes that can damage items mounted on the roof of the RV or use sprayers than can damage appliances with vents on the exterior of the RV.
CAT Scale These scales are used to weigh the trucks so driver’s know if they are within the weight limits. The scale has three large plates which measure the front wheels, the drive or rear wheels and the trailer (or toad if you have one) and the report you get will give you a seperate weight for each and a total for all three (you don’t need to have a trailer in order to get weighed). To use the scale, simply drive onto it and make sure your wheels are on the correct plates. Press the call button and someone will come on an ask if this is a first weigh (meaning the first time you’ve weighed today at that scale). Simply tell them it is and that this is a personal weigh and there is no truck number. Once they’ve weighed you, drive off the scale and go inside to pay and get your weigh slip. Since we like to keep track of how much our RV weighs, this is probably the amenity we use the most at truck stops. The current cost is $13.50 but we’ve seen it slowly increase over the last few years.
Other Amenities include propane, laundry, chapel, 24 hour restaurants, game room and more.
Tip: sign up for the Pilot/Flying J Professional Driver myRewards card to earn free showers, coffees and other perks. Some also have programs for RVers that will help you save money.
Truckers and RVers
As you might guess, there is a debate about whether RVers should be allowed to park in truck spaces at truck stops. Truckers argue that since they are legally required to stop after being on the road for so many hours they need these spaces since the number of spaces are inadequate for how many trucks are on the road and RVers are taking a valuable resource they need to do their jobs. On the other hand, RVers argue that if they are customers and businesses allow them to park overnight in a truck space, then they should be able to do so when there is a spot available – especially late at night when some campgrounds are closed for new arrivals.
Luckily for both sides, companies like Love’s have been incorporating RV specific spaces into their “travel stops.” Notice that they no longer use the term “truck stop” as travel stop is more inclusive of the types of customers they’re catering to. There has also been a trend to Class B and small Class C RVs along with truck campers that can park in a standard parking spot and don’t need to take a large space away from a trucker.
FAQ
Can I sleep in my car at truck stops? Yes, just go inside and ask where they would prefer you to park.
Is it legal to park your RV overnight at a truck stop? Yes, unless a city has a specific law against it. If that’s the case, when you go in to ask about parking for the night, they should tell you. Otherwise, the truck stops own the land and parking lots so they can let people stay at their discretion.
Can you park overnight at Love’s truck stop? Yes. Love’s is one of the most friendly to RVers in terms of having amenities, including campgrounds, for them. That said, not every Love’s is created equal and some may be smaller and, while they may say it fine to stay overnight, you may not want to because of noise, odors or the area.
Are there time limits for how long you can park at a truck stop? We have never been told that we could only stay for a certain amount of time, however it’s good practice to plan to be up and out in the morning and off to your next destination. We’ve seen at other types of businesses like Walmart, where people will stay for extended amounts of time and then they stop allowing people to stay. That said, Love’s does have a specific 28-night limit at their campground.
Are truck stops a better option than Cracker Barrel? That depends. Cracker Barrels typically close at 9pm and are fairly quiet during the night – however when the trash truck or grease capturing machine shows up, you’ll probably wish you were at a truck stop. The trucks that suck out the used grease are loud and there’s a distinctive smell from the rancid oil. There are also many more truck stops in more locations than Cracker Barrels…and some truck stops have restaurants that serve breakfast as well! Read Overnight RV Parking at Cracker Barrel.
Will truck driver’s get upset at you if you park in the truck parking? They may and it’s one reason we suggest looking out for specific RV parking. Trucker’s have a job to do and it’s easier for us RVers to find a place to park than it is for them.
Have you parked overnight at a truck stop before? If so, let us know what you thought about your experience in the comments.
Alberquerque NM. Cracker Barrel and Walmart no longer allow overnight camping, because of homeless problems.We were there in April ‘24.
Australia cracking down on RVs in truck parking – just don’t park in truck parking https://youtu.be/TCm1aODGDzY
Flying J just outside Tampa, FL does. It allow car/truck overnight parking!!!
When in town park my car next to my semi was told ay Cheyenne fly j it’s against policy
Yeah, don’t park in Truck spots with your RV or any other vehicle, you can park just about anywhere else in the world, trucks can’t. That’s why they’re called Truck stops.
They need to stop letting rv and unsleepered box trucks stay in the truck parking area it make it hard for us truck driver find a spot to park especially when we have planned to be there and are out of hours
After working a 12 to 14 hours day I really enjoy trying to find a place to park my semi truck only to see many places taken by rvs. BTW I own an rv. Do alot of camping. I never park where I’m taking a spot from a tired trucker.
You’re camping so use an RV site. Stop taking up our spots. Tired truckers who can’t find parking can cause deadly accidents! Shame on you!
