Truck Stops
There is an exception to the rule that gas stations are bad places to clean up, and that is a truck stop. These were never on my radar until recently, and tonight was my first time using one for a shower. One thing you'll find is that you don't have to find all the possible solutions to your problems. You'll find solutions that work, get a routine going and look no further. When you do that, you're home. You aren't homeless anymore. You've found your comfort zone. Tonight though, for the sake of research, for you, I put my body, and my pocket money, on the line.
There are certain franchises that have set up specifically to cater to the needs of truckers. They've got phones and phone cards, internet connections, special fueling areas, attached fast food restaurants, trip insurance, video game arcades, snacks, ephedra supplements (legal, though dangerous, stimulants), and most importantly showers. One of these chains is Pilot. I'm sure there are others, depending on where you are in the country. They space themselves out about every 100 miles, and all the truckers know where to find them. There are even maps that list their locations, available on their website and I'm told, predictably, at truck stops.
For seven bucks tonight, at my local Pilot, I got a key to a small room, number six in a hall filled with eight or ten identical stalls, and one larger stall set up to accommodate the disabled. Well lit, the rooms have a beautiful mirror and sink, a toilet, an oscillating fan, hooks to hang clothes on, and a shower stall. Conveniences include a fresh towel, a washcloth, a paper bath mat (one is tempted to ask why), some of those tiny soaps you might find in a motel, a built in place to sit down, and plenty of hot water. After each shower a maintenance crew cleans the stalls and sets out fresh towels and soap. I brought my own shampoo, and used that instead of the soap, because frankly, soap is just nasty.
The place was identical to a good motel room without the bed and t.v. For seven bucks, I have no complaints. It's too much money to use daily, but for that time when you haven't got a gym membership, if you have a local truck stop, this beats a day pass to the gym. Private, safe, and clean, this is a five star solution to the problem of getting clean. Treat yourself sometimes. A good shower can change your whole outlook on living.
Bonus! Reader Tip
posted by Mobile Homemaker @ 1:44 AM
29 Comments:
Concerning the paper bath mat, I recall one of the first bits of advice when I went to college was to wear flip-flops to the shower, since you can get athlete's foot from the floor from the person who showered before you. I suspect that the paper bath mat operates on a similar principle.
By the way, this is a very interesting site; I've enjoyed reading it very much.
another comment from me - i wanted to say that i just drove cross-country and ALWAYS stopped at trucker stops. they had everything you could need whilst shooting cross country, from bathing to gasoline to cheap but good food to healthy snacky-cakes and beverages for the road. they even had mechanics, but there was no need for that service (whew).
I am not homeless. I have never been homeless. I have never even been close to homlessness, but I love this blog. It's very empowering to have this kind of knowledge at your disposal. Kind of like knowing how to make fire. You hope you'll never REALLY be in a situation where you have to make your own fire, but how empowering is it to have that ability. I thank you, Prometheus.
i am totally with what ethan is saying. thank you so much for your well-explained, down-to-earth survival guide. i live in asia, not in america, but many of the basic concepts you discuss here are applicable. and the knowledge is empowering. thank you. thank you. thank you.
While I am not homeless, I have done some public land camping to accomodate myself on vacations. I discovered a rather cheap way to get a shower, if it is just a shower that is sought. You have to shell out $20 on a Solar Shower (local camping stores will have these) and fill it up with water. Then either boil a cup of water, or get a cup of hot water from a fast food place (I went to Starbucks and they gave it to me for free). Add it to the water and it will make the shower warm. Then, wearing a poncho for concealment, shower away.
THIS IS APRETTY COOL SITE. I ENJOY READING YOUR ARTICLES.IAM A HOMELESS TRUCK DRIVER. WHEN IM WORKING I SLEEP IN MY TRUCK,WHEN IM NOT WORKING I SLEEP IN MY VAN.IDONT HAVE TO BE HOME LEES ITS JUST THE WAY I CHOOSE TO LIVE.I JUST WANTED TOO LET YOU KNOW THAT YOU DONT HAVE TO PAT 7 DOLLARS FOR A SHOWER,JUST ASK ONE OF THE DRIVERS AROUD THE FUEL DESK AREA IF THE HAVE AN XTRA SHOWER ON THERE PILOT CARD.THELL HOOK YOU UP. BEWARE OF ASSHOLE DRIVERS. GROOVYHOOVY@HOTMAIL.COM
I was actually going to write about my homeless time in my blog & came across yours while googling "homeless tips". Good tips here although regarding lying I will say one should NEVER lie to cops (take it from experience). :(
Another way to shower which has worked for me in the past is to enroll in a one (1) credit PE course at your local community college. It is only a semester/quarterly fee and gives you consistent access to a shower.
Your milage may vary of course.
I am a truckdriver, and came across this entry as it was placed in a truckers forum.
The national chains and even most mom and pop truck stops have showers.
