LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — What’s the “best” truck stop in the U.S.?
Ask 100 different truck drivers and you’ll probably get at least a dozen answers, if not more.
There are hundreds of truck stops across the country. For drivers, they’re much more than just a place to park overnight and fuel up. They’re also places to eat, bathe and socialize with other drivers.
Hale Trailer has conducted a study to identified what could be the 15 best truck stops in the country.
Mike McPeak, director of growth marketing at Hale Trailer, called truck drivers the lifeblood of the American logistics industry.
“Every day, Hale Trailer takes deliveries from trailer manufacturers in Ohio, Iowa, Alabama, Missouri, North Dakota and even Mexico,” McPeak said. “During the early part of the COVID pandemic, I read about truck drivers having trouble finding a meal, because their trucks couldn’t fit in the drive thru, but restaurant lobbies were closed. It occurred to me that few people ever think about where the truckers that supply their stores and restaurants will find a safe place to rest, or a bite to eat. Now that Hale has locations covering nearly half of the country, I thought Hale could help by highlighting some of the nation’s best truck stops. From the feedback we’ve seen on social media, it’s clear everyone has their favorite.”
Each score is based out of a five-star ranking, with the overall rank devised of four categories.
Following is a breakdown of the four primary categories (plus a bonus category) and the individual factors for each:
- Online reviews: Hale Trailer compiled data from the average truck stop review data across the review platforms Yelp, Google and TripAdvisor.
- National Monument Vicinity Score: Data was pulled from Google Maps to identify the total number of national parks/monuments in a 20–mile radius to determine activity scores.
- Food Offering Score: Looks at what truck stops offer, from processed food on the shelves to a full restaurant experience.
- Amenity Offering Score: Similar to the food offering score, this category helped classify the rank for the truck stop based on the amenities offered such as showers and truck washes to gyms and movie theaters.
- Unique Attraction Bonus Score: This is a bonus category that can add up to one point to the total score. Hale Trailer considered this score based on any unique, one-of-a-kind experiences that truck stop may offer.
The following 15 truck stops topped the list:
- Iowa 80 – Walcott, Iowa
- Kenly 95 Petro – Kenly, North Carolina
- Flynn’s Truck Plaza – Shrewsbury, Massachusetts
- Busy Bee Travel Center – Live Oak, Florida
- Big Horn Travel Center – Fort Worth, Texas
- Keystone Restaurant & Truck Stop – Loretto, Pennsylvania
- Jubitz Travel Center – Portland, Oregon
- I-40 Travel Center – Ozark, Arkansas
- South of the Border – Hamer, South Carolina
- Dysart’s Truck Stop – Hermon, Maine
- Beckley/Tamarack Travel Plaza – Beckley, West Virginia
- Little America Travel Center – Little America, Wyoming
- Chesapeake House Travel Plaza – Cecil County, Maryland
- 301 Travel Center – Middletown, Delaware
- Noble’s Restaurant and Truck Stop – Corinth, Kentucky
“We are honored and humbled to be selected as the top truck stops to visit,” said Heather DeBaillie, vice president of marketing of the Iowa 80 Group, which also owns the Kenly 95 Petro. “Our goal is to provide a place where drivers can refuel, refresh and relax before they have to hit the road again. We want them to think of Iowa 80 and Kenly 95 as their homes away from home.”
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
