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MUCH Higher Prices for Fuel at Big Truck Stops! WTH?


wa_desert_rat

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Living in Central Florida I-4 corridor near Tampa we have also seen Flying J, Loves, TA, truck stops with much higher fuel prices. It does seem like the Flying J's did get on the high price wagon after the buyout by Pilot. We have WAWA's (Single Pump) and Hess (Dual Pump) that run almost $.40 a gallon less. All are in our line of travel, so there are no extra miles to get to the fuel. Unfortunately as long as the truck stops are full of trucks fueling up the they aren't going to lower their prices.

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Living in Central Florida I-4 corridor near Tampa we have also seen Flying J, Loves, TA, truck stops with much higher fuel prices.

I buy 99% of my fuel at Flying J/Pilot. But also living in FL. I use Tom Thumb.

And only buy enough there to get me to I75 exit 2 in GA($2.799) on my way north.

 

The nearest Pilot in SE FL today is $2.999 & TT is $2.899

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You guys need to understand, there are "driver incentives" you might not see. Free showers with 100 gal purchase, driver reward cards towards purchases. That's why company drivers pick brands in some cases, & they aren't paying for their fuel anyway.

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Do not forget the difference in State tax state to state. At 55 feet long truck and 5th wheel we prefer truck stops for the convenience. We generally fuel and take a break and there is room for that at a truck stop. We do have the RV plus card for FJ/pilot and that helps bring the cost down.

Helen and I are long timers ..08 F-350 Ford,LB,CC,6.4L,4X4, Dually,4:10 diff dragging around a 2013 Montana 3402 Big Sky

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Where I work we buy 30,000 gallons a week at the spot price. The truck stops and most service stations are charging from 40 to 80 cents above spot. Diesel has not dropped as fast as in the past and everyone not on a gas program is paying for it. Most every truck line has a discount program from all the big boys out there that sell fuel, this can include non truck stop sellers (Mobil, Shell etc.).

 

USE GAS BUDDY or another program to locate lowest fuel in your area and use them if it works for your travel path. When the price is low the small players move a lot of gas through their tanks.

 

just my 2cents worth.

 

Bob

Bob and Jenise

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I personally burn about 100,000 gallons of JetA a month, and there's 5500 of us..... We don't pay those prices I guarantee that, not even half. As someone said, neither does the trucking industry pay the advertised rate. That said, prices tend to be higher next to the interstate highways. Convenience is also a commodity. I do truck stops a lot. at 65 feet over all it can get pretty hairy otherwise.

Previously a 2017 Forest River, Berkshire 38A, "The Dragonship". https://dragonship.blog/

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Perhaps some stations locked in the price they paid for fuel some time ago and oil prices declined faster than they could keep up with. Greg

That was the downfall of Flying J company. They bought diesel fuel futures at one price, the market prices fell a lot, and they went broke.

 

2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD, ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG retired;Good Sam Life member,FMCA ." And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country.  John F. Kennedy 20 Jan 1961

 

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You guys need to understand, there are "driver incentives" you might not see. Free showers with 100 gal purchase, driver reward cards towards purchases. That's why company drivers pick brands in some cases, & they aren't paying for their fuel anyway.

What you say is true, however successful companies and those that want to be successful don't just hand their drivers fuel cards without guidelines attached. Played that game for 20 years.

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Oscarvan....

 

What application creates a need for you to "burn about 100,000 gallons of JetA a month"? And just what truck stops handle Jet A? I guess

I'll just need to learn how to land conveniently near a truck stop on the Interstate and quietly taxi up to to the closest Jet A pump....

 

Wonder what the FAA's take on that might be.....

There are only two kinds of people in the world.....Those who think they can, and those who think they cannot. They are both right!

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Oscarvan....

 

What application creates a need for you to "burn about 100,000 gallons of JetA a month"? And just what truck stops handle Jet A? I guess

I'll just need to learn how to land conveniently near a truck stop on the Interstate and quietly taxi up to to the closest Jet A pump....

 

Wonder what the FAA's take on that might be.....

 

Yeah, I am apple and oranging here.... My application? A 757 or 767 depending on the day. Don't think I could put either into a truck stop without making the news.... it was an illustration to my point..... ;-)

Previously a 2017 Forest River, Berkshire 38A, "The Dragonship". https://dragonship.blog/

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Yeah, I am apple and oranging here.... My application? A 757 or 767 depending on the day. Don't think I could put either into a truck stop without making the news.... it was an illustration to my point..... ;-)

Back in the day, I have actually taxied my Taylorcraft BC-12D up to a highway gas station and filled it up. Took about 12 gallons between the nose tank and the two tiny wing tanks; enough for 250 miles at 85mph (as long as the wind wasn't on the nose). :D

 

I've since switched to gliders; fuel mileage is spectacular but takeoffs can be a bitch!!!

 

WDR

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Reason to use Gas Buddy

 

spot price today $2.16 yesterday was $2.09 and last Thursday was $1.98

going rate most stations $2.48 This has not changed in a week.

 

I filled up at lowest for $2.28

Bob and Jenise

Class of 2016 Full timers :)

2008 Newmar Essex 45' 500hp ism towing Honda CRV awd

 

Every day you wake up is a good day!!!!

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Here is an idea to lock in low fuel prices. I will not be fulltiming for another 2 to 3 years. So I called my finance adviser and asked him how to lock the prices in. Simple buy the ETF USO. If oil triples in price then USO should also triple. I can sell the USO at a gain to pay for increase in fuel costs. If oil goes down further I will just buy the fuel.

 

Just an idea.

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Here is an idea to lock in low fuel prices. I will not be fulltiming for another 2 to 3 years. So I called my finance adviser and asked him how to lock the prices in. Simple buy the ETF USO. If oil triples in price then USO should also triple. I can sell the USO at a gain to pay for increase in fuel costs. If oil goes down further I will just buy the fuel.

 

Just an idea.

 

Could you put that in laymans terms???? What the heck is ETF USO??? Please excuse my ignorance!!!!!




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Could you put that in laymans terms???? What the heck is ETF USO??? Please excuse my ignorance!!!!!

 

It is like a mutual fund that you can trade like a stock. This one tracks the price of oil in the USA. So if you buy it now and the price of fuel goes up so would the value of the USO mutual fund. So you could in theory sell a portion of the mutual fund and pay for the increase in fuel costs. Thus you have set a ceiling on your fuel costs. It would be like buying the fuel today at today's prices. I think the current price is low for what it could be in a few years when I am RVing around so that's why I purchased it.

 

If the price goes down I wouldn't sell the USO but continue to hold it. I would just purchase the fuel and be happy with the low price. If the price of oil doubles, the USO value should double (Or be somewhat close). I would estimate maybe twice a year the amount of fuel I need to purchase and sell that amount of USO to cover my fuel costs.

 

Of course you have to have the money upfront in order to do this.

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Back in the day, I have actually taxied my Taylorcraft BC-12D up to a highway gas station and filled it up. Took about 12 gallons between the nose tank and the two tiny wing tanks; enough for 250 miles at 85mph (as long as the wind wasn't on the nose). :D

 

I've since switched to gliders; fuel mileage is spectacular but takeoffs can be a bitch!!!

 

WDR

Yes but with the glider you learn to make the approach and grease the landing. Go arounds(touch and goes) are a bitch as well. :ph34r:

2019 Thor Chateau 28E on a Ford E450 chassis. Maybe awhile but will get a new picture forgive one up there it is my old rig.

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WDR and Bob Cochran.... Valid points of view and interesting "observations" regarding gliders....BUT, have either of you ever tried a full on

 

CAT III approach in a glider? Now that seems problematic from my perspective....

There are only two kinds of people in the world.....Those who think they can, and those who think they cannot. They are both right!

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WDR and Bob Cochran.... Valid points of view and interesting "observations" regarding gliders....BUT, have either of you ever tried a full on

 

CAT III approach in a glider? Now that seems problematic from my perspective....

I have never carried even ONE cat in my glider...

 

WDR

1993 Foretravel U225 with Pacbrake and 5.9 Cummins with Banks

1999 Jeep Wrangler, 4" lift and 33" tires

Raspberry Pi Coach Computer

Ham Radio

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It is like a mutual fund that you can trade like a stock. This one tracks the price of oil in the USA. So if you buy it now and the price of fuel goes up so would the value of the USO mutual fund. So you could in theory sell a portion of the mutual fund and pay for the increase in fuel costs. Thus you have set a ceiling on your fuel costs. It would be like buying the fuel today at today's prices. I think the current price is low for what it could be in a few years when I am RVing around so that's why I purchased it.

 

If the price goes down I wouldn't sell the USO but continue to hold it. I would just purchase the fuel and be happy with the low price. If the price of oil doubles, the USO value should double (Or be somewhat close). I would estimate maybe twice a year the amount of fuel I need to purchase and sell that amount of USO to cover my fuel costs.

 

Of course you have to have the money upfront in order to do this.

 

 

Gotcha thanks for the explanation!!!




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Gotcha thanks for the explanation!!!

I am researching more on this. This may not be a good idea since USO may not follow the price in the long term. So much for listening to my broker. So good idea to in effect purchase the fuel at today's prices but no using the USO. I will be doing more research.

 

Thanks

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