Rv’ers are self contained but truckers depend on TS for bathrooms, shwrs & meals. RV parks are available for rv’s but semi trucks aren’t allowed. Rv’s can park at many places a semi can’t. All your needs are met in your RV.
It’s literally in the name!! TRUCK stops, stay out of of truck stops with your R.V!! Truckers need those spots, we are regulated by federal Hours of service and can only drive so many hours a day and we need our spots. You need to go and stay at the R.V camps, where big Rigs arnt aloud. STAY OUT!! If you ever get blocked in by a big rig, it might just be me(: I won’t move my truck for at least 10 hrs
As a former Van-lifer now trucker who lives full time on the road, this is a terrible idea to encourage people to park at trucks stops. After my 14 hour day is over with the only thing I want to do is park my truck and shower. Semi trucks aren’t allowed to park many places and taking park spots from hard working people is awful. Please find other places to park, there are RV parks, Walmarts, some gyms and grocery stores that allow RVs to park in their parking lots overnight. There’s other places for RVs and van lifers to park in fact there are more places for RVs and campers to park than there are for Semi truck drivers. Find other places.
Kindly,A driver .
THIS is a horrible and very selfish suggestion – unless you’re unaware of the extremely LIMITED availability of semi-truck parking options – then it’s just an ill-informed suggestion. Semi/Tractor Trailer [CDL-A] trucks have extremely limited parking options – especially in particular areas of the country where they are either barely existent or are a “charge per night” to stay. These drivers travel long distances, driving upwards of 19+ hrs per day – every day, for several days straight. Their drive-time, break-time, down-time is strictly regulated. When a driver doesn’t break in time, they personaly can be penalized. When a driver cannot find parking yet must stop because their drive clock mandates it – so either out of restriction or shear exhaustion on a wing-and-a-prayer chooses to find the next best available option pulls in to rest and let their clock reset – they are at risk of being awakened to move [whih starts their clock before proper rest reset], fine [personal expense to driver, not company] or worse, like towing, if they step out to eat or use a bathroom [driver expense, not company]. And if you find parking fines or towing hefty for your Toyota Corolla – get ready to sell everything you own to pay for the cost of a TT towing!! My husban drives TT. Trust me when I tell you this is no exaggeration regarding the limited availability of TT parking. Also consider some of these Overnight parking stops CHARGE for a spot. Staying overnight to park is a requirement, and a driver myst pay out of pocket to do their job. You may argue “I pay to park my car to go to work daily.” However, I guarantee you most have alternative options such as public trans or carpools. TT do not. As the wife of a TT driver who sees and hears the stress in my husbands voice when he cannot find approved [preferably FREE] overnight parking … I implore you – DO NOT USE TT PARKING FACILITIES FOR YOUR RECREATIONAL VEHICLES. Its unnecessary and selfish. You have many more options a TT driver does not!!! “Russo” please stop advocating for this option and abuse. It will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Pilot no longer allows you to buy a shower unless your a trucker,,, started today at the Pilot in Palmdale Ca on Pearblossom hwy,,,, is this at all locations? I was able to buy a shower last week,,, today no more!!!
I don’t mind too much if there is an rv or two at the truck stop… Just know the refer driver is likely to park next to you and make your night hell. 😅 Us truckers don’t mind the sound, so you’ll be fine. Stop at a truck stop, expect a truck stop!
We’re lucky as driver’s these places give us any place to park fir FREE. I’m a driver since 2008 and I think these places should charge for parking since there are some pretty nasty lazy drivers who leave trash, truck parts, tires and other things in bottles and bags. Instead of going inside to the restroom. Disgusting!!!! I think they would build more but I hope they are cameraed up like a Damn Walmart. And charge/ticket the owner or company for clean up if caught. Trashing these places up.. Respect. Not much out there anymore.
Just watched your video on overnighting at Buc ees in Leeds Al. We have been to this store a couple of times in our travels recently. I know for a fact that overnight parking is not allowed by the store. So my question is how did you have permission?
We went in and asked the manager who said we could spend the night.
Hi just wanted to say I usually call first and ask if they have a specific area to park rv or together with semi’s. Mostly it’s together but the newer larger are specific. Nice article and video.
I’m traveling and trying to save some money so I will be sleeping in my car can I take a shower if I don’t drive a rig?
Yes, you can go up to the cashier inside the truck stop and pay for a shower.
Is there only 50 plus truck drivers that want some company ?
Stay out of our damn spots. We follow a government regulated time clock. You don’t.
we stayed at a Loves truck stop in New Mexico. Parked at 5;30 PM, 13 degrees. At 2;30 AM a Loves employee knocked on the door and said we could not stay there because of insurance reasons, we would have to move immediately. Spent over $200.00 for fuel and DEF. Eleven years we have traveled I 40 and never had a problem any where. Guess where Loves is on my list.
