Flying J's

[dalej]

As we get ready to head out to Tennessee, I have marked the Flying J's on my GPS along the route.

Question, why do I have such a loyalty to Flying J's? Is it just because of the "always cash price for using my RV card plus the 1 cent discount?"

Surely there are better truck stops out there. Seems everytime I fuel, it's just a hassle to call on the phone to get the pump started. Or if there is no phone, you have to go in, wait in line to give them your pump number and mastercard. Then after fueling, go back in and wait in line to pay.

Are you starting to notice, I really don't like the fueling process. Just wondering if there are any secrets you guys have.

[phorner]

We try to avoid the Flying J's as we have never had a good experience there, and most are the dirtiest places we've seen.

That said, we prefer the T/A fuel stops. Usually, Janice will head for the cashier area with our credit card as I get ready to pump the fuel. When full, as she is finishing up the credit card transaction, I can pull forward and make a quick walk-around of the coach and car.

Not perfect but it seems to be the best we've come up with so far....

[dalej]

Do you use a fuel card to get the cash price? or do they have a cash price?

[tdelorme]

Dale, Flying J has changed up the discount card deal. It's not automatic anymore. You actually have to spend ten Lewbucks in the store to get the discount. But of course, since they have the best pizza to be found anywhere short of Milan, that should not be a problem.
I try and fill up late at night or early, early in the morning so as to avoid the masses, but like you, I find it is often a pain in the butt.
It think Loves is the worst of the bunch with TA close to the top as far as truck stops go.
Flying J will still polish your plastic front shield for $500, so JDUB and others always stop there.

Skiffer, will you please fix the spell check so that Lewbucks stops coming up as misspelled??

[Orren Zook]

You can log on the Flying J web page: www.flyingj.com to find their current price quote for fuel and gasoline before your daily departure. Most truck stops at or near the same exit will be within a penny or two, so you can plan your stops accordingly.

[phorner]

No, we have no fuel card or discount card. I'm more concerned with a clean area so that the chances of tracking in a lot of dirt, water, oil and fuel is minimized and a fueling station spacious enough, with an adequate turning radius, that I'm not likely to suffer damage to the coach or car.

This means a lot more to me than a few cents per gallon of fuel. The fuel cost has always been the least expensive part of any of our extended trips.

To save an extra couple of hundred dollars over, say, an 8,000 mile trip, isn't worth the risk of damage, or the frustration of trying to maneuver in some of these places, to me. It's easier for me to simply slow down a couple of MPH and realize the same savings through better fuel economy.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

We have used thousands of gallons of Flying J fuel over the years.

If you compare their prices, the cash price, not including the discount is traditionally about a penny lower than all other truck stops in the immediate area. The last time I looked the Flying J in Knoxville at exit 369 on I 40 was the cheapest fuel for hundreds of miles.

However because they have been the cheapest they have also been the busiest. Sometimes it is a hassle waiting to fuel. As far as cleanliness, they are no different than any other. Some are very clean and some are pig pens.

Lately I have been using a Pilot credit card that gets me the cash price at the pump and a monthly bill so I never have to leave the fuel island. That convenience alone allows me to justify the few cents per gallon extra.

I do know that I will never try the RV island. If there is no fifth wheel there tying it up for a half hour or more, the little diesel hose will cost you a bundle of time. Even if my bus pukes diesel I want those big honkin hoses getting me full and on the road again. (There must be a song in there somewhere.)

[Jerry Winchester]

The Flying J's around here are all pretty nice. The worst one I have been around was Limon, Colorado. What a Lew Hole.

I use the card and the one in Albuquerque has the best pizza you can get with a bus. And they all have an RV dump station, so I leave them a little Taco Tour gift every chance I get.

Loves is not real good and like Jon said, Flying J fuel is usually as cheap or cheaper than most.

And they have a plastic shield grinder out by the CAT scale for all those discarded POS' that are found DOA when they stop for fuel.

[hhoppe]

My 2 cents: Just don't by one of the warlord Cavez's brand of fuel.

[Loc]

They are no longer the additional one cent discount to the RV card holder. You still get the cash price.

[MangoMike]

I always stop at the Loves in Va. off I-95 at the NC border. Great spot, clean and the best fuel price between DC and Myrtle Beach.

Although I must have missed the shield grinder.

There's a brand new Loves just off I-95 across the border into SC, but some genius designed the RV dump at the end of a one way alley. So if you're towing you have to unhook to back out. Unless you're Tuga and carrying 100' of blue hose.


Mike

[Orren Zook]

There's a brand new Loves just off I-95 across the border into SC, but some genius designed the RV dump at the end of a one way alley.


