I followed up with my Flying J/Pilot rep as well and I was assured the same thing. No change in policy and that they appreciate and welcome the van business.
Cargo vans/Sprinters not welcome at Flying J in Houston
- Thread starter rlodonnell
- Start date
I followed up with my Flying J/Pilot rep as well and I was assured the same thing. No change in policy and that they appreciate and welcome the van business.
rlodonnell
Active Expediter
Thanks to everyone who responded to this thread and especially to those who went out of their way to contact Pilot/Flying J. As John said hopefully this is a one time thing.
Stay safe,
Ron
Stay safe,
Ron
hanoki
Active Expediter
I've had similar experiences with not being able to stay at some Pilots because the restaurants posted signs of no overnight parking, which they enforced as a night manager at the McDonald's told me I could not sleep on their property. By the time and size of the facility there was no where to park. I had to leave. I am sure there are others out there doing the same thing.
There are certainly a few Pilots, and other trucks stops, where it just isn't practical to take up a parking space for long periods of time. That Pilot an exit or two down from the TA in Antioch, TN comes to mind. Another one is in Coco Beach, FL where there is like 5 parking spaces for cars, and about 7 or 8 for big trucks. Makes more sense to go across the street and park at the Walmart.
That kinda weirds me out.
The problem at that particular FlyingJ apparently continue. A fellow van expediter was harassed by that night 'rent-a-cop' in February. He pounded on the van and woke up our comrade.. and insisted he leave the property. In the course of trying to leave, the expediter was assaulted by the ******* 'rent-a-cop' when he pulled his gun! Our expediter friend got the police and is filing a formal complaint. In discussion with other employees at this FlyingJ, there is one particular 'rent-a-cop' who is over-zealous in chasing off regular Pilot/FlyingJ customers.
If this issue was first encountered in October, it has not been solved as of February.
I have a call into corporate and am trying to get to the manager of that FlyingJ.
I've stopped there myself and want to know if they are FIXING the problem.. otherwise, I will go elsewhere.
If this issue was first encountered in October, it has not been solved as of February.
I have a call into corporate and am trying to get to the manager of that FlyingJ.
I've stopped there myself and want to know if they are FIXING the problem.. otherwise, I will go elsewhere.
in the BIG picture....I am amazed by the assumption that buying fuel "Entitles" one to a parking spot for an extended amount of time....
Is there something on the back of receipt that says holder is "entitled" 1 parking spot...is there any signage that states that a fuel up gets you 1 or 2 or 3 nights stay at the Hotel J???
If they say Leave...leave...and DON'T go back...
Is there something on the back of receipt that says holder is "entitled" 1 parking spot...is there any signage that states that a fuel up gets you 1 or 2 or 3 nights stay at the Hotel J???
If they say Leave...leave...and DON'T go back...
There are often signs that say parking is for customers only, and if you buy something there then you're a customer. Might not be on the back of the receipt, tho.
I can count on one hand how many times I've been asked to leave a parking lot. I've never, ever been back to any of them for any reason.
I've been asked to move to a different section of the lot....I've been told to park in back....but never to leave a J/Pilot....Loves...well we all know their policy...Customers Only with a 2 hour time limit.
Walmart about 3 times so far...to leave...no overnight parking...that goes for customers....time limits....
The Loves policy is to thwart the "Park & Ride" people. They just don't want people leaving their cars there for hours or days at a time, but if you're in it they don't much care. They understand what expediters do. I park at Loves fairly often and have never been asked to leave. I park at the one on the south side of Louisville a lot, and was recently at the one just east of Murfreesboro for 4 days with nary a peep. I park at the Loves in Perrysburg more often than I do the Petro, TA, Pilot or the J.
butterfly610
Veteran Expediter
When we used to drive a straight truck, we would wait at the houston flying j once we went back in service because the area we lived in was too congested to get out of in a timely manner. The ecurity guard always was harassing us about parking in regular truck spots. He always tried to make us leave and park in these small bobtail spots. We never would, because the length of our straight truck made us stick out too far and we weren't going to chance getting hit. He even tried to make us move in the day when there were tons of spots. That flying j is horrible, hate it.
My one and only encounter with a real, live lot lizard was at that particular Flying J in Houston. I had just pulled in, like 3 in the afternoon, and she came right up. Maybe my fault for parking over there where the car lot kinda meets up with the truck lot, I dunno. She said she thought I was someone else, at first. I believed her. I've led a sheltered life, apparently.
I have been asked to leave loves the only time I ever parked overnight at one.
kinda like a turtle in a half shell....LOL
Running a van under 10K GVWR no operating authority needed, since were not considered a commercial vehicle by the FMCSA.
Don't know what Love's you go to around the country, but I've not been kicked out of any yet. The first thing I do is go inside and talk to the manager on duty and ask them if they have a problem with me parking for the night and I tell them where I'm parked in the lot. They will tell me if it's okay to park there or have me move to another part of the lot.
I just don't park near the store but as far away as I can.
purgoose10
Veteran Expediter
That's my neck of the woods. That's not a safe place to park anytime especially on the week ends. High drug and crime neighborhood.