I understand that real trucks don't use gasoline......

 

That may true Roy, but my gasser Excursion is a station wagon not a truck!

 

I too have been keeping an eye out for the gasoline version of the discount card. We putz around in a 2016 1.6L Escape most of the time and have a couple of other gasoline vehicles that may benefit from a few cents off per gallon.

 

We got back about a month ago from a trip out west. We mainly used truck stops in route when the 5th wheel was following us. We saved $68 in fuel cost with the TSD card. That included several $1 out of network charges when we needed to stop at Pilot/Flying Js. But those charges were worth it to us so we didn’t have to go in to see the cashier 2 times every stop. Pay at the pump rocks !!

 

Around here, just a touch northeast of Rockford IL, truckers are getting raped. Using Gas Buddy I can find several stations with lower diesel prices than what TSD can get. That clearly shows that truck stops are gouging truckers because where else are they going to go? It's not a knock against TSD, but the truck stops themselves.

For example, lowest price via TSD $5.269, and is 20 miles away. Non TSD price $5.54.9. Stations that are right off the interstate though are $5.31 and up to nearly $6 with the card, $5.69 to $6.09 without. Up to .60 or more per gallon higher than stations a bit off the highway.

Gas Buddy, with their discount card starts at $5.31 up to $5.99 without discount. These are not truck stops though, but regular stations, so you can see how truckers who have no choice but to visit these stations are being rooked.

The drawback of the Gas buddy vs the TSD is multiple card insertions, when they work, for Gas Buddy. $75 limit per transaction. TSD no limit. Also factor in what it costs in fuel to travel to the cheapest station, if it costs you a gallon and a half to get there and back and you saved about one gallons worth of cost compared to getting it locally for a little more, it doesn't make sense to do so. Nearest to me is 2 miles, $5.79, $5.70 with GB discount. Nine miles north of me is where I usually fill up as they used to have the lowest price, but now they are pretty much on par with the rest, they are $5.69, with an .08 cent discount. 12 miles away, $5.39 no discount, and a couple others within that range with an .08 discount. So depending on how far you have to go, sometimes the TSD can't compete, but it is highly recommended for use while on a trip, you can plan your stops ahead of time and find lower priced stations a bit off the beaten path too.

Because of the $75 limit on GB card, what seems like a good deal, just isnt, because Chase has a gas discount of 1.5% on top of their normal 1.5% cash back, so you get 3% cash back without the limits. Last time I filled, the station rejected my GB card, hint, use the correct PIN the first time, or it wont ever work during your visit, so I used my Chase card. In the ends I got back nearly twice what I would have saved with the GB card.

 

I agree that diesel, as well as gas prices, are much better away from the interstates. But truckers don’t have an option. They can’t be traveling miles off of their route on roads not meant for trucks to fuel up at a station they maybe can’t into. I don’t want to do that either pulling my 5th wheel. So if I have to fill up at a easy to get in truck stop, I might as well get a discount as well as paying at the pump with the TSD card.

 

I won't waste time going down that rabbit hole trying to save a couple of bucks on the chance I would just have to turn around.

You only get 11 hours driving and your day is only 14 hours long.

Course private is not a time issue but still, to gamble that a station is easy in/out is pretty risky.

 

Exactly and truck stops know this and got the truckers by the brass monkeys. Usually a Caseys will have plenty of room for an RV, and are usually pretty close to an exit, but far enough away to not be in that trap. What I like about both GB and TSD Open Roads is the app allows you to plan ahead to refuel, so you can sit at your computer, open Google Earth, open the app, look for the lowest price and zoom in on the station to see if its big enough to get in and out of. If you have a Garmin, you can use Base Camp to drop a pin for the station as part of the route guidance.

 

The problem with Gasbuddy is people will post bogus prices, another issue is if someone doesn't update a price GB lists nothing. A good example, stopped in Buc-ee's on my last trip for food. Didn't need fuel and the price on GB was $.20/gal higher than local. Pulled in and there was an open island, rather than park in the sun, decided to fuel while the boss was getting food. Pump price was actually $.50/gal cheaper than GB listed. I submitted the the price to GB and updated, within hours it was changed back to the higher price.

 

Maybe a competitor to Buc-ee's is jacking up the reported price there?

 

Very possible, Sam's is across the street with diesel.

 

Gas Buddy failed on our last trip. It only listed half the stations and only the higher ones. Loves was $5.74, an Indy by Loves was $5.60. GB didn't mention the 2 Murphys, both at $5.00.

 

True, it does rely on proper reporting, but there is always the chance for bogus. Someone put the diesel price for regular at the station I normally use.

 

FYI/A...

I received the following email from Open Roads (formally TSD Logistics) about their EFS card no longer being accepted at Pilot, Flying J and One9 as of January 1, 2023. Below is the body of the email I received.

Effective January 1st, Open Roads will no longer allow transactions of any type at Pilot ,Flying J or One9 locations. We have been in discussion with Pilot over the past two years toward the possibility of a renewed partnership and discount opportunity that unfortunately did not materialize. While disappointed, we do feel at this time we must remove them from our fuel program to reduce misunderstandings of discount locations. Again in closing, the EFS Open Roads Card will NOT be accepted for purchasing fuel or additional products as of January 1,2023 at all Pilot, Flying J, and One9 locations.

Thank You,
Open Roads Administration

I was talking with my wife about this and how it may affect our future travel plans as we travel the country and long distances. We still have our RVPlus card that will allow us to use the commercial diesel lanes at Pilot and Flying J, but we usually fill up at TA and Love's when traveling with the 5th wheel. We have a 75 gallon capacity on the truck which allows us to fill up when we want instead of when we have to. It is a shame that Pilot and Flying J could not come to an agreement with Open Roads, but I am not surprised by this as they are in bed with Good Sam. Perhaps once Good Sam dies off they will be accepted and on a discount program with Open Roads again.

Be safe and enjoy the journey!

 

Same here I'll just keep using my RV Plus card from Good Sam's club at the pilot / flying j locations