Pilot's Attempt at Highway Robbery

[fastman_1]

Last weekend I helped a Friend out Moving back to Ohio From Georgia. There was 4 Trucks involved 2 Gas Powered and 2 Diesel Powered. We stopped at Exit 25 on I-77 in Caldwell Ohio at the Pilot, Got fuel went inside to pay. The Friend was going to Put all the fuel on his Visa card. The Girl at the fuel desk informed us at that time that the diesel was going to be 3 cents more Per gallion over the posted Price for using a visa. When we asked why her reply was "I don't know". So we dug into our Pockets and gave her cash instead. When I got home I e-mailed Pilot Corp. to voice my concerns. I got a reply this morning that danced around the Question and Offered a Pilot Visa with a 3% rebate on all Purchases. So I for one will Not be using Pilot for anymore fuel. There is enough Hands in my Wallet with out adding this one for No good reason.I have the reply from Pilot that I will send to Anyone that Wants Proof of this Injustice

 

[Glen Rice]

Unfortunately this is common practice with the credit card issue. They will gladly take a Comdata card that charges less % rate than your visa card. One of the many obstacles of trucking in todays economy. The TruckStop owners say they are just barely breaking even! We all find that a little hard to believe!

 

[davekc]

As everyone travels they will notice in most instances that Pilot runs .05 cents per gallon on average above there competitors. Larger fleets do get a small discount like JB and Schneider. I don't buy fuel there because of this policy. They are the most anti-independent owner operator company out there. With there fuel prices their only intent is to screw the owner operator. There has been a few times they would come within a few cents of a competitor but only when they were across the street. I have never for example ever seen them have a posted price less than flying J. Certainly not in the last two years.
Davekc

 

[chetjester]

I avoid Pilot for fuel. Their only blessing is that many have Truckstop.net. Maybe the high cost is to pay for their acquisition of all the Williams truckstops.

Regarding prices. Flying J advertises a cash price. If you use your visa at FJ, you pay 3 cents more per gallon. They don't accept ComData. If you use their PDCA MasterCard, you get the cash price and can earn rebates.

I find Petro to be reasonable and have gotten good prices at Love's. They take Comdata. I've never tried a visa with them. TA will let you use your Visa as long as you go inside, leave it with them, and then return to the fuel islands to pump your fuel.

But, you all know this.

 

[terryandrene]

>Regarding prices. Flying J advertises a cash price. If you
>use your visa at FJ, you pay 3 cents more per gallon. They
>don't accept ComData. If you use their PDCA MasterCard, you
>get the cash price and can earn rebates.

For the gas burners, FlyJ does not add a credit card surcharge on the posted price of gasoline.

I haven't bought diesel since 2001 but, the four wheeler/rv pumps at the J did not add the surcharge. They were just stiffin' the big trucks. We see a lot of 6 wheelers at the car pumps now; maybe they know a secret. worth checking into.

 

[barney]

Pilot used to have some of the lowest prices around ( I'm showing my age here), but then they got greedy. I avoid them unless there is no option, like maby a McDonalds. They don"t have the facilities to warrent that kind of expense.

 

[NEVERHOME247]

I AGREE ABOUT THE CREDIT CARD RIP-OFF. I USED TO AVOID PILOT BECAUSE OF THE SURCHARGE. I JUST RECENTLY STARTED PURCHASING FUEL AGAIN AT PILOT. I USE COMDATA AND WITH LANDSTAR I GET A REBATE BACK FROM PILOT ON MY SETTLEMENT. IF YOUR COMPANY USES COMDATA. TRY AND GET THEM TO PERSUE FUEL DISCOUNTS. WITH FUEL PRICES SKY HIGH EVERY PENNY SAVED, HELPS YOUR BOTTOM LINE.

 

[RichM]

There was a law suit a while back actually instigated by the Visa/Master card people.They said a institution cannot discrimate in the price they charge to different customers. The lawsuit was against Pilot and Flying J. The credit card people said you must charge all customers the same price. The truck stops arguement was that they had to provide parking and showers for the trucks so they were entitled to charge more.I never heard about the outcome,maybe someone else has.
I only use Pilot when they have competition.Otherwise the prices are too high.With FDXCC if you use your comcard to buy fuel at a Pilot you get 5 cents per gallon rebated back to you on a monthly basis.

 

[zingfu25]

We stopped spending any money at PILOT's a year or so ago for several reasons.

1) Bubba the lovesponge wanted pilot to carry his cd and they said they would, only if he paid the extra cost to have them put in the anti-theft jackets (which is quite costly). When Bubba asked the prez of pilot why it was necessary to do this, the prez responded with "all truck drivers are thieves". So we feel if we are thieves we better not go in there anymore and tempt ourselves with stealing their junk....lol

2) They used to be a cheap place to buy fuel but ever since they bought Speedway and Williams, they r the most expensive place out there.

3) Between the fuel islands being a swimming pool of diesel, and the windshield washer buckets being nothing but diesel, with broken squegees, and the restrooms and store being a pigsty, we have no need to go there anymore. If the only choices I have for fuel is a pilot or a regular gas station with diesel where i have to squeeze in and out of the place...i'll go to the gas station.

 

[Wild Bill]

This isn't that unusual. I don't know if it is still happening but it used to be this was the policy of all the major truck stop chains.

A few years ago OOIDA took Flying J to court over this and won. But as usual the robber barons found a loophole and started doing it again.

It has always been my opnion that truck stops specialize in getting rich on the backs of all truck drivers. From the prices in their stores and resturants to the pump on the owner operator. Truck stops was one of my reasons for getting out of the industry. My blood pressure would rise drastically whenever I would have to pay $4.00 for something I could buy at Walmart for $1.00

 

[Tennesseahawk]

very simple answer to that, Bill... buy it at WalMart :7

 

[ATeam]

This is a little off point from the original post, but it may be of interest to everyone that posted in this thread. I'm reading a book now entitled, "The Flying J Story" by Howard M. Carlisle. It's an authorized biography of Jay Call, company founder and Flying J company history. As such it has a lot of Flying J propoganda in it. Nevertheless, it's a well-written book that provides a lot of good history of the truck stop business and global forces that affect it. It's a good read for anyone wanting to know more about the fuel we burn and truck stops we use every day.

Lawrence, are you listening? I feel a book report coming on