truck and overnight stops

[tangentair]

I have done a reasonable search looking for a good source of locations of truck or overnight stopping places. I would prefer not to park in Walmarts and grocery stores. Does anyone know of a website or a way to set up mapquest etc to show these? How do long haul truckers know where to stop if they haven't travelled the route before - other than CB chatter.

[The Mutt]

In certain Australian states it is legal to stay in rest areas for no more than 3 days, there are also Cattle spelling yards dotted along the old stock routes that are legal to stay at, we have on a regular basis stopped at boat ramp car parks sleeping on the boat for the night while still on the trailer and continued travelling in the morning without problem.

Glenn

[Retcoastie]

Most "Flying J" truck stops have a separate area for campers. They also have dump stations and decent eateries.

[Captain Steve]

AAA maps show rest stops on the interstates. They have deep pull thru parking spots and do get patrolled by the local highway patrol.

[Hamin' X]

http://www.truckstopguide.com/

~Rich

[Scott]

Tangent, Being a Vet of 30+ years in trucking I'd like to chime in.

I wouldn't recommend rest areas. I never felt safe in them. As for truck stops, that guide is a good start. I always counted on the fact that there are very few areas of the country that you can drive 2 hours without seeing a decent truck stop.

If you are pulling a boat I would think nothing of pulling into a pull through truck stall and spending the night. Just be sure you can sleep with diesels running all around you. To prevent this you just pull in opposite the direction of everyone else. This is code for I want quiet and most times anyone pointed in the same direction as you will shut their equipment off.

The best way to find a good place is look at the condition of the business. If it is well lit and clean plus busy, prob a good choice. If it is dingy dirty and hardly anyone is there, bad choice.

Flying J is far from my first choice. T/A (truck stops america) Sapp Bro's, Bosselman, and any associated with a casino are all good picks.

[tangentair]

......and any associated with a casino are all good picks.

really? like indian reservations casinos or vegas?

Rich
Thanks for the web site

I know the Flying Js and TAs from previous travels are usually nice, I just have to work a little harder on the route planning aspect of things I guess. Thanks for the replies and I wish I had a problem finding a place to park the rig in Australia I could enjoy a problem like that.

Ron

[March]

I agree with Scott. I have been sleeping in my boat many times, as a matter of principle on top of being ... parsimonious? Truck stops are plenty noisy in the summer. The engines are humming all night. The best places I found are parking lots behind businesses. On the one hand side, the better lit and more "populated" the area, the safer one feels. On the other hand, if the area is completely deserted and off the beaten track, there are less chances of being bothered by busybodies at night. I usually pull in late at night and leave early in the morning. I've spent good, quiet nights in rest areas, too, but I prefer parking lots on the commercial strips. Nobody has ever bothered to inquire (knock on wood) as yet.
The boat is self contained anyway, so I don't need running water. Just some peace and quiet.
The worst place was a church parking lot. They started the service early in the morning and they tend to be VERY territorial. Professional hazard, you might say

[Scott]

really? like indian reservations casinos or vegas?

Yes, Primarily the indian casinos. They are above par as they are trying to lure the Truckers in.

[BK]

Cracker Barrel restaurants allows overnights.
Whats wrong with Walmarts? My first choice is Walmart. The Chief Justice hobby is RVing and that is where he stays. I stay at reststops and have had no probem. I park with the cars and not the trucks.
I just finishes a 3 month RV trip and 50% was at reststops while on the road.

[Retcoastie]

I had a book one time, still do somewhere probably but it must be out of date, on free campgrounds. It listed tons of places to stay. Unfortunately, many of them are gone now. It did say that two good places to stay were hospital parking lots and police lots. Hospitals are generally quiet, well lit, patrolled, and easily found. Police lots are also generally quiet, well lit and patrolled.

The trick is you say you need to rest, that you have been driving so long that you consider yourself a hazard, and you will leave after a short rest. There is not much chance they will put you back out on the highway after you have told them your sad tale. The problem I had on our last trip to Canada was that the hospital we wanted to used had a parking machine and charged 24 hrs/day. We went on to the RCMP post. It was unmanned but had a phone to a dispatcher. I called and told them my tale. She said, "there is a motel next door." I said, "the wife will not leave the boat." She said, "Okay, just don't block anybody. Shift change will be at 2AM." We had a peaceful snooze.

Another place I like is a rural church lot. If you are driving surface roads they are easy to find and I feel, probably about as secure as you can be on your own. Small town church folk are generally very friendly and I have never had any questions.

If you have a route in mind going somewhere, perhaps we could give more detailed info.

Ken

PS: A lot of WalMarts prohibit overnighting. I have seen more than a few signs so stating as I have entered their lots.

[Kelly Hanson East]

www.allstays.com has a list of which Walmarts dont allow parking of RVs (and presumably boats)

[BK]

I do feel somewhat an expert on this subject as an RV' er. The problem with some Walmarts not allowing overnights is the city the Walmart is in has made it illigal for them to allow it. Usually if the Walmarrt is a Supercenter and no other stores are in the Walmart complex it is OK to overnight as no one will be complaining.
On rest stops when I am towing my X and trucks pulling up next to you and running their engines all night, I look for spots right at the entrance to the reststop and get the first stall and pull as far to the right as I can. The trucks come barreling in to the reststop and most of the time can't slow down enough for the first few spots. These spots are farther away from the restrooms and they don't want to walk. Use earplugs.
If you can find an industrial area which are always by a freeway they are good places to stay but no security. I look for new commerical/industry complexes that have a fast food like Muckos close by and are close to an on-ramp.
I have stayed in church parking lots but leave early and never on a Sunday morning.

[Kelly Hanson East]

o prevent this you just pull in opposite the direction of everyone else. This is code for I want quiet and most times anyone pointed in the same direction as you will shut their equipment off.

The depth of experience and knowledge on this board constantly amazes me, thanks Scott.

I usually seek out the Church of the Repentant Wall Street Executives. That parking lot is empty even on Sundays.

[SkiDeep2001]

http://www.allstays.com has a list of which Walmarts don't allow parking of RVs (and presumably boats) I see they have a listing for Yoga retreats - wouldn't that be pretty quiet except for the OHM,OHM,OHM....