This my recent experience getting fuel at Pilot in Fernley, NV.

I pulled into the truck diesel lane.  I gave my Flying J RV Card to the cashier along with my credit card.  She said the pump is ready, and I filled the tank.  When I returned for my receipt, I noticed I was charged 6 cents more per gallon (the credit card price.), and no 3 cent per gallon diesel discount available at all Flying J stations.  I was told they knew nothing about the Flying J RV card.

A phone call to Pilot customer service 2 days later I learned that Pilot only gives these discounts at the RV lanes, and that station did not have any RV lanes.  Consequently, no discounts are available.  They are sending me a $5 gift card to help offset the loss.  Next year, Pilot plans to have updated technology to allow more lanes to be available for RVs.  Until then, it is best to phone ahead, if you plan to stop at a Pilot station for fuel.  Determine if they have RV lanes and if they recognize the Flying J RV card.

Pilot also said they post weekly updates of policy changes on their website, (www.pilottravelcenters.com) if you wish to learn the latest news.

Larry  

It does not look like my low opinion of Pilot is going to change anytime soon.

Gerald

I bought 68 gallons of diesel today from a small Shell service station in a little town called Beaver, Oregon while headed north on 101.   I got 10 cents a gallon off the posted price by showing a QFC Grocery card with "points" earned buying groceries at Kroger owned QFC stores.  And, being Oregon, I didn't even get to touch the nozzle.  The store inside was clean and they had good looking snack food available.  Today I didn't miss Flying J, Pilot or TA a bit!

We have been using Pacific Pride (Pride Net nationally) since we got our diesel coach. Billed monthly, always the lowest price - though it can change daily - and we almost always get the PUC discount the truckers get.

How did you manage to get the PUC discounts?  I had a Pacific Pride card for many years and to my knowledge NEVER got a discounts.  I didn't find it any less expensive, just some times more convienent.

Stopped at the Flying J near Jackson, MS about 10 days ago. Could not use my Flying J card to activate the diesel pump at the RV lane. Had to go inside and give the attendant my credit card and the exact amount of fuel I wanted to buy. I was told that all FLying J stations were converting to the Pilot system.and the use of the Flying J card to activate the pumps would not be used in the future. This means a trip inside to get the pumps going and another trip back to the fuel desk to settle up. It appears the convenience of using Flying J has ceased to exist.

Stopped at a new Loves Travel Stop in South Carolina this past Friday, purchased fuel at the truck lanes and paid the cash price which was five cents per gallon less than the credit price. Think I will be passing up the Pilot/Flying J stations in the future.

I'm wondering about that too, Leah.  Unless you have a PUC document, I don't know how you'd qualify for that;  it is intended for commercial use.  PUC permit holders do not get a "discount", because there is a tax they are exempt from paying at the pump for specified legal reasons.  For whatever reason, the Todds would have to have a Use Fuel Exemption on file with Pacific Pride to be excused from paying the tax.  Generally, the exemption would go to holders of a fuel use license, and they ultimately would be responsible for imbursing the tax monthly to the state in which they purchased the fuel.  Fuels used off-road or in govt. or agricultural vehicles may be exempt, but generally if you use our highways, you owe tax to pay for them, one way or another.

That aside, I can vouch for Pacific Pride/Pioneer Fuel, and highly recommend them to BAC members that frequent areas in the U.S. and Canada that have their outlets.  They are primarily in the West, but there are vendors elsewhere.  Some states don't have any vendors, some only a few, and others have dozens.  They used to charge my credit card automatically once each month that I bought fuel, but to save cost, they suspended that; however, you can sign up to let them automatically charge your checking account, which is what I do.  The only negative that might bother new members is that the price isn't posted at the pump, and you really don't know what you're paying per gallon until you get your statement.  I suppose you could call their Olympia, WA, office ahead of time to get a particular location's price, but I've never bothered with that.  After my first few months with them, I came to trust that I was getting a competitive price, for the area I was traveling in, each time.  I no longer sweat it.  Even if their price was a bit higher than the going price, which it never has been, it would still be worth the ease of access, lack of stress, and peace of mind that their stations provide.

Their office girls are phenomenal if you need help.  They can supply you with a directory of outlets, which is handy for finding fuel when you need it.  Once in a while an outlet in the directory may have closed, and you don't know it until you drive to it, but that is rare;  the office emails updates of closures and new outlets regularly - it's up to you to make notes to your directory accordingly.  