You truckers complaining about no parking spots, should probably do a better job planning where to sleep for the night. You made the choice to run all your hours out, until you have 30 minutes or less to shut down for the night, so if you can’t find a spot at that point, tough luck.
I drove truck for awhile, and I rarely had trouble finding a space, because I planned where I would stop for the night, and had plenty of time to find another place if it was full.
Truck stops are for truckers, and are extremely limited. We aren’t allowed to park in your RV park. Stay in your lane. Dont like RV spot Prices? That’s what you signed up for.
There are already way more truckers than truck parking available. If anyone was out in the southeast snowstorm this past week, you would have seen all the trucks filling up not just the truck stops, but any place we are available to park in.
It’s just common courtesy, man.
A nice read about overnight parking in truck stops and towing.
Please stop parking your RVs at truck stops. Its hard enough for real Truckers to find parking at night and we hate it when you people waste a good spot when yall can park almost anywhere
I was at the Pilot truck stop in Rapid City SD. Somehow I managed to lock myself out of my Jeep. It was 19 degrees outside and snowing. The cashier lady inside the Pilot station offered me hot chocolate while I waited for my roadside assistance to come. She was the kindest lady.
So class b’s with trailers, should we take up several “regular” parking spots? Sorry but I’m not paying $50/night at a campground to sleep a couple hours…
Why are you in an RV if you’re not camping? I genuinely don’t understand how someone pays so much money for a vehicle to ostensibly camp in beautiful places only to end up in Walmart parking lots or truck stops that stink of urine on a hot day.
If possible, please please don’t park at truck stops. Truck drivers are bound by hours of service laws and we usually have no control over pickup or delivery times and how long they take.
I am a solo female, in my mid-60’s. Due to the times, I just lost my career of 32 years and my home. I am selling all of my possessions that I worked my whole life for. And I know that I am not alone. MANY are homeless. I am trying to figure out a safe way to live in my car. I currently live in the North and I don’t want to freeze this winter sleeping in my car. So I am going to head South, during a Pandemic, by myself.
When I was young, before cell phones or roadside service, you could always depend on a trucker to stop and help you out. And you felt safe. So, I got online to check out safe locations, to try and spend the night, while traveling South. Because of the my past experiences and the perception of safety, that I just expressed, I decided to checkout where truckers might be spending the night. I thought it would be safe. And I came across this site and these comments.
-The anger expressed, by some, made it clear that things have certainly changed.
-Several employees, that work at these locations, tried to explain that the market has changed and these locations are open for all travelers. But that didn’t seem to make a difference.
-Honestly, I get it. A semi is much harder to park than my small SUV. However, I wouldn’t have ever thought to “take up a bunch of space”. Just enough to be near some overnight light and have that feeling of trucker safety of 30 years ago.
-I can’t speak for anyone else that is traveling and needs a safe place to sleep. I don’t know their story. I only know mine. And I don’t have any money, for even the sleaziest of motels.
Though when I did travel all of the time for my work, I would see semi’s or big rigs taking up a lot of parking spots. Many times there wouldn’t be a place for me to park. It was dark and I was crazy ass tired from a long day. I’d have to park at a different location and walk back over to the hotel/motel. You know what I would think when I saw those trucks parked at a hotel? “I bet those drivers feel good sleeping in a big bed, taking a hot shower and getting a decent breakfast in the morning.” I was happy they were able to do that.
And I don’t think anyone would argue about the importance that the trucking industry plays in the American commerce. I am appreciative of the role that EVERYONE plays in keeping our Country alive; farmers, labor, retail, motel maids, teachers, etc.
Just as a side note, for the person that said Eisenhower created the Interstate system for Truckers and the Military. As if to say, truckers take priority…
The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 “authorized the construction of a 41,000-mile network of interstate highways that would span the nation. They were intended to serve several purposes: eliminate traffic congestion, make coast to coast travel more efficient (not just for trucks) AND make it easy to get out of big cities in case of an atomic attack.” (Sadly, I don’t think we will have to worry about that one now, with Nuclear weapons!)
And, I would point out, “Today, general taxes paid by all tax- payers cover nearly as much of the cost of building and maintaining highways as the gas tax and other fees paid by drivers.”
From this post, it is obvious, that old feeling of being accepted and “safe” by being near (some) truckers is a dream of the past for this old lady. My life has changed, I have to learn to do the best I can, as safely as possible and this group of posts is a lesson learned.
