Just saw on the local news that they just started construction on a Pilot T/S on I-79 at exit 146 in WV. That exit is the 1st exit south of the junction of I-68/I-79 in Morgantown. No ETA on completion date. I guess that one's going in instead of the one they had planned on building at exit 105 in Jane Lew.

 

With the tornados I figured the new Pilot will be the old one in Joplin.

 

The building is up, the signs are up, the fuel island is up, and there is a now hiring sign on the building. This as of thursday 5/26/11. Looks like it will have real small parking lot though. It sits right off exit 146(Goshen Road). It's wired looking because it looks like it has two floors.

 

The main building has been there forever. In fact, that place was originally supposed to be a 76 Truckstop. For some reason, they couldn't get the permit for the fuel tanks. It sat empty forever, then a few years ago a outdoor sports place opened. That didn't last.

I'm glad one will be that close to home - it's a pain to get fuel when I'm going on/coming off hometime since Celadon mainly uses Pilot. Now maybe I can stay out of that stupid Hurricane one.

 

As drivers, if you're real smart, you'll do the same to all Pilots as we did to the one in Gary, IN. At another location, more than a dozen of us had a chance to talk to a Pilot exec. We got to tell him what was wrong at Gary, and about a year later, they bought up more property and enlarged the parking lot. It didn't cure all the problems, but it did help.

 

The only way they could make the lot larger at that exit would be to remove a small mountain, literally. When the original groundwork was done there, I "think" it took about 6-9 months.

 

I wish they'd done one at Jane Lew or even further south for those Charleston stops, although there's a truck stop on the west side of Charleston that's ok. The new Loves a little north of Jane Lew (IIRC???) is horrible. Too small and all the parking places are "leaners".

 

Have never seen the Loves on I-79. Will have to keep my eyes open for it.

The parking area at the new one will probably be similar in size as the one in Nitro. Maybe a few spaces smaller, I'm guessing.

 

Look at next time you head home. Be luckly if they could get 15 trucks parked in there. If I wasn't traveling at 70 going south and then north, I would try and snap a picture on thursday.

 

I'll be home on Thursday. May try to get up by there.