The biggest advantage besides competitive pricing is access.  By far!  Before joining Pacific Pride/Pioneer Fuel, I came to greatly disdain Flying J and other similar stations.  They are commonly crowded and not always easy to get in and out of.  Initially driving in, it can be stressful to quickly scan and analyze the layout and spot the diesel pumps, or the special RV area.  I often ended up heading for trucker islands to avoid the hassle.  Pedestrians are always striding across the large lots, so you have to watch out for them along with cars zipping around.  Often you have to go inside to pay, or the pump shuts off at $50 or $100, and you have to start over... if it'll let you.  A pain in the rear, overall.

Not so at Pioneer Fuel outlets.  90% of the time I'm the only one there.  Though I can't pump gasoline in Oregon myself, occasionally they have an attendant that can fill our toad (they do have gas at most outlets, though, because certain credentialed people, such as drivers of church vans, etc., can legally pump gas in Oregon).  Normally I fill the toad while out gadabouting in it anyway, so filling at the same time as the coach is not important.  In the West, there are plenty of outlets scattered around the country, so except for perhaps Idaho, which could use more of them, I am rarely more than a hundred miles from one.  Getting in and out is almost always a piece of cake;  They are usually close to a highway, but slightly off the beaten path enough that traffic is not problematic.  I wouldn't trade the stressless experience at Pioneer Fuel for anything, and since becoming a member I regularly smile as I confidently pass Flying J and Pilot menageries by the freeway.

Larry, I recommend you and my other fellow Beavers look into joining me as a member of Pacific Pride/Pioneer Fuel.  Check information at their website, including whether there are many outlets in areas you frequent:  http://www.pioneerfuel.com/


Joel  

  

About 20 years ago at an FMCA Convention a group gathered members and petitioned CFN for discount pricing for the group of about 2500.  After a couple of years, CFN decided to lower our discount.  The leaders of the group moved the whole membership to Pacific Pride with a better discount.  Last year our Pacific Pride decided to get out of the RV business, and cancelled our cards.

My experience with Pacific Pride was OK, if you had to get fuel and it was convenient.  Some locations were difficult to enter, or were dirt lots.  Others were easy access and clean.  You never know until you drive there.  Many times they were at a separate island behind a regular station, and I ended up paying more than if I purchased it from the regular islands in front.  I only rarely used Pacific Pride for the last 8 years.  

In Flying J stations, I always used the truck islands, as requested by FJ in a letter I received several years ago.  I am sorry to hear they will follow the Pilot policies.  I guess I will just have to carry $500 cash in my pocket to avoid the 6 cent per gallon penalty for credit card use, and go to the lowest price station.

Larry

Quoted from LEAH DRAPER

How did you manage to get the PUC discounts?

It is a billing mistake between states.  Jay gets his bill in Washington and is buying fuel in Oregon. Trucks in Oregon truck lanes don't pay. the PUC  If they don't see you are a motorhome and you don't tell them you are a private vehicle, it is possible to make the mistake.  I think the current difference between "truck" diesel and everybody else's is 23 cents.  I tried it once with my CFN account and it didn't work!  CFN was smart enough to catch me and put it on the bill.  

What are the requirements for joining Pacific Pride? I've heard you have to have a business license and agree to purchase a minimum # of gallons each year.

We are not full timers yet and average about 40 gallons per month (more in the summer, less in the winter).

Thanks, Steve

Steve-

You should find the information you need at the site I mentioned previously, http://www.pioneerfuel.com/ .   I'm not sure why Larry's cards were cancelled.  Though I haven't used our coach for awhile, the company has not notified me that our cards are no longer valid.  In fact, until their office girl, Alicia, retired this summer, she sent us weekly price updates for major cities.  I'm sure they would have let us know if they stopped servicing motor home owners.

I used to think you had to be a business and there was a volume minimum too, but that is a myth.  Check their website and give them a holler.  They are in Olympia.  You may be able to access an application online.

And Bill, Pacific Pride should know Jay doesn't have a PUC, and automatically tack on the tax on Oregon fuel when they bill him, regardless of where he lives, or what pump he used, or who saw what, esp. given there is usually no attendant.