As another driver has already stated, if you need a shower, go into the fuel desk area and ask most drivers have extra showers on thier drivers reward cards and will gladly offer you one. ( I said most).
One other feature of truck stops specifically in the rural areas.. If you ask to speak to the manager, and ffer to pick up trash around the parking lots or some other small work, they will usually feed you for the effort..
Beware of those who say you can beg from the drivers, this might not be a good idea, but a truck stop manager will usually allow you to pick up paper etc for a meal!
This is a cool site. I am scheduled for my road test in two weeks for my CDL. I have history driving with my husband, but never got my license. As far as showers go, when you fuel up, ask for a reward card for that particular truck stop chain. When you fuel and get a minimal amount of fuel (usually around 50 gallons)a shower is automatically put on your reward card and it won't cost you one red cent. Also most major chains will give you a complimentary co-drivers shower, so you can both shower.
Yes, I have heard to wear flip-flops in the shower too. Not a bad suggestion. Sure beats using that nasty athletes feet powder spray. Most truck stops especially the smaller ones have great cheap food. Can't beat it with a stick. Be safe and get plenty of rest.
Sweetheart
I agree with Groovy Hoovy with the addition of "watch out for the prostitutes" also. They'll knock on your window every 20 minutes or so if you (try to) sleep at the truck stop (the only hassle to sleeping at the truck stop)Also, if you're mechanicially inclined (one of the few classes I took in high school that done me any good)you can offer to do simple repairs on the trucks for a nominal charge.
Be carefull offering to do "simle repairs etc.. Many truck stops have "rules" about soliciting in truck stops.
As to prostitutes, I have been driving for 35 years and can say I have had this problem very seldom..
In the major chain truck stops you can park a van in the car parking lots and I would bet never have the first "offer".
Rateing showers by chain
Flying J Best over all
Petro some have large showers and always clean
Travel centers of America so so
Pilot worst of the major chains tied with
Loves also tied with pilot
Independent truck stops can range from closets to hot tubes with whirlpool baths ( Hopi Travel Center Holbrook Az) cleanliness standards do vary.
I just returned from a learning trucking experience. I'm seriously considering the profession. Being female, one of my big concerns was showering and being able to blow dry my hair.
We stopped at Flying J, Pilot, and TA Travel Center and I was able to shower and blow dry my hair in a clean shower room. I did have to bring my hair dryer -- no hair dryers in the shower rooms -- I guess that's due to the fact that trucking is a male dominated profession.
What I am really interested to know is if any of the truck stop chains have gyms where you can work out. Are all truckers uninterested in getting a work-out while on the road? Working out de-stressing and increases mental clarity and stamina, something I think is very important when driving 60,000 lbs.!!!!
Don't you have to be a 'trucker' to use a truckers shower service?
In other words, I find it hard to believe that a person can just walk into a Pilot or other place and ask to pay for a shower.
Am I wrong?
No, you don't have to be a trucker. They don't ask to see your class A commercial vehicle license before you can use the shower. If you can pay, you can shower, at least at every truck stop I've ever been to.
As an ex-trucker, in my experience, many drivers do not use the free shower ticket they receive with a fillup. You can probably find them in the garbage, or for $1. buy them from a driver who will not be using it anyway.
I traveled Europe for a year with my friend in a van. We used to rock into a town, look up the nearest backpacker hostel, walk in as if we were guests, head straight for the shower room & clean up, then hang out in the common area to meet & socialize with other travelers. Later on we'd retreat to the van for sleep. We got caught out twice in a year and that was cos we spent too long in the same spot. Between towns a lake, river or beach would more than fulfill the shower gaps. Our only expenses on the road were van (gas / repairs / insurance) & food related. I know the situation varies to those without any means of finance but I had the best year of my life being homeless in this manner!
I always thought if i ended up full-time homeless I'd try and make the most of it by traveling around. You never know you may find your niche somewhere unexpected :)
Having been a trucker for over 35 years I know how important a good shower can be. For a free shower I recommend Loves FUEL STOPS, their frequent fueler program gives truckers unlimited use of showers if they buy 1000 gallons of fuel each month. So catching a trucker that will treat you to a shower would be easy. I would also like to mention Loves rewards gives drivers unlimited free refills on coffee or soft drinks, the bigger the thermos bottle the more free coffee you get, there is still a few good guys driving that would treat you to that too. Then there is all those free condiments, napkins (emergency T/P) and most have free teabags and hot water. Plus free T. V. in the truckers lounge, free outlets to recharge your Mac battery or that broken window thing. And at Flying J truck stops you may even get a $2.00 coupon if you call their 800 number and take a short survey. Oh don’t forget the ketchup in the bowl of hot water with crackers - tomato soup. It’s all free at your local truck stop.
I'm a trucker. You dont have to pay for the shower. When we buy 75 gals of fuel or more, we get a shower coupon that is good for about 3 days.