Hi dear, I’m about your age and I’ve been traveling the highways for over 12 years, I just have a half ton pickup truck with a camper shell on the back of it oh, and I have a dog that travels with me. Any 24-hour place like Denny’s or Whataburger if you’re in the south or even some Walgreens and almost always a Walmart, even if it doesn’t operate 24 hours during this pandemic. I like truck stops too but rarely park where a trucker’s Park I just get a fairly lit place somewhere at the corner of the lot. If I Stay at a Whataburger parking lot or any 24-hour food place oh, I just make sure it’s lit but the light’s not shining right where I sleep in my eyes so to speak. I usually buy a little something from the place and put the bag that they give it to me in on my Dash so that if anybody wonders about my truck during the night they can see I was a customer. I rarely get bothered by anyone and I hear a lot of conversations as people come to the cars oh, that’s kind of entertaining! I pray the best for you as you travel this country, and I’m sure it’s a little bit different if you’re a lady. I’m a guy with a dog and I didn’t mention it but I usually have a big cross on top of my truck!
Y’all stop.bashing the rookies that aren’t allowed to do their own trip planning. Y’all know you had to run your clock down to zero and let it sit where fits when you started, haha. I mean, I drive when I want and stop when I want, but I haven’t forgotten my stint as a rookie van driver. Why don’t rv’ers start a parking coop? Shit … why don’t us truckers start a parking coop?
Please don’t park in truck spaces at truck stops. We barely have any spots as it is. You can park anywhere with an rv, and if asked to move, you can move. We can’t do that because we can only legally drive 11 hours and then we have to shut down, and it pretty much has to be at a place designated for trucks. If RVS take our spots, we risk running illegally, or in a pinch, making a spot of the lawn of Pilot.
I don’t think you understand. We have limited hours to drive and there are limited truck stops if we go into the red (driving illegally) we stand the chance of getting a violation that screws our point system and intern may jeopardize out CDL. RV’s do not have a time limit. you are not regulated by the government. Please, if you can find a spot outside of parking designed for long tracker trailers please use that. I am sure you see trucks parked on the sides of highways, on and off ramps. Do you know why? Because there is not enough truck parking and they have ZERO choice but to park anywhere they can.
I find we’re the Russo’s an interesting blog. Not sure why so many think they have the right to bag on them. They are a couple trying to get through their nomadic lifestyle cheaply and safely. For the people telling them to park at Wal-Mart, although it’s nice many Wal-Mart’s allow… in places like California where many are local homeless living out of campers (they never leave town), there’s been some unsavory characters that have clumped in groups and honestly I woudn’t feel safe parking there any longer. The truck stops offer nice lit areas, there’s always people around….if I was driving cross country, that’s where I’d stop with a uhaul or camper. Some of the rest stops, rv parks etc. aren’t so safe anymore. RVs share the road and need safe places to stop when they are tired too. They have just as much right to sleep safe and get enough sleep to be on the road. Truckers just need to get used to “sharing” their secret. RV parks really are only a place you go when you’ll be there a couple days and most of the time you have to pre plan and reserve ahead. Even when on vacation or living a nomadic lifestyle, it’s hard to preplan sometimes what day you’ll arrive somewhere. Why should they risk losing money on prepaid spots at RV parks. Obviously, if they want to stay for days, use the pool etc. that’s where they’ll head, but no one wants to spend RV park money when they just need a few hours a sleep. All these truckers having fits and posting rude comments are ridiculous. If they owned an RV….they’d be in the same place where they do business in their commercial life. My brother is a trucker and honestly I feel safer at the larger truck stops…
I’m an RVer and came here to find out about staying overnight in a truck stop and am thankful for the truckers posting their information — specifically related to their hours restrictions. There are too many other options for RVers that are not available to truckers, and it would be better if the nomadic community left those spots available for truckers unless there was an emergency. I wouldn’t stay in a Walmart either because of the reasons you mentioned. A person can 95% of the time plan where they will need to stop for an overnight stay, and they should do the work of finding a campground or public land or Harvest Host or Cracker Barrel or find a free location on freecampsites.net or a spot through boondockerswelcome.com–most of which are not available to truckers.
Wow… I’m a trucker. I’m an RV driver. As per the usual these days most of you are an embarrassment to the trucking industry. If you actually took the time to trip plan instead of relying on the Navigo you would not be hard pressed to find a place to break. And for that matter, I bet most of you complaining take your 30 minute break in a fuel aisle!!! You mad yet bro? My money pays for my truck spot. My money pays for my RV spot. I don’t park in RV parks, who actually wants to pay $50+ to sleep a few hours? Even if they let trucks in (which why would they, have you seen where you park? Trash, urine, and human feces on the ground…) You wouldn’t pay the $50+ to park there for your break either!!! Why would they want you in their park? We need to work on improving the way we are perceived before we can expect changes to start to occur. How about stop emptying your pee bucket on the asphalt when there is a trash can right next to you. How about we start reporting our fellow drivers that are making us look bad? Stop just looking the other way and start taking care of our planet and each other???? Oh, your right it’s every person for themselves, is that right? BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT ANT TO SEE!!!!!
