Possibly the best Pilot truck stop ever built

[Rev.Vassago]

I had the pleasure of spending the past 2 days at the Pilot in Madera, CA. I have to say, that is one nice truck stop. Ample parking, plenty of room to get in and out of parking spots, IdleAire on the OUTSIDE of the parking lot where it should be, and my choice between a Subway, Dairy Queen, Wendy's, Quiznos, Denny's, and a sit down Mexican restaurant. Clean bathrooms, and a nice spacious store.

If only they were all that nice.

[Jackrabbit379]

That is strange for a Pilot. Most I've seen require you to wear a bullet proof vest, and there is a very rotten aroma in the parking lot. You walk around inside, and your boots stick to the floor.

[Syncrosonix]

I had the pleasure of spending the past 2 days at the Pilot in Madera, CA. I have to say, that is one nice truck stop. Ample parking, plenty of room to get in and out of parking spots, IdleAire on the OUTSIDE of the parking lot where it should be, and my choice between a Subway, Dairy Queen, Wendy's, Quiznos, Denny's, and a sit down Mexican restaurant. Clean bathrooms, and a nice spacious store.

If only they were all that nice.

i've been to that one before. the idleaire spots are also WIDE OPEN and easy as hell to back out of, and i think there were some spots that drivers could pull through. the denny's wasn't that great. i ordered chicken strips at that one. they botched it. the strips weren't cooked all the way. the center of each strip was cold. i guess that's what happens when pilot and denny's make a deal.

other than that, it's an okay place to stop since i have relatives who live in madera.

[Hawkjr]

The one in Sturbridge, MA right outside of the Connecticut line off of exit I-84 is a pretty good Pilot.. Parking wise and so on.. also its not to dirty, the only draw is it doesnt have a fast food joint!!

[RostyC]

That is strange for a Pilot. Most I've seen require you to wear a bullet proof vest, and there is a very rotten aroma in the parking lot. You walk around inside, and your boots stick to the floor.

Maybe it's your boots Jackrabbit.

[RostyC]

I use Pilots for fuel a lot, and yeah it's hard to believe there's one that clean out there. Last week I stopped at one to fuel, get coffee, and poop. Well, the stall door and frame was falling apart and coming off the wall, so I had to hold the door shut while I did "my business".
They do have pretty good coffee though, when it's fresh.

I think the worst Pilot I've seen so far was in New York off of 81, above Wilkes-Barre I think. I didn't want to touch anything, and quite frankly was a bit scared.

The second to the worst was down in Texas, very scary, some guy was walking around inside and his boots kept sticking to the floor. He also had a bad habit of kicking his legs out.

[Windwalker]

The one in Sturbridge, MA right outside of the Connecticut line off of exit I-84 is a pretty good Pilot.. Parking wise and so on.. also its not to dirty, the only draw is it doesnt have a fast food joint!!

And, what was once a VERY GOOD RESTAURANT next door is now just a VACANT BUILDING. Typical of PILOT, a perfectly good restaurant takes a left at the MILKY WAY, goes straight on thru till morning, NEVER, NEVER TO BE SEEN OR HEARD FROM AGAIN. Not a bad place as PILOTS GO, but I don't even slow down for that one either.

[GMAN]

They were talking about reopening the restaurant or leasing it out to someone. I thought that it would have been open by now.

[Double R]

The one in Sturbridge, MA right outside of the Connecticut line off of exit I-84 is a pretty good Pilot.. Parking wise and so on.. also its not to dirty, the only draw is it doesnt have a fast food joint!!

That WAS at one time an independent truck stop. Pilot bought them. Just like Frystown All-American in Frystown, PA and the Petro2 in Breezewood. Both were owned by the same people and then they sold to Pilot. I have heard a rumor that the Petro at the 215 on 80 in PA is now a Pilot also.

Those were nice truck stops before the Pilot bought them, hopefully they stay that way.
Pilot could never build a decent truck stop.