There's a new Flying J in Rock Hill too, one exit south of the Loves.... for those interested.

[wrongagain]

The flying J's that I have been to are leaps and bounds better than travel centers of america.
The last TA I went to had no less than an inch of crud on the ground to track back into the bus.

[truk4u]

Dale,

I never go inside! Swipe the Am Ex, swipe the fuel card and your good to go unless you want a receipt. This works at the truck side and the RV side. They won't take Visa anymore at the truck side, but it works at the RV side.

[lewpopp]

What is this about having to spend ten Lewbucks in the Flying J's store in order to get the discount. Is that new?

I often purchase food and some other thingies there and on an extended trip, you get greater discounts on fuel if you use the frequent feuler card on the misc. purchases. I mean that over a 30 day trip you can get more than your 1 cent discount.

I have noticed that the Flying J's equipment is getting a little shabby. Just think if they spent a penny a gallon on equipment, they could have high-tech pumps and they would polish your shield at the same time.

Lew-Hole

[Jerry Winchester]

Let's dissect this for accuracy:


I often purchase food and some other thingies there and on an extended trip

Translation - I eat at the Country Mart Buffet if I miss the Luby's happy hour.

Extended Trip = A run in the Saturn from PSL to the local chrome shop for more chingalalies for the vintage Marathon


I have noticed that the Flying J's equipment is getting a little shabby.

Translation - All the used up plastic shields are littering the fuel island


they could have high-tech pumps and they would polish your shield at the same time.


Translation - I would like the kind of pump with the balls that twirl around in the glass sight so I can make sure I get all of my annual 25 gallon purchase into the tank

Polish your shield = If only I had those pesky spacers


LewHole

Translation - The name Kathy calls me most days.

[garyde]

Someone didn't get milk with their Cheerios this morning.

[lloyd&pamela]

We have had a great experience at FlyingJ's from California to the East coast. We like the cash discount and the opportunity to stretch our legs. So the walk to the counter has never bothered us.

Just a thought: The walk may be more an issue for some because of old bones rather than trying to be fast and efficient.

[BrianE]

We have fueled at FJ exclusively on our current trip. Inserting our Rewards Card followed by our credit card has worked every time to turn on the pump. A trip to the fuel desk has still been necessary to pick up a receipt, (and an occasional burrito). The cash price discount has been automatically applied to every purchase. FJ has always been a few cents cheaper than the competition on this trip.

[mcirco]

I am not sure about some of the other truck stops but most of the Flying J's I go to still have the old low sulfur fuel. I have seen enough problems with the new ultra low sulfur fuel in certain diesel engines that I really don't want to use it unless I have to. The Flying J web site always shows which ones have the low sulfur fuel so that's where I stop.

Miles & Laura Circo
2004 Country Coach XLII 45' D/S

[tdelorme]

OK, so the new deal at Flying J is that you have to spend at least ten Lewbucks a month in the store to get the discount. Not every time you stop.


http://www.flyingj.com/programs/rvclub.cfm

[Jon Wehrenberg]

So basically the card is now only good to turn on the pump. I can live with that.

[Jim_Scoggins]

Today, 4/19/08 I used a Visa card at the truck pumps at the Flying J in Wytheville, VA.
I did go inside and used the Visa in conjunction with the RV "Real Value Club card issued by flying J. I recieved a cash discount of $4.02. on 67.072 gallons.
Bill for 67.072 gallons at $4.059/gal= $272.25 less $4.02 = $268.23.
Accordingly, $3.99/gal (cash price). I did buy a couple of brushes there last week to use to wash the coach while at the rally. Rained today on the way home!

Clerk said they had been honoring Visa at the truck island for the last couple of weeks.

All you folks probably knew this and were just letting me figure it out for myself.

[lewpopp]

Jim,

Are you trying to prove to us that the Visa card is good for the truck island as it wasn't before? If that is the case here, good, but as for the discount, the 4 cents discount you received was not because of the RV card, everyone gets the discount as long as you don't charge it like some truckers do.

I think I figured your post out. Have I? In the past the RV card would get you 5 cents discount, but no more.

[truk4u]

Thanks Jim, sounds like they're back with Visa and the value card gets you the cash price. What many people don't understand, the truckers do charge their fuel, but use industry fuel cards such as Comdata, Power Card, CSA, etc. Payments in cash now days I would think are rare.

The fleet cards do offer incentives and discounts to the trucking companies based on volume, although those discounts are slim these days. Trucking fleets don't use Visa, M/C, Am Ex, etc. for fuel.

[Jim_Scoggins]

lewpop:
You got it--can use the Visa at the truck pumps.