I want to point out a few facts that I did not see mentioned in the comments:
1. One of the images is for The Flying J Travel Plaza. No where in the name does it say “Truck Stop”, The business seems to cater to anyone that has money and needs what they sell so the idea that this place is somehow only from OTR trucks is absurd.
2. RV’s do not magically show up at the buyers home so they are delivered to them which means that many of the rv’s you see on the road are in fact being delivered by drivers that get paid per mile just like the big trucks do and they only make money when moving down the road but somehow this fact escapes the big truckers mind.
3. Many of the comments mention that rv’s should park at places like Walmart but in truth many stores no longer allow overnight parking so this option is often not really an option.
4. An entire industry called motels popped up along the interstate system to accommodate tired drivers and many of them have parking for large vehicles. This large vehicle parking area includes the big trucks so if you are tired the only place you can park is not just the so called truck stop but you can also use the motel parking. Now I know many of you big rig drivers are going to say BUT I cannot afford it. Well in truth many rv drivers also cannot afford it.
5. The parking spaces are essentially first come, first served and any decision on who/what can park in the spot is based on the rules the business establishes so if I am driving an rv and see a flying j travel plaza and I am tired of driving I will park by big rv and rest because not doing so would endanger other people driving on the road so maybe you big rig drivers instead of complaining like like teenage girls that an rv is parked in your spot, maybe you should say thanks for not driving tired to the rv driver for not putting your life in danger by driving tired.
6. The bottom line the problem of parking for trucks was not caused by rv’s and should not be blamed on rv drivers, the problem is the federal government and the lack of forethought in policies they put in place. Vote better and change the system.
Have a great day and stay safe
Please dont take up a designated truck spot. Truck drivers do not have the luxury of parking any old where. They have very limited parking as is. Thats why you see truckers on the on and off ramps because there isnt enough parking. They have a mandatory 30 minute rest break after 8 hrs of driving and another break for 10 hours after 11 hrs of driving all regulated by the federal govt. Its the law. As a side note the interstate highway system was designed for trucking/commerce and armed forces.
I won’t park in big rig parking because it’s designated as truck parking.
You should be b***hing and aimng your tirade @ business owners who allow RVs in TRUCK spaces. If someone is tired and needs to get off the road, I don’t care if you’re being paid or not, get off the road. It’s not about right, wrong or common sense*, it’s about business owners allowing it. Call it truck/rv parking if you’re going to allow fking RVs to park there. Personally if I was in a giant vehicle and someone was willing to take my money for parking… I’D PARK THERE!!
Complain to the people who can fix it and stop crying like a b***h in public forums to people who don’t care. Good day!
You are holding up essential workers by using the showers at truck stops and using up parking spots meant for tired essential workers not to be rude but go to the R.V park instead of holding us up
Not to be rude but if I’m tired or need a shower, I’ll go where they take my money. Complain to management. They’re the ones fking you guys over. None of you are “essential” get your ego and your head out of your a**
I work for a Love’s location in Michigan…and I hate to break it to you, but there is a legitimate reason why many truck stops are beginning to distance from that term and start calling them “travel centers.” Because many more than just truck drivers rely on them when traveling out of state and all. And not every area has RV parks. My location for instance only has 2 stalls for RV parking in the front. We’re happy to make other accommodations for them, but as for the utilities inside, e.g. laundry, showers, and the like…they’re open to the public because it’s becoming a service that everyone, not just drivers, need and use now. I’m by no means saying you’re not essential at all, you are, but most locations have multiple shower stalls for this reason, and you’re not going to convince me that you’re not held up from getting into the shower, as an example, by other drivers, because I see that occur every single day. I don’t mean to be rude here, but…this is the new era of the travel stop, where more than just truck drivers rely on them for the basic necessities. And we, naturally, cater to that. To do so isn’t just silly, it’s a loss of business and a good way for us to be left behind.
Oh please. It is essential you PAY for your sleeping space since YOU are one of the ones getting essential MONEY! Whiner!
