After a seemingly endless drive across miles, a cool shower could be what a truck driver needs to be refreshed. One option is to lodge into a hotel you may not spend the night at just to shower, but that would be a pretty expensive shower, wouldn’t it?. Or you could use a truck stop shower, which is cheaper and even more convenient since many hotels don’t even have large parking spaces that can accommodate trucks.
If you have any questions about truck stop showers, this guide shows you the answer. You’ll find every necessary thing you need to know about truck stop showers here:
What Are Truck Stop Showers?
As the name suggests, truck stop showers are showers you find at truck stops. Truck stops often charge truckers to use these showers in return for maintaining them and cleaning them up after every use.
Since truck stops are majorly for truck drivers, the showers themselves are also reserved for truck drivers. However, many of them are available for non-truck driver users.
Truck Stops With Showers
Not all truck stops have showers. But not to worry, there are more than enough that have. The most popular truck stops with showers are:
- Pilot Flying J
- Love’s
- Mom and Pop
- Travel America
- Wilco
How do these truck stop showers differ? Because they sometimes equip their showers differently. Some companies also maintain their showers better than others. Flying J, for instance, guarantees you an always clean and well-maintained shower room.
Another way these companies differ is that some have more branches than others. So, if you got a shower credit from Pilot Travel Center truck stop in North Carolina, for instance, you would still be able to use it at the same in New Hampshire. You would also be able to use it at any other Pilot Travel Center truck stop in America.
One more area where truck stop showers differ is the cost (keep reading to know more about this).
What Is Inside A Truckstop Shower?
A truck stop shower has almost everything a basic bathroom contains, You’ll, of course, find the shower there. But you’ll also see a section that contains the toilet, the sink, and the likes. The setup and look of each shower may be peculiar to the truck stop, though.
Check out this video that will show you what the inside of a Truckstop shower actually looks like.
This video was taken by a fellow truck driver during their hours of service break.
How Do You Shower At A Truckstop?
The first thing is to make your intention known at the front counter. There, you’ll purchase your shower and the attendant will provide you with a ticket that contains some numbers. One is your turn number and the other is the pin code to unlock your shower. The truck stops that don’t provide you with pin codes will provide some means to lock the bathroom door behind you.
After receiving your ticket, you await your turn in a lounge. You’ll be entertained with a TV, some video games, magazines, and all sorts, while you wait. If you don’t want to wait in the lounge, you may take a stroll to stretch your legs after endless miles on the road or grab a quick meal.
When it’s your turn, your number will appear on a screen or someone calls it out through a PA system. Either way, you can’t miss it. By then, the shower would have been cleaned after the most recent user. You then get into the shower and do whatever it is you do in a shower.
Do Truck Stop Showers Provide Towels?
Most truck stop showers provide towels. They keep it clean at all times and replace them after every shower. But some require that you pay a deposit for the towel which will be returned to you when you return the towel.
Which Truck Stop Showers Have the Best Water Pressure?
Flying J Truck stops are known to have the best water pressure in their shower heads.
What To Bring To Truck Stop Showers
You should always bring all the items you need for your personal hygiene with you to truck stop showers. While some truck stops offer some of these items, it never hurts to bring yours.
On the list of items to bring with you to truck stop showers are the following:
- Shower sandals
The person who used the shower before you may unknowingly dump some very unfriendly bacteria on the shower floor. Using the same shower with your bare feet is offering yourself a new home to the host of bacteria. This is why you should always go into the shower with shower sandals.
Although a janitor cleans the shower after each use, the shower sandals help to make sure you are safe.
- Toiletry bag
This bag contains everything you need for hygiene and grooming, including toothpaste and toothbrush, razor, floss, mouth rinse, nail clippers, gel, lotion, and many more.
- Shampoo, conditioner, and bathing soap
Some showers come with complimentary shampoo but it’s best that you bring yours. The same goes for conditioners and bathing soaps.
Those that don’t provide these items for free have them for sale. But what if it’s that brand you don’t like they have? This is why it is best to bring your bathing soap, shampoo, and conditioner.