[Double R]

I had the pleasure of spending the past 2 days at the Pilot in Madera, CA. I have to say, that is one nice truck stop. Ample parking, plenty of room to get in and out of parking spots, IdleAire on the OUTSIDE of the parking lot where it should be, and my choice between a Subway, Dairy Queen, Wendy's, Quiznos, Denny's, and a sit down Mexican restaurant. Clean bathrooms, and a nice spacious store.

If only they were all that nice.

Pilot must have bought it. They could never build something that good

[Rev.Vassago]

Pilot must have bought it. They could never build something that good

One would think that, but this place was definitely not a converted truck stop.

[Double R]

One would think that, but this place was definitely not a converted truck stop.

I want pictures to prove it. Pilot(other then their coffee) SUCKS!

[GMAN]

That WAS at one time an independent truck stop. Pilot bought them. Just like Frystown All-American in Frystown, PA and the Petro2 in Breezewood. Both were owned by the same people and then they sold to Pilot. I have heard a rumor that the Petro at the 215 on 80 in PA is now a Pilot also.

Those were nice truck stops before the Pilot bought them, hopefully they stay that way.
Pilot could never build a decent truck stop.

I stopped in that Petro last week. They recently opened under new ownership and with a new name. They are no longer a Petro. Someone mentioned that the fuel was run by Pilot, but I saw no evidence of it. They left their association with Petro and operated independently for a short time before closing. According to someone who worked there the place was purchased by someone in Philadelphia. The food is pretty decent and they seem to be trying to get things built back up. I hope Pilot doesn't take it over, they will ruin a good truck stop.

[Jumbo]

I use Pilots for fuel a lot, and yeah it's hard to believe there's one that clean out there. Last week I stopped at one to fuel, get coffee, and poop. Well, the stall door and frame was falling apart and coming off the wall, so I had to hold the door shut while I did "my business".
They do have pretty good coffee though, when it's fresh.

I think the worst Pilot I've seen so far was in New York off of 81, above Wilkes-Barre I think. I didn't want to touch anything, and quite frankly was a bit scared.

The second to the worst was down in Texas, very scary, some guy was walking around inside and his boots kept sticking to the floor. He also had a bad habit of kicking his legs out.

The one in New York is awful, Why anybody would park there when there is a perfectly good Petro just up the road is beyond me.

[GMAN]

I usually stop at the Petro when I am in the Scranton area and need a meal or place to park. I try to avoid that Pilot.

[Double R]

I usually stop at the Petro when I am in the Scranton area and need a meal or place to park. I try to avoid that Pilot.

Last time I was up at that one(last winter), they started to charge $8 to park. Don't know if they changed that or not since we no longer run that area.

[geeshock]

I use Pilots for fuel a lot, and yeah it's hard to believe there's one that clean out there. Last week I stopped at one to fuel, get coffee, and poop. Well, the stall door and frame was falling apart and coming off the wall, so I had to hold the door shut while I did "my business".
They do have pretty good coffee though, when it's fresh.

I think the worst Pilot I've seen so far was in New York off of 81, above Wilkes-Barre I think. I didn't want to touch anything, and quite frankly was a bit scared.

The second to the worst was down in Texas, very scary, some guy was walking around inside and his boots kept sticking to the floor. He also had a bad habit of kicking his legs out.

I think you were at the one in bighampton, had to fuel there once. was thinking of stopping for the night there but decided aganst it when I started fueling. I settled for a rest area further on down the road.

[GMAN]

Last time I was up at that one(last winter), they started to charge $8 to park. Don't know if they changed that or not since we no longer run that area.

They don't start charging until after a certain time. I don't recall when they actually start charging. If you get there before dark I don't think that they charge. They have a low purchase in order to park free. I think it is about $20 or less.

[geeshock]

I usually stop at the Petro when I am in the Scranton area and need a meal or place to park. I try to avoid that Pilot.

the petro is the lesser of the two evils. I don't care for eather of those truck stops in scranton but if I have to stop at on, the petro wins hands down

[GMAN]

I agree, geeshock. At least the food is better and parking is much easier at the Petro. It is almost like a demolition derby at that Pilot.