Oh get over yourself. There arent but a few “TRUCK STOPS” left. They are now TRAVEL CENTERS, FOR THOSE TRAVELING. ANY AND ALL ARE WELCOME. YOU SAYING FOR US TO STOP PARKING HERE WOULD BE LIKE ME TELLING YOU TO STOP DRIVING IN THE LEFT LANE THAT IS POSTED “LEFT LANE-NO TRUCKS”. YALL STILL DO IT. IM CONSTANTLY SEEING RIGS RUN CARS OFF THE ROAD AND ACT LIKE ITS NOTHING. PEOPLE ARE SO DAMN PETTY NOWADAYS. SO WITH ALL THAT. BEING SAID, ILL SAY THIS AND BE DONE, TO THOSE WHO DRIVE, WHEN U PULL IN A TRAVEL STATION, IF THERES AN EMPTY SPOT, PARK. IF THERE IS NOT A SPOT, FIND ANOTHER SPOT. ITS FIRST COME, NOT DESIGNATED OR ASSIGNED SPOTS.. SHEESH SOME PPL ARE JIST ASSHATS WHOM THINK THEY ARE BETTER THAN THE REST. WELCOME TO THE NEW ERA.. BEST OF LUCK
FYI
Trucks can not park at RV parks. Every time you park in a spot for a truck it’s one less space for a driver that is controlled by the federal government on how long we can drive.
This the problem you should part in RV park not in truck spot ..but don’t care..that’s the problem with this cov-19going on the same thing..so when u don’t care.the really doesn’t stick in..but your first ones to cry..think a minute does that make sense…
Please stop doing this! Your RV can go to an RV park. Our trucks cannot. RVs taking truck parking is selfish at best considering that truck parking is extremely limited in a lot of the country and we spend a large amount of time trying to find places to take DOT required breaks.
Your selfishness creates a danger for us who need those spots to rest.
It’s a truckstop, not a RV park.
Tell the truck stop that.. they’re the ones allowing it
Actually, the truck stop is beginning to shift away from the concepts of “truck stop.” I work for a Love’s out of Michigan, and we were one of the first stores to be purpose built as more of a travel center setting, catering to the traveling RVer and local community as well as the truck drivers equally. The term our corporate offices coined this as is “travel center” and we were not the first-Pilot also did that with the location here, where I worked briefly, and we have a Speedway stop built the same way. The industry is shifting away from being strictly for truck stop locations, though that most certainly is still very much a pillar of our business, and more into being a one-stop shop for anyone traveling, be it cross-country or from their local offices and their apartment.
Me and my wife are living out of our car. We would like to know witch Love’s, Flying J or Walmarts we could park and sleep legally.??
Hey Eugene. The best thing to do is to call the location you want to spend the night and ask the manager.
Each time you park at a truck stop, you’re taking a parking spot away from a truck driver where we don’t have enough parking out here in the 1st place. I hope you use little more consideration for the truck driver’s since we drive by Gov’t hrs
He said he’s homeless living in a CAR. He’s parking in a spot for a car; a truck won’t fit there… so he’s not “taking a spot” from a trucker.
Do you know how often we go to truck stops and at least 5 of those spots are taken by a car or a short camping van that could easily fit in a regular spot, but thinks they are too good for it?
Like someone else said, unless there is a spot dedicated to RVs or you are paying the 10+ for a reserved spot, don’t take spots from truck drivers.
And, before I hear the excuses about there is not an RV park everywhere, vacationers should trip plan and find areas that have space or reserve spots at the RV park ahead of time, since most parks will take reservations. I’m from a smaller town, and I can make reservations if I want to go camping up there.
You truckers should take up the issue with your employers. You have absolutely no right to demand greater access to something just because you are engaged in a commercial activity. That is your problem that there are no spots for truckers. Take it up with the trucking industry and your employers. Do not take it out on recreational Travelers or act like recreational Travelers have lesser rights.
Please try parking RVs at Wal-Mart’s as most trucks cannot park there. Truckers are on a log book or Eld. We only have truck stops and rest areas. Safe and legal parking is our biggest daily struggle. We can not park in rv parks. So please why don’t you. We also prefer not to park in a ditch or getting a ticket for parking on a ramp. Don’t knock us if you’ve never driven in our shoes.
Not all Walmarts allow overnight stays for trucks or rv. We had to leave tonight from Walmart after we called and was told we could stay. Security came by and told us to leave while it was raining. We went to the nearest truck stop that said on their website that rv could stay one night. And as a former trucker I’ve seen truckers staying a week in a truck stop waiting on a load from their company, so it not just rv taking up spots.
Sir ma’am or whatever you are let me explain something to you these interstates 4 commissioned by President Eisenhower for the military and Interstate Commerce meaning the trucking industry and it’s a privilege for non-commercial vehicles to be on the interstates. You going inside of a truck stop taking up a spot like a selfish fool that you are. Trucks are on. Federal regulated laws rules and regulations and you are the cause of the overcrowding a lot of these truck stops. All right go park at a camping site RV site rest area Walmart a lot of us cannot do that you can. Don’t be selfish inconsiderate.
While staying at a walmart I saw a few rigs pull in for a few hours to sleep then left.