We usually have more than we need or are going to be home and dont need another one. All you do is ask a few truckers if they have an extra coupon and you will get one. If you ask a trucker to ask for you on his CB, that usually is no problem and he will get a reply in seconds and directions to the truck with the coupon. I have driven a cubevan over the road expediting and the fuel capacity was only 35 gals, so I had to bum a coupon just about everyday and never, never had a problem getting a coupon in about 3 mins or less. Hope this helps.
I am a trucker. Yes, anyone can use the showers at the truck stops. Most don't refer to themselves as truck stops anymore. They prefer to be known as Travel Centers. What I want to add here is if you are truly homeless, rare is the occasion you are going to be able to lay out the $ for a truck stop shower. Here is an alternative. Most retail stores have a 'sink' shower real cheap. I bought mine for 3 bucks. It is a simple hose with a small shower head on one end and the other end is designed to slip right over any sink faucet or outdoor hose faucet (sure, just use the hose if it's there. Anyway, I used one of these 3 mornings a week while I was being unloaded at a major chain store. I would walk next door to the local gas station. Go to the rest room, strip down and do my deal! Most bathroom floors in gas sations, warehouses, etc are all tile anyway. You can shower up pretty good. Take time to clean up behind yourself and you'll never have a problem with the staff. Just ask for the mop bucket. Tell them the toilet overflowed and you'll clean your own mess. Just a thought for you if your money is tight for whatever reason.
I use to shower all the time in truck stops showers when I had lived in Virginia, remembering it wasn't much of a problem, no questions ask by any of the employees, they tend to knew really that I weren't a trucker after awhile, but still all the same I still can remember how it was for me at that time.
This is my first visit here and I am glad I stumble across your blog, you have some really good and useful reading here. Thanks for sharing.
Dude, nice blog with great info and all, but you seem entirely too caught up on showering. And soap is icky? Shampoo is mandatory? What is that?! You must have been a snobby homeless person! (I kid.)
Probably a billion people around the world shower simply with a bucket, a water scooper and a small bit of some form of soap. Just wet yourself, lather up, and rinse off with the scooper. If it is cold, wash in portions. I guess if you are a snob, you can rinse twice. It really is no different than showering. If you can find privacy somewhere you can get clean. In rural areas showering by this method is almost mandatory, since there are no gyms or truck stops for miles.
Anyway, I have been homeless more than I have had a home in the last 25 years. The times I've had a traditional "home", have actually be the most miserable of my life.
It is funny that when I was a slave for Uncle Sam all over the planet, I lived like a vagrant pretty much, but here in America "land of the free" I would be potentially beaten and arrested if I got caught without a home.
Just goes to show ya how screwed up this society is...
I washed in the handicapped stall of any public bathroom. You have privacy, the sink is large and there are plenty of large size napkins in the dispenser. I usually kept my own bar of soap, but occasionally had to use the hand soap.
I prefer being homeless to paying rent to buy a house for a stranger. I charged my cell and laptop battery at hotel lobbies, Starbuck's, or bookstores.
I am going to be homeless in a few days. I have a backpack almost packed and am going to leave my laptop with my family. I live in New York City and can not find a job. Do you have any suggestions as to direction to take? I do not have a car and $20 in my pocket. I am willing to work in a farm or something, just so that I can eat and have a bed. Any suggestions would be most welcome.
I would keep the laptop if it has a wireless card. This will be you main means to communicate or even get directions. There are a lot of free wi-fi places. You can go there charge your battery and stay connected. This blog has great ideas for showers. This is still my main problem but there are some great ideas on this blog. I find the key to feeling homeless is to keep all ID current and set a routein. If you have routein, you can get a job. Sorry to read about your situation. Be sure to check for shelters espcially when the snow season starts.
I'm a recently retired longhaul trucker. You can shower in any truck stop by paying $5, but please do it early in the day when there aren't any long lines. Most TS put driver shower credits on their card, so don't waste time looking for throw-away shower tickets in the trash. Others accept the fuel ticket for a shower ticket, and no driver can give you that. Just pay the 5 bucks and get a shower. Wear shower shoes, and don't touch the scummy shower curtain more than you have to.
FYI - Recently drove cross country (and about to do it again) There are State "Rest Stops" on I-80 in OH that have FREE showers. They are technically for truckers, but the don't ask for your I.D. Just don't be obvious or abuse and you'll be fine.
There are probably others out there, but I haven't found them yet. Will post again if I do.
I was living out my car, traveling across the country with my boyfriend last summer. When we were able to shower at a truck stop, no one ever said anything to us when we'd both sneak into one shower room, to avoid paying for two separate showers. I guess this may be an obvious move, if you happen to have someone else to do this with, but i figured i'd share it anyway.
Traveling I-80 was a nightmare for me because of all the tolls!
Most truck stops i've slept at have been great. No one has hassled me, even when there are signs posted saying you may not sleep in your car. you have to choose the right parking spot. Only one night was it hard to sleep. There was a car across the parking lot where several people were blatently smoking crack and seemed paranoid knowing I could probably see them.
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