A fuel pump at an RV-friendly gas station.

How to Find RV Gas Stations for Your Travel Trailer

If you’re new to RVs, towing a big travel trailer can be tough. Especially when you need to gas up. Not all gas stations are alike, and not all gas stations are RV friendly. One of the largest hurdles is proper clearance for your trailer. But finding stations to accommodate your vehicle is possible. Here are some tips for finding the best RV gas stations.

Use an App

Having information at your fingertips is very useful while on the road. For nearly any question you may have, there’s an app that can help. There are several mobile apps for finding RV gas stations. These apps may be available for either operating system you may have, android or Apple (iOS). Some apps are available on both operating systems. Mobile apps like GasBuddy (android and iOS) help you find gas stations. Other helpful apps include Truck & RV Fuel Stations (iOS only), Trucker Path for diesel fuel information (android and iOS), and RV Parky (android and iOS) which was built by a full-time RVer to help other RVers on the road.  RV Parky claims to be completely free with no ads or in-app purchases.

Additionally, these apps help you find the best deals when gassing up by comparing prices at thousands and thousands of stations. If you prefer specific companies for gas, like Flying J or Pilot, which are often designed for larger vehicles, apps like these are especially helpful.

Plan Your Route

Whenever you are traveling, it’s always best to plan your route. When you know the route you’re taking, you can pre-plan your RV gas station stops and familiarize yourself with some “plan B” stops as well.  Having a plan and some backup measures in place drastically reduces the chance that you’ll get caught on the road without a place to refuel.

Knowing your gas mileage is an important part of planning. Guessing how far a tank of fuel will get you can get you into trouble and potentially leave you stranded. Planning your route ahead of time also serves as a safety feature since you can make sure to avoid routes with other risks too.

Use Google Maps

Knowing what to expect when you arrive at an RV gas station is another part of planning your trip. You can use Google Map’s street view to look at the physical location of gas stops that are on your way. This can also be useful to get a visual idea of the layout of the place and which direction would be easiest to pull into the station where you are planning to stop.

Google Maps also provides distances and driving times. So when you plan your trip and know about which distances you’ll need to stop, you can find the best gas stations in those areas.

Don’t Wait Until the Last Minute

When you plan your route in advance to include frequent fuel stops, you are less likely to run low on fuel along the way. You can be picky about stopping at good RV gas stations when you have enough gas.  Being prepared makes it a lot easier to find a good gas station.

Don’t push the limits or drive “just one more hour,” simply to try and make good time. Being stranded on the side of the road is not a good time! One extra stop on a trip may seem like an inconvenience, but it is a lot less problematic than being stuck on the side of the road or trying to refuel somewhere that’s not RV friendly. It’s possible you’ll beat the odds, the stars will align and you’ll coast in to a large, bright, RV gas station on the last fumes in your tank. But chances are much more likely that if you wait until you’re on “Empty” to refuel, you’re asking for a disaster. Planning ahead is one of the best safety tips for RV travel.

Look Towards Online RV Communities

The internet is a great way to connect with other RVers. There are dozens of RV-specific communities online that are full of helpful RV owners. Whether you have a class A, class C, fifth wheel or travel trailer, there is an online forum with other RV enthusiasts who have “been there, done that” and have advice to share.  You can ask for tips when planning your route. Chances are, someone else has experienced that trip and would share what they learned. If you’re traveling to a popular RV destination, there may already be guides to good RV gas stations for getting fuel in the area.

The Most Important Tip: Know Your RV

You can strategize and plan, map and measure your route but all the planning in the world can’t help you identify a friendly RV gas station if you don’t know your RV well.  It is very important to know your RV’s height. This is one of the most important pieces of information you should know about your RV in general. Additionally, as with anything, practice makes perfect. The more you drive and fill up, the easier it will be.

So, get to know your RV, plan your route, include plenty of fuel stops (and a few backup stations along the way just in case), have a fuel app handy on your phone, and seek advice from other RV owners. These tips and suggestions can help you find the right RV gas stations on your next trip.  Now, fill that tank and hit the road!

Contact RV Wholesale Superstore

The professionals at RV Wholesale Superstore are ready to help you find the perfect RV for you and your family. Visit us in-person at 5080 W. Alexis Road, in Sylvania, OH or call us at (419) 786-1126

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