Truck stops as name says we’re designed for truck drivers not rvers. If you want to travel in an RV you should be going to RV campgrounds camp, campgrounds and other places that accept RVs not taken away a spot for truck that cannot fit just anywhere it has to obey certain operating of certain amount of hours per day. You’re being rude when you take those spots from a truck driver yeah if you take one late in the evening after most trucks are already stopped that would be different.
Right on! Truckers can also get a motel. You don’t just stop for 30 min. You’re supposed to get a nights sleep. I’ve seen plenty of trucks in motel/hotel parking lots … are you supposed to stop parking there? I don’t think so. Just be nice and stop being such assholes. Nobody has complained over the years when you’re being serviced by the ladies taking up parking spots, so just shush!
Eh…honestly, as someone who works for a stop that continually fills up VERY quickly, this is a very legitimate issue for them. That being said, many truck stops, Love’s being one of the more corporate driven ones, are shifting from being strictly a TRUCK stop to one that is more of a travel center, where we cater to anyone who may be traveling as equally as possible. The truck drivers are still very much a pillar of our business relations, seeing as a good 70% (and that’s on a lower end) of our business still comes from sales of diesel, DEF, and reefer fuels, but we also have the RVs that come in very frequently, local contracts with the public transportation services here, as well as the business we get from the local residents here as well. Point is, the truck stop industry is shifting into more of a travel center industry, so while we DO try to keep it for trucks, parking in back in truck parking if it is available here is technically fair game, as we are a travel center, not a truck stop anymore. But to say it’s their problem that they don’t have enough parking isn’t really true, we have to make exceptions for drivers on the DAILY just so they can do their resets because they ran out of hours and we didn’t have enough stalls for them to pull into.
I’ve been driving trucks for 43 years I am sick and tired of people with RVs out having fun taking their time no rush to go no place taking up truck parking spaces when states are closing up rest areas expect the drivers to get their rest there’s no place to park because an RV is in a truck parking space when an RV to park just about anyplace they have a kitchen in their RV bathroom shower they can park in any parking lot that the store is closed they can park on an entrance ramp to the highway it could be their life or a loved one’s life they save by doing that because a driver needs his rest it’s you people who are elected these politicians that keep riding us and writing new laws just remember everything moves by truck his truck is go out on strike the people have nothing 2 days be out of gas and oil 3 days grocery shelves will be empty day 4 banks will be out of money and the snowflakes won’t have nothing to wipe their butts with so save the economy and stay out of a truck parking space
Ur sounding like a snowflake right now with ur complaining. Just kidding. But don’t worry, when Trump is done draining that swamp, there will be plenty of parking for us truckers.
We should put most of these loads back on the rails, then you wouldn’t have to worry about finding a place to park your truck. And we would have a lot more room on the highways!
Respect the trucks.
What you eat and wear was carried by a truck before you bought it. I feel privileged and honored to share the road with truckers and their trucks.
You must be fun at a party…
Okay, so you are sick of RV’S taking up truck spaces???? How about the lazy truckers who park in the designated RV parking up front at the FlyingJ???? As well marked as it is, they still park there. Maybe truckers need hooked on phonics and remedial reading classes.
The reason us truckers park in the designated rv spots is because there isn’t enough truck parking to go around as it is. We are on the clock, this is our job and our livelyhood. Most rv’ers are just out wandering around aimlessly. For every spot that an RV takes up that a trucker can’t park in, is one more chance at an accident on the road due to a sleepy driver, one more hours violation and one more driver losing everything…why, because there isn’t enough parking for us truckers .nperiod. before you take one of our spots, consider parking at a Walmart or elsewhere. You could be saving someone’s life or csrreer. Literally.
So, the next time you go to Home Depot in your private vehicle to get some picture hangers for a home project, please don’t park in the spots close to the building. Those spots should be for licensed construction contractors who are pressed for time because they have deadlines to meet. Since your project is a leisurely personal project and not part of your job, you should park in the waaay off distant spots or maybe a personal driveway down the street because the parking lot of a builder supply should only be used by commercial builders in their course of business. See how stupid that sounds? I spend $200-$300 on fuel every time that I stop. I also spend around $100 on food and other random crap by the time my kids are done shopping. I spend money there too, so I should have every right to a parking spot, just like anyone else. When the business says I can’t park there anymore, I’ll spend my money elsewhere.
Wont be long, the trucks will be run by a computer running a self drive program. Truck stops will have employees filling the automated trucks. Automated trucks run 24 hours a day no need for rest. No need for the spaces you guys need for your rest, us RVers will have our choice of spots.
Trucks are governed by federal hours of service which are monitored by electronic devices and enforced by Federal Motor Carrier Administration. Lack of adequate truck parking is a major issue in the industry today. There simply is not enough spaces. RV’s have parking alternatives that big rigs do not. Please use these alternatives and let us have the spaces we need. Deserve and are required to have.