-Joel

My Pacific Pride card was cancelled, because I refused to let them automatically access my bank debit process.  Not sure what I accomplished with that move cause when I go to the truck stops I ALWAYS use the trucking lanes and go inside with my bank debit card and verify that I
WILL get the cash price if I use a debit card.  That has always worked for me.  I REFUSE to go thru the RV lanes especially Flying J's, they are always out front with the cars and other idiots that have know idea about how much room it takes to manuver an RV and most discourteous.
Like Joel says even if the cash price is not allowed, the lack of hassal is worth it!  

On another note, I read that Pilot Travel stops are or are going to be owned by Flying J.  Has anybody else heard that.?I

Pilot and Flying J merged this summer.  It is now called Pilot Flying J.  They are still trying to sort out which policies will prevail.  So far it does not look good for RVs.  It is best to phone ahead so you get the correct information for that station, or go elsewhere.

When I purchased fuel in Oregon with Pacific Pride, the bill stated I was responsible for paying Oregon directly for the PUC tax.  I was charged the truckers fuel price by PP.

When my brother-in-law tried to use his PP card earlier this year, it would not work.  A phone call to PP determined they no longer serviced RVs.  Before I left this summer, I called PP and confirmed my card was also cancelled.  This happened without notice to us.  You may want to phone yur PP before you try to get fuel there.  Maybe all PP associations are not using the same policy.  I do not know if all oil companies have a standard policy.

Larry

Leah,
The politically correct line is that Flying J and Pilot merged and they had to shed a few stations to do so, but I think that the reality is that Pilot purchased Flying J.

Since Flying J was in bankruptcy, they had little to no option but to accept Pilot's terms in the "merger", so it looks like Pilot will be calling the shots in the future. Hopefully Pilot will learn from Flying J's success in catering to the RV community and not turn Flying J into another Pilot.

Gerald  

To all who are wondering,

Bill pretty much got it right. Our account with Pacific Pride is through Pioneer Fuel as is Joel's.  Pioneer Fuel is a distributer for Pacific Pride and also owns a few of the franchise locations. They have a program for diesel RV's and if you call their offices, they will send you the paperwork to set you up with an account. While they asked us if we would do a direct payment from our bank account they do not require it at all as the distributer that Leigh was working with apparently did. Each distributer can pretty much do business with whomever they choose so some will only do commercial trucks while others, like Pioneer Fuel, will do business with RV's also. Likewise, they can set up your account however they like ie; billing you directly through your bank account or sending you a monthly invoice

All of the Pacific Pride distributers get a discount based on the amount of fuel they sell, not just at their own locations but within the Pacific Pride system. Since Pioneer Fuel is primarily a distributer to commercial vehicles they get a pretty good discount. By enlarging their base by allowing RV's to have an account, it also increases their total sales and enlarges their discount which all of their customers benefit from.

Since all of their commercial accounts are exempt from PUC charges in those states that have that assessment, and since RV's are generally a small portion of thier overall business, Pioneer Fuel typically doesn't bill us for the PUC taxes. I assuem that's because it would cost them more in bookkeeping expenses than collecting the tax but I don't really know. All I do know is that 9 times out of 10, we have the lower cost on our bill.

As some of the posters have noted, not all Pacific Pride sites are created equal. Some have very easy access, are near freeway on/off ramps and are paved. Others are dirt, small and WAY off the beaten path. Every 4 years Pacific Pride publishes a book of the locations for all of their stations (and affiliated stations) nation wide. The books are excellent for letting you know what stations are big rig friendly and which are not as well as providing the physical address - for your GPS - and driving directions. If you are a member of Pacific Pride and you do not have a copy of the most recent book, contact your distributer and ask for one. They are provided free of charge. Pioneer Fuel also, as Joel mentioned, sends out e-mails to their customers letting us know of closures or new openings of stations so you can keep your book up to date.

As Joel said, Pioneer Fuel is a great company to do business with. They are located in Olympia, WA but I know that they have RV customers residing all over the country and to my knowledge at least, have no restrictions on who can have an account with them. The Pacific Pride system includes Pacific Pride, Pridenet, Amerinet and Petrocanada stations so you will find one of the affiliated stations almost everywhere. They very very seldom have the lines of Flying J, Pilot or TA and there is no going in to tell them how much you want and then going back in to pay for it.