We are most familiar with the TA/Petro showers, but the principle is the same with many of the other truck stops.  The most common way to obtain a shower is to purchase 50 gallons are more of diesel fuel and swipe our rewards card.  In this manner we acquire one free shower credit.  How we use that credit is where it can become complicated. Showers can also be purchased with the price ranging from $9.00 on up. 
 
One way to obtain a shower is to find the kiosk inside the truck stop and swipe the rewards card.  This will tell us how many showers we have available and then we click we want to shower now.  The kiosk will print out a receipt with a driver id, door code, and then we have to find the shower monitor.  If all is calm the shower will show us our driver id and what shower we have been assigned.  Sometimes though the list of people waiting for showers is very long and it might take an hour or more to get the shower.  A group of drivers can be seen standing around waiting and watching the shower monitor for their number to shown and what shower has been assigned.
 
As a team we can take the shower receipt up to the fuel desk and ask for a team shower.  The attendant will then print out another ticket with another driver id and then we are back at the shower monitor waiting for the shower to be assigned. 
 
The new and easiest way to get a shower is to use the TA/Petro App.  In this way from the comfort of the truck we can book a shower and have a driver id assigned to us.  Next we wait for the email that will tell us what shower number has been assigned.  If a team shower is desired we only have to show the assigned shower to the attendant and they will print us out another ticket and driver id.
 
Over the years the showers have been remodeled till some are as nice as a 4-star hotel.  In the past if we wanted more than one towel I would have to hunt up and down the shower hallway looking for an attendant to get me a towel.  No longer is this true as each shower is stocked with two towels, a hand towel, a washcloth, and a floor mat. 
 
The TA/Petro App has made getting a shower easier and a lot less stressful then standing around a shower monitor waiting, waiting, and then waiting some more for a shower to be assigned.

Comments (9)

Linda Caffee

Bob and Linda started their driver careers after their children left home for college in 2000. Bob started as a driver for a large motor carrier with Linda as a rider. They decided to enter the Expedite industry as team drivers in 2005 and purchased their first Freightliner. Both, Bob and Linda have had their Class A licenses since the early 80's starting out driving in the oil field and hauling grain as fill in drivers where Bob worked as a diesel mechanic. Linda worked at the local country courthouse in data processing.

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Linda Caffee

Tom that is awesome what Shorter, AL has there employees do. More need to do this.

June 03, 2014 10:38:04 AM

Craig McCue

Now don't be knocking the garden hose Henry! More than once I have showered using the water in my truck and the booster line off the back. Turn the nozzle to fog and idle the pump. I've also climbed into the tank for a 4,000 gallon bath!
It is good that truck stops have spent good money to upgrade their shower facilities. No one likes showering in a dirty, dilapidated facility.

June 02, 2014 13:32:52 PM

tomthetruckerman

One other thing I have discovered is if you have a bad shower experience at a location tell someone. Either a manager or call the corporate office. I have only had a few rare occasions where I have had to complain to either and in all cases they did their best to resolve the issue rapidly. I also if I have an exceptional experience call corporate and let them know that. Several years ago I stoped at the Petro2 in Shorter Alabama. It is one of the smallest Petro's there is and always seems to be behind in terms of remodels etc. Yet it is perhaps the cleanest one I have ever been into. The shower while older sparkled. When I talked to the manager I found out they required their employees to shower at work once a month to remind them of the importance of a clean shower. Needles to say my next call was to corporate to tell them of one of the best showers in the country. Letting them know when they got something right is even more important then letting them know they got it wrong.

June 02, 2014 9:30:47 AM

tomthetruckerman

The main issue I see with shower programs for many companies is if your a company driver and are told where to fuel, you may not be able to use that shower before it expires. Often when I stop for fuel I dont have time to take a shower then, When I stop for the night it may not be for a location where I have a shower at. When i do get a chance to stop at a location where I thought I had a shower i find it expired the previous day. Fortunately with the require 30 min break I am finding it easier to make time for a shower. As long as there isn't a line I can usually get my shower in and be back on the road in just over 30 minutes.

June 02, 2014 9:25:28 AM

Linda Caffee

As each truck stop improves their showers a little it is forcing the other chains to look at their showers and it is helping all of them to improve.

June 02, 2014 3:44:42 AM

TYRONE BROWN

YES I AGREE THAT THE SHOWERS HAS CAME A LONG WAY. I STOPED AT THE LOVES TRUCK STOP THERE ON 75 IN ARK,AND THE SHOWER WAS GREAT!

June 01, 2014 23:10:22 PM

Henry Albert

It amazes me how many people think we shower out back with a garden hose or in one big shower like in gym class from high school .

June 01, 2014 5:57:04 AM

Linda Caffee

Well Jeff TA/Petro has moved past the kiosks and rumor has it they are getting close to another innovation!

June 01, 2014 5:32:55 AM

Jeff Clark

The cards and kiosks are a great addition. There are still a lot of independent truck stops out there that are not that sophisticated. Some of them will let you use a shower for as low as $3 if you supply the towel. These come in especially handy when they are where I run or ride a bike. Now, that I can extend out well beyond 1500 miles between fill ups, I utilize those showers more often.

June 01, 2014 4:48:02 AM