This is a terrible idea. With all the new trucking regulations truckers are forced to stop at a certain time. Taking those spots would prevent a truck driver from being able to stop in those places leaving him at the mercy of parking along the side of a road. And for the asshat that said they should pay for the parking and let the RV people park in a truck stop. You clearly don’t get how much that trucker has paid the truck stop Everytime he fills up there. There’s a reason why truck stops are a few cents higher per gallon of diesel.
Truckers need those parking spaces go to the Walmart to park your RV
That’s why you see truckers parked on the side of the road and that is illegal because there’s nowhere to park leave the truck parking to the trucks thank you
and why exactly would a tired trucker have access rights to a truck stop more than a tired RVer? Since the trucker is getting paid and the RV driver likely is not….how about the trucker go pay to stay somewhere? all the services provided at a truck stop seem to benefit truckers and RVers equally. So, I just don’t get your point.
I’m a truck driver and the point is we are doing a job and we need those spots to do our breaks so we can continue to supply the store’s with the stuff people need. It’s in the name truck stop not rv stop you bought the camper that’s made for camping that’s why they have campgrounds we can’t park big rigs in campgrounds so don’t take up a truck drivers spot that need it to do his or her job.
I am a truck driver. Most truck stops now say Travel Center. So I figure first come first serve.
One section is for trucks, another section for shorter like RVs. Be respectful to the truck driver needing a spot. You can park elsewhere they cannot.
I agree that RVs have other alternatives but I’m in a small mini van not in anyone way an all the drivers at the truck stop I stay at gives me crap an I stay there cause I don’t have any where else to go legally
So, as a trucker, you are the only people who are working on the road? This is what your post seems to say… Do you live in a hole now? You apparently have no idea how many of us RVers are working on the road. For many many reasons, too. Have you heard of this pandemic thing going on? How do you suggest that OTHER essential workers (you know-the ones who care for your health when you need it) handle the travel requirements? Then there’s the watching out for their own health and safety so they can continue to care for others. There are plenty of other essential workers out there. Perhaps looking outside your own bubble would help you gain perspective.
Ernie wasn’t saying that tired truck drivers have greater rights to parking than tired RV drivers.
However; keeping things in perspective, drivers are not paid during their mandated DOT 10 hour rest breaks. These breaks are required after every 14 hour work shift. When an OTR driver’s wheels aren’t turning, he, or she isn’t earning.
California is one of the most difficult states on the West coast when it comes to parking for big trucks because many cities in California have ordinances against tractor-trailer parking.
Some Walmarts are ok with trucks parking in their lots, others aren’t.
Most of the people driving RVs are on leisure. There not on a clock. Hence, they’re able to park wherever-whenever they want. I have also seen drivers with camper trailers detach from there campers at various Walmarts. I assume it’s so that they can go do tourist activities. A truck driver can’t do that.
Ripon is a major travel way for freight moving through California. By 8pm it’s hard to find a place to park there despite the fact that the Flying J is big and there’s a medium sized Love’s on the opposite side of the road.
I have been OTR since before Christmas, and I’m still OTR. Some drivers will run months without any home time, others are renegades (meaning they live OTR).
When I’m bob-tailing, I park in the car area of the truck stop, or in a corner.
Considerate RV drivers do the same. We try not to take spaces for tractors with trailers. What Ernie is saying is “please be considerate.”
RV drivers have the same rights as truck drivers. However; these places are called “truck stops” for a reason.
RV drivers are not regulated by the federal government as to how many hours they can drive. They also do not have data loggers tracking the movement of said RV. Places like Walmart don’t mind RVs in their lot, but they almost universally run trucks off.
So, while they do have the same services for RV drivers, RV DRIVERS DON’T HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF REGULATIONS.
Leave the truck stops to the trucks
Because a tired trucker has legal limits set on their hours of operation, where a tired rv-er doesn’t. Because a tired trucker has only certain places they can stop, where a tired rv-er has a lot more options with a smaller vehicle size. And because they build truck stops so truckers have a place to park for their work. Not for people out having fun traveling. There are travel plazas, Walmarts, rest areas (with specifically bus and RV parking where trucks don’t fit) RV parks, etc. Not to mention, a trucker most often has a certain route they have to take according their employer and sometimes the law, where RV’s have more options.
Please remember that when you park in a truck space you may be taking the spot of a tired truck driver. Please park in designated RV spaces.
Hmmm,,,, It’s a good idea but in my country its worst idea to park my campervan on any truck stop… I think 50 to 60 percent truck stops always fully filled whole time with trucks so there is no place to park my van here but most plazas have good parking areas and better than truck stops, so I always use these…
Thank you! We are trying to figure out where to park a car overnight for a trip when we need two cars, but not the whole way. This was very helpful.