U.S/U.K Truckstops, comparison

[wot i life]

I was wondering if you guys have your eyes ripped out and your scrotum torn apart by unscrupulous greedy bastards like we do.

An example(I`ve taken the pound to equal two dollars for ease of reckoning)

Tebay truckstop in the Lake District

1) Overnight parking $24
2)Shower $5
3)Lasagne and fries $12
4)Hamburger(No fries or anything else) $6
5)1/2 litre beer $3

See my point?

Parking here and having meal(not just burger) taking a shower and relaxing with one glass of beer would set you back best part of $50!

No wonder I only visit the place to deposit my faeces

Are your truckstops highwaymen too?

[Rev.Vassago]

I was wondering if you guys have your eyes ripped out and your scrotum torn apart by unscrupulous greedy bastards like we do.

An example(I`ve taken the pound to equal two dollars for ease of reckoning)

Tebay truckstop in the Lake District

1) Overnight parking $24
2)Shower $5
3)Lasagne and fries $12
4)Hamburger(No fries or anything else) $6
5)1/2 litre beer $3

See my point?

Overnight parking (for places that charge): $12 - $15 (free if you buy diesel)
Shower: $7 - $9 (free if you buy at least 50 gallons of diesel)
Lasagna and fries: Not a clue - I don't know of any truckstop that sells lasagna.
Hamburger (no fries): $4 - $5
1/2 litre of beer: Not available. The only way to buy alcohol in a truckstop is to buy it in cans or bottles, and not all truckstops sell alcohol.

[wot i life]

Thanks for comparison Rev.

Since you mention fuel....

We currently pay around $10:50 per gallon in most truckstops; how does that compare?

[Pack_Rat]

Thanks for comparison Rev.

Since you mention fuel....

We currently pay around $10:50 per gallon in most truckstops; how does that compare?

Fuel in the states average $4.55 give or take a gallon.

[JeffTheTerrible]

You might want to compare general cost of living, as well. You stack shelves here, you might be paid $7/hr, whereas I made ?9/hr doing the exact same thing in Northumberland. Even though it comes out to over twice as much when compared in exchange rates, making ?9/hr. there is not the same as making over $18/hr. here.

[Malaki86]

I've considered that too. There's no way someone could pull a load for $1.50/mile (with the surcharge added in) and pay $10.50/gal like they can here.

[wot i life]

You might want to compare general cost of living, as well. You stack shelves here, you might be paid $7/hr, whereas I made ?9/hr doing the exact same thing in Northumberland. Even though it comes out to over twice as much when compared in exchange rates, making ?9/hr. there is not the same as making over $18/hr. here.

Who the hell paid you £9 hour stacking shelves?
Must have been nightshift was it?


Northumberland eh?


I`m a Geordie and proud of it

[wildkat]

Truck stops???? What truck stops... I have a wide spot on the road...a "pull-out", but it's a spot to sleep.... MAYBE if I'm lucky there will be an outhouse there....

As far as costs go... upwards of $6/gallon for diesel & that's a self-serve cardlock

Meals...well that's the GOOD thing...usually around 15$ all included meals, meaning full meal...NOT a greasy burger , drink & dessert... enough to make you ROLL out to your truck Mostly a spot for a couple of trucks.

Yesterday I stopped at a place called ...don't laugh... Muckluk Annie's, & had baked salmon....all you can eat homemade buns, salad bar & baked salmon for $18...THEN she asked me if I was ready for dessert...I took it with me!

[JeffTheTerrible]

Who the hell paid you �9 hour stacking shelves?
Must have been nightshift was it?

For the life of me, I can't remember the name of the business. It was in Prudhoe, and yes, it was night shift. I also remember that I had to work with a Welsh girl, and I could never understand a damn thing she said. To be honest, I don't think anyone could, but she was quite easy on the eyes.

I`m a Geordie and proud of it

So you're from Tyneside? Hope you're not too disappointed, but I'm an outsider - I'm Finnish, but I've been living in America so long that I'm not really certain whether I identify myself as Suomi or not anymore.

[wot i life]

Prudhoe? The home of the 21st S.A.S Regiment

Yeah I`m from Tyneside. True Geordie through and through; cut me and I bleed black n white :wink: .

