Do you plan your gas fill ups?

DCWarrior

Mouseketeer
Joined
Mar 28, 2000
Planning our first long haul trip from Maryland to the Fortnin June with a 32’ travel trailer being pulled by an F-150.

When you do your long hauls like this, how do you do your refueling stops? Do you plan ahead with figuring out where large stops are along the way like Pilots, Loves, Flying J’a, etc.? Do you get an app for them or something else? Or do you just go and hope to come across something when you get to a certain fuel level? Just curious different people’s strategies.
 
Even with a tiny 26 gallon tank and 9.5 mpg I dont do much planning. We have been to Florida so many times I usually know whats up ahead when I get near 1/4 tank.
 
Anytime I go on a long road trip, anytime I make a stop (restroom, food, etc.), I will look for a gas station. I don't let my tank get to below 1/2 tank before refueling.
 


I can carry 97 gallons of fuel now. StL to the Fort (1003 miles) means 1 stop. If I stopped for an overnight on the way down, I'd fill up then to avoid having to stop again. When I drive straight through, I try to stop in a cheap fuel state once I get into the primary tank. Before I added the 60 gallon auxiliary tank, I would map out where a truck stop was every 300 miles or so. I'd use Google maps or an app (Gas Buddy, iExit).

j
 
I use a combo plan.

I use the gasbuddy.com trip calculator which will show the cheapest gas spots along my route based on my inputs a few days before I leave home. Then I adjust based on input from "The Next Exit" book as to what exit and what gas station when I am actually on the road travelling.

For example, there are about 5 exits as I pass through Ocala, FL on I75. Gas Buddy can tell me that there is cheap gas in Ocala but because I tow I want an easy in/out that is RV-friendly. While I don't have to but THE cheapest gas, it helps to know to go to Ocala rather than get ripped off in Lake City, FL with their outrageous gas prices.

So The Next Exit book tells me each exit on every interstate in the US, all the gas and food places at each one (indicating both northbound and southbound, and which are RV friendly (in red font) which is helpful but not required. I use that book to guide me as to which exit and which station to actually try for first. (I pulled my popup through the McDonald's drive thru lane in Cocoa Beach earlier this month so being smaller means I have some flexibility if I have to go to a plan B gas station nearby because the plan A gas station was jammed full). I really like using the book.

And yes, The Next Exit is a REAL book book with paper and ink. They have an app but it doesn't have good ratings. But nobody has to squint at their phone and swipe and zoom in and out which is not efficient and comprehensive. And although it gets updated annually, a copy usually lasts me about 3 years before it's worn out, rained on, and dog eared.

https://www.amazon.com/Next-Exit-2019-Interstate-Directory/dp/0984692177/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2R2L5DAAI9OPH&keywords=the+next+exit+2019&qid=1553986106&s=gateway&sprefix=the+next+exit,aps,163&sr=8-1

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For me, this approach works best (the book also has food stops at each exit which is great to know what's coming up versus what you're in the mood for).

Bama Ed

PS - and I have the Pilot/Flying J app as well
 
With a 100 gallon tank, I can go quite a distance. That being said, as others have said, look at gasbuddy,com, Flying J and Next exit before you hit the road so you have a general idea.
I recommend using the Google maps overview and street view feature. I have looked at some gas stations overhead and at street view and found that I could not get in, driveway with a bad angle and such.
If you are a Sam's club member, check those as well, we found a that were cheap on fuel and easy to get in and out of.
Oh and by the way, we really love trip reports if possible :rolleyes1
 


Fortunately, we drive a regular-size gas vehicle with nothing in tow, so we don't have to worry about room at the station or finding diesel. The only hitch is that we normally drive through the night. I do worry about finding that 3am fill-up, but it really hasn't been an issue so far. Mega-highways are good for 24-hour gas stations.
 
On long trips I don't plan out specific gas stops in advance, but I do take note of the gas prices as I'm driving and stop at places that are priced lower. The last time I drove to Disney World we got off the highway for gas and turned right... the one gas station on that side of the highway was 20 cents per gallon more than the gas stations on the other side of the highway, so we made a u-turn and went for the less expensive gas.
 
We used to plan ours more. When we had our gas 1500 had to stop a lot. Then we upgraded to our 3500 diesel and stops were fewer but then we purchased a bigger trailer, so had to make sure we can get in and out. Now we have 234 gallons on board at 10mpg, I don't have to plan much, as I can go from South Central PA to the Fort and back on a tank.
We use gas buddy, pilot/flying J, and truckers path apps when trip time comes.
But we tend now to hit only truck stops, as they have pumps on both sides, so we can fill both tanks at once.
 
I have tried to plan out my fuel stops but usually don't stick with the plan. I have some trouble with sitting in the drivers seat for too long so I like to stop occasionally to stretch my legs and give my back a rest. I just fill up when I take my breaks.
 
We try to, but of course one has to be flexible. I use the website 'findfuelstops dot com' (not sure if links are ok) to set up our 'daily route and stops'. It's basically set up for truckers, but we've found it works really well for RVing, especially since we boondock at truck stops. You plug in your start and stop points, it plots your route and gives you a list of truck 'suitable' stops and gas stations and the distances from your start point as well as distance off your route, if any. Many of them give you the current price of fuel and a good list of amenities.

We also use 'gas buddy' to find fuel on the fly, but it's not as good for being sure you're heading to a stop that is 'easy in/easy out' for larger RVs & truck/trailer combos.

I agree with not letting your tank get much below half- to quarter-full, depending on where you are. There's lots of 'empty space' between Calif and WDW and we don't like to take chances!
 
I've made the trip enough times now, my "navigator" keeps a book on easy on/off fuel stops that have access for our rig with pay at the pump. I hate truck stops for fuel, christ they are a mess with fuel spills, you not only need gloves but boots as well
 
For our Disney trips I have a list of Pilot/Flying J's that work for us With a 37 Ft Gasser that has fuel port in the the rear that info comes in very handy. For other trips I look for those places along the route then GOOGLE the address to see if it works for us
 
I like the convenience and consistently low prices of Flying J. Get the loyalty card and save 3 cents per gallon. With our Class A gasser I start with a full tank in York, PA then stop on I-95 at Carmel Church, VA, then Latta, SC, then Brunswick, GA. From Brunswick I can make it to Orlando and back again to Brunswick without buying gas. Sticking to this plan gives me one less thing to think about. I use Gas Buddy on car trips, but hunting for cheap gas with a big RV can get you into some unpleasant situations.
 
I like the convenience and consistently low prices of Flying J. Get the loyalty card and save 3 cents per gallon. With our Class A gasser I start with a full tank in York, PA then stop on I-95 at Carmel Church, VA, then Latta, SC, then Brunswick, GA. From Brunswick I can make it to Orlando and back again to Brunswick without buying gas. Sticking to this plan gives me one less thing to think about. I use Gas Buddy on car trips, but hunting for cheap gas with a big RV can get you into some unpleasant situations.
We just returned home in Tucson from the Fort driving our diesel pusher. We fill up 4 times in 2250 miles each way. Never get much under half a tank. We hold 150 gallons and get about 9 mpg on the flat. We always fill in Ocala as protection against storms and the need to run 700 to 800 miles with no fuel available. Also the gen will not run under a quarter tank. At 3/4 gallon an hour we are safe for several days with power. Used Loves, Flying J. and TA. They all take big rigs, fast food, and clean restrooms. Never over 150 miles between truck stops, even across Texas.
 

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