- Towel
Even if your truck stop offers towels, bring your own towel to the party. True, the truck stop makes sure that each towel is clean and ready for use at all times. But you don’t know if the previous user of the towel had some stubborn bacteria that don’t die easily. You then end up using their towel and going home with some infection that was not yours when you came in
- Hairdryer
Your towel isn’t always enough to get your hair dry. In this case, you need a hairdryer to dry your hair before water from your hair drains onto your shoulders and into the back of your clothes.
- Clothes to change into
Truck driving is a tasking job on and off the wheels. Even your clothes get dirty when you’re just driving. That is why you should always have a change of clothes at hand so you can come out of the shower a new person, squeaking in the glory of your cleanliness.
- Tissues and wipes
Once again, these are just for extra protection if you don’t trust public facilities. Your truck stop will provide these, though.
For your convenience screenshot this handy truck-stop shower checklist so that you only ever have to make 1 trip from truck to shower.
How Much Do Truck Stop Showers Cost?
Most truck stops charge from $10 to $15. Some others allow you to shower free of charge, but don’t expect them to be as clean and well maintained as those you’re paying for.
How To Save Costs At Truckstop Showers
The most common way to save costs at truck stop showers is to earn shower credits. Truck stop shower providers offer shower credits when you purchase something above a certain quantity or cost from them.
Another way to save at a truck stop is by cutting down on your expenses when you get there. Take all the things you need and you wouldn’t need to buy them at the truck stop. For instance, you may need to buy yourself a bathing soap at the truck stop shower if you forgot to bring yours along. Although it only costs a little, you would still have saved yourself a penny if you took your own bathing soap to the shower.
How Long Can You Stay In A Truck Stop Shower?
You can spend as much time as you need in most truck stop showers. Before you lock yourself in and spend hours, though, consider that there may be others waiting in line. Take your time, but be considerate at the same time.
Are Truck Stops Showers Safe?
Truck stop showers are often safe. There are janitors that make sure that the showers are ready for the next user, so you can expect to not contract any diseases from the public shower. Also, you can lock your door while you shower, so your privacy is guaranteed.
Despite these safety measures the truck stop puts in place, it is always best that you keep your wits about you. You wouldn’t be overtly paranoid if you brought your own sanitizer to make sure that your shower is safe. The towels at truck stops are always clean, but nothing beats your personal towel.
Can Anyone Use Truckstop Showers?
Anyone can use truckstop showers, though the majority of the users are truck drivers. There are some instances when the truck stop reserves their showers for truck drivers alone. Unless this is the case, anyone can use truck stop showers.
Truckstop Shower Etiquette
When you stop at a truck stop to use their shower, there are some unspoken rules and etiquettes you are expected to obey. You might get away with not obeying some of these unspoken rules, but not without earning yourself a bad reputation and some deserved dagger stares.
The beautiful thing about these unspoken rules is that we can sum them up into one ultimate rule. Keep this rule in your heart when you visit the truck stop shower. And what is this rule?
Don’t be a jerk
Yes, we said it, Don’t be a jerk and try to jump the queue. Wait until your number is called in the PA system before you go claim your stall. Everyone has had a long day. The last thing they want is a jerk trying to cheat them out of their turn.
Don’t be sloppy and get the shower messy. A janitor is coming in to clean up after you. Make their job easier. Vandalism is common in public places, so try to keep the truck stop shower in the same condition it was in when you found it.
Don’t spend an unreasonably long time in the shower. There may be others waiting in line, and everyone has a place they would rather be than waiting in line for a shower. Most truck-stops will tell you if there is a time limit that you have. Besides, the last thing you want is to get caught up singing in the shower only to be late for your nexgt load.
We could go on and on about the unspoken don’t be a jerk rule, but we think you already get the gist. Just be kind and courteous to your fellow drivers.
Conclusion
We hope that by now you already have the answers to your most pressing truck stop shower questions. Make sure you have a list handy of everything you need BEFORE you head into the shower. The last thing we ever want is the walk of shame back to our truck in a wet towel.