Finnish eh? Only Finnish guy I ever met was a nice bloke(right hard bastard too)

[JeffTheTerrible]

Prudhoe? The home of the 21st S.A.S Regiment

Sure enough. I had actually wanted to enlist in the Royal Army, with the hope of getting into the 21st SAS, as I had a relative who had served with the Artists in WWII (including the defence of the Maginot Line), but I gave up on that when I realised that I wouldn't be able to do such, as I wasn't a citizen of the UK or any Commonwealth nation. Go figure.. with relatives in Australia, South Africa, St. Kitts and Nevis, Canada, various locations in Europe, and right here in America, I just had to be born of the pair who decided to stay put, even if I didn't necessarily follow their tendencies.

Yeah I`m from Tyneside. True Geordie through and through; cut me and I bleed black n white :wink:

I probably shouldn't mention this, but I was more a fan of Chelsea FC than I was of Newcastle United...

Finnish eh? Only Finnish guy I ever met was a nice bloke(right hard bastard too)

Was he sober?
I tend to get mixed reviews from the people who know me. Some think I'm wonderful, and some would think me a git. My flatmate claims I'm schizophrenic, but we're quite inclined to disagree with her.

[BigDiesel]

Lasagna and fries: Not a clue - I don't know of any truckstop that sells lasagna.

I had lasagna at Stoner's Truck Stop in Watertown, SD a couple months ago.

[Phantom433a]

Truck stops???? What truck stops... I have a wide spot on the road...a "pull-out", but it's a spot to sleep.... MAYBE if I'm lucky there will be an outhouse there....

Yup thats me as well.....old habit from when I drove in Alaska. I usually run from Vegas to Northern Az now and I know all the little pulloffs like gas stations that have been closed for 15 years (Two Guns) or a big dirt field on an outer road.

[Roadhog]

We have "Rewards Cards" here Wot. When you fuel, you enter your card at the pump, along with your credit card, and you receive a penny a gallon in "rewards credit" you can use to pay for most anything in the truck stop store or restaurants. This adds up rather quickly. I almost always have a hundred dollars credit on a couple of my cards. (TA and Petro) ( about 20 bucks on Pilot) with usually several free shower credits. I have 5 cards. TA RoadKing--Petro Passport--Pilot Driver Payback--AM BEST AM Bucks-- Flying J Frequent Fueler.

You also receive one free shower credit, with a minimum of 50 gal. fuel purchase. The shower credits fall off after one week if unused...but the penny/per gallon keeps adding up, and remains until spent, long as your card remains active once within a 6 month period.

Many of the restaurants are now offering "rewards bucks" when you pay for your meal. It too adds to the kitty. Once in a while I'll pay for my meal with my card, but I usually use my rewards bucks to buy crap like CB's, DVD's/CD's and various 12v appliances. Sometimes a shirt, gloves, and even one time I bought a cheapo guitar.

Some places charge for overnight parking, most do not. The ones that charge, do offer free parking in exchange for a certain minimum of fuel purchase, or receipts showing a certain minimum of store/restaurant purchases. (either levels, easily met)

If I ever do find myself paying for parking, or even a shower, I turn the receipt in with my bills, and I am reimbursed as if it were any business expense. I only get caught needing to do this a few times in a year. Most of the time, I am able to plan out my needs, but with tight schedules, you do get caught once in a while.

I love my favorite Truck Stops. They make my day...so to speak. I have one favorite, which is a little dirthole down on the Michigan/Ohio border...but I love the steak dinner...and that waitress is hott-lookin'...plus I always get a very quiet and restful spot in the back to park all alone.
I LOVE-LOVE stopping at West Wendover, NV. The Oriental girls at the Red Garter make me moist. 8)

[Roadhog]

Thanks for comparison Rev.

Since you mention fuel....

We currently pay around $10:50 per gallon in most truckstops; how does that compare?

Here is a link to current TA Truck Stop fuel prices.
http://www.tatravelcenters.com/taweb...icesPrint.aspx

Up where I live...current fuel is $4.81/gal.
That would be...
$2.46 UK Pounds
$3.10 Euro

Your $10.50 if in UK Pounds here would be... $20.82 USD :shock: