Where do you spent the night?
- Thread starter Ragman
- Start date
It all depends.
If I had to deliver at 7 in the morning and I would get there way early, then I find the closest rest area and stop there. I wake up whenever I need to in order to get to the delivery 1/2 hour before delivery time.
After I deliver I find a close by Walmart and wait there, or depending on the area, a park where I can walk, or a museum, or a mall. Once in a while I stop at a truck stop, but I tend to avoid them because of the smell of some of those parking lots and people that I see walking around.
I drive a Sprinter, so I have greater flexibility.
KickStarter6
Veteran Expediter
I drive a cargo van so I normally park in shopping malls or truck stops if unloaded. If I'm delivering and the plant is closed I will park right in front of there gates
wvcourier
Expert Expediter
Anywhere but a Truckstop, reminds me of a Prison, all the food is GMO, deisal fumes, ect.ect kinda feel sorry for the Truckers who seem like they are trapped. But on the weekend its always a Hotel. Depending how well I did that week, could be a motel 6 or a Holiday Inn Express suite.
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Sent from my SPH-L900 using EO Forums mobile app
The biggest brightest parking lot I can find! The occasional state park on a weekend!
Sent from my flying circus ....
Sent from my flying circus ....
KickStarter6
Veteran Expediter
Why biggest and brightest? You standout like a sore thumb? I try to find a place to blend in if that makes sense. But I get your idea based on safety pov
Honestly the very few times the law has bothered me for public parking I'll look straight at them and tell em I'm too pooped to drive....then the feet shuffle and the just get a short nap speech ! I only park to sleep otherwise I'm in Somewhere he'll anywhere but my van after 615k the walls keep getting smaller LOL
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KickStarter6
Veteran Expediter
Lol I bet they are. I've only logged about 50k miles so far in my expediting career but this ford is awfully tiny already
Ragman, I'm out and back like you, but on the occasions I find it necessary to spend time standing down, I use the rest stops. I may try a Flying J if I have to stop at a truck-stop (Flying J seems to be the only one big enough to allow vans to park any length of time). I've only stopped at one Wal-Mart, no choice I wasn't going any farther without rest, and-- maybe the occasional motel under certain circumstances (motels ain't cheap, but there are situations which force the issue).
In a sprinter and my first choice is flying j, second would be Walmart or meijers but about 20 hours is my limit at one after that I start to feel like a creeper. Do pilots also but they tend to be smaller.
I have parked at motels, hospitals, Lowes, home depot, casinos, Bass Pro and Cabelas. Oddly I have never once slept at a rest area.
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I have parked at motels, hospitals, Lowes, home depot, casinos, Bass Pro and Cabelas. Oddly I have never once slept at a rest area.
Sent from my - Fisher Price ABC - 123
The thing with staying in a rest area you can almost count on the load to pick up back in the other direction....
ebsprintin
Veteran Expediter
Being in a sprinter I have flexibility. My first search after delivery is for a 24 hour Walmart. Then truck stops and rest areas if they are conveniently located. I try to not loiter at the place I sleep. When I wake up I'll move somewhere else even if it is across the street (Target and Costco restrooms are a lot cleaner than most Walmarts). Lot of times during the day I'll find a library. In theory I'm trying to not wear out my welcome at the place that lets me overnight. I don't unload my trash at the overnight location, and I try to be a paying customer. If a place is posted as no overnight parking, I don't spend any money there, but I will leave my trash and use the facilities. For daytime naps, I'll park just about anywhere.
eb
eb