Important Update on Flying J Truck Stops

[Froggy1936]

Flying J Dump Stations - Change in Policy
05/06/2010

We have heard from some traveling Escapees that a few Flying J truck stops with RV dump stations are beginning to charge a use fee. We contacted Flying J and received the following statement from their customer loyalty department:

To continue providing waste dump station services at Flying J, we are instituting a $10 fee to customers using this service. This has become necessary to cover the increasing costs of offering this amenity. These additional fees include:

• Escalating expenses associated with normal usage and the misuse and abuse of waste dump stations
• Rising costs from local sewer treatment service providers
• Increasing expenditures linked to stringent corporate responsibilities

For our best customers, those that are members of Flying J’s Frequent Fueler and RV Real Value clubs, a $5.00 dump station coupon will be added to their card based on fuel purchases. The club member must present their card to cashier at point of purchase to receive the discount.

We appreciate your business and look forward to continuing to offer the best services and facilities in the industry.

Flying J also stated that the program is being implemented at all Flying J locations in the next week. Some will be monitored by a device that will allow you to pay at the dump, others will require the customer to come inside to pay for the service. Be aware that you will soon be required to pay a fee to use the RV dump at Flying J.

[ibdilbert01]

Well...  The free ride was nice while it lasted...

May I suggest "http://www.drainmaster.com/"...   Accidentally not following directions and placing the switch on the dash will let you dump "anywhere" for "free" while underway to your new destination.....      :)rotflmao

Out of all seriousness though, I use to purposely stop at FJ  just because they cater to us RVers.  I understand that this service cost money, and I appreciate that it has been free all this time, however....  Knowing that they will charge for the service will cause me to use TA and the other free Dumps when possible.

I suspect this is one of many changes Pilot will do to try to bring FJ out of bankruptcy.   I'm actually more surprised they haven't changed all the names over. 

[ClydesdaleKevin]

What complete bullcrap!  I could understand a charge to increase the infrastructure, say to add more dump stations, but there is no excuse to charge us for a service that has been offered free all this time when the infrastructure exists.

We spend a LOT of money there...it is where we almost always stop and we plan trips around them. 

And while we like Denny's, it was nice to go to their buffet for a change.  Now most of them are closing the Country Buffets and converting them to Denny's.

Looks like we'll be going to Love's and TA's!

Kev

[Oz]

Those..... were.... the...  days, my friend, we thought they'd never end.  We dump our  at any Flying J...."

(Sung to the tune, "Those were the days")

[Froggy1936]

Hi, I went to the Good Sam site and read  the first 6 pages of responses on Flying J ,s new policy on dumping (which has not been implimented at all sites yet, Look for a sign or credit card reader @ the dump site before making any transaction if you are expecting to dump for free ) The general perseption is that the service never was actually free the charge was incorporated in the price of the fuel.  The class A owners say tough, just pay and move along, (as most of them have way too much money) others say ok this is just another expense to RV,ing and are willing to pay just to have the service available (I fall into this catagory as i paid $18.00 just to dump at a state park in North Carolina due to no other choice)  Frank

[ibdilbert01]

I wrote Flying J an email voicing my concern.   In return of my efforts I received this email....

"Tim,

Thank you for your business over the years and for contacting us in regards
to the new RV dump fee.  We have been struggling with this matter for some
time now.  We understand and appreciate your concerns.  Adding any fee in
today’s challenging environment is difficult. The challenges we face is
that there is an increasing cost for this service. The fee charged is only
a portion of the actual cost.  As you know, these costs must be covered to
remain competitive in business.

To assist with the $10.00 cost of this service RV, RV Plus, and Frequent
Fueler card customers receive a $5.00 RV Dump eCoupon.

Again, we appreciate your business and hope you understand the need to add
a cost to this service.

Sincerely,

Flying J
rewardscards@flyingj.com"

Maybe if a large amount of people complain they could compromise a bit more. 

[wrolandhyattjr]

I just emailed Flying J the following:

"Hi:

With great disappointment, I just read of your new policy with respect to RV dump fees.  This policy will cause me to terminate my many years' allegiance to Flying J stations in my travels.  I fear that you are making a foolish business misjudgment.   Our, and I'm sure many thousands of other RVers' practices was to use far more than a  dump stop at flying J.  Restaurants,  fuel, propane, dump, and an occasional overnight made Flying J a regular stop.  Regretfully,  no more. Most will not bother to so advise you.

You may say what you like of the "cost" of providing the service.  That is largely smoke and mirrors.  The "cost" of your new policy will not be.

Very truly yours,

Walter Roland Hyatt Jr."

Many should also do so.

[Oz]

Here is the reality of it.  And, you knew it in the back of your minds all along.  We are living in the "today" world of coroporate greed and satisfaction.  Point in mind:  Obama bailed out the banks with our tax money.   The rich will get their wealth, no matter what they have to take from employees or anything else.

All of America has gone the way of Sinclair fuel stations, with oil checks and windshield cleaning everytime THEY pumped your gas.  It's gone.  All gone.  Be glad you can dump for $5 with fill-ups, for now, because that too will disappear before we die.

Buck City Hall, forget it.  There is no Moral Majority in the US anymore.

Long live America of the 5o's. 60's and eary 70's as we remember it, because, it is gone.

What you do have now is the vestiges of that era, here, on CWVRV.   Live it, enjoy it, and give great distance to the ways of today.  This is your refuge.  The place to come where the rest of us remember and refuse to bow down to the crap of today.  Let all the rest of the world think what they want, we know and live what is worthwhile. 

Our voices in this, as with anything related to how our country is run, is mute.  But, you can dump elsewhere, until the competitors do as Flying J has.  We have no unified voice, but we do, by taking our business elsewhere, individually, as a group.  A silent voice which is heard by their loss of revenue on their quarterly reports.  Because, that's all they hear.  Speak loudly then, by not giving them one red cent or your business. 

[LJ-TJ]

Couldn't agree with you more Mark. However I believe in the power of the American and Canadian people as well as the power of one. It works. I know from experience. I won't bore you with the story. I don't know about the rest of the RV community but if everyone of us took the time to write a respectful letter similar to Walters (which was an excellent letter by the way) and point out that we will be taking our business else were( T/A).... if enough of us wrote I believe it would cause change. There thinking is we'll just blow it off and continue to support their business. Maybe we should be proactive and contact a competitor who supplies a dump service for free and tell them due to a change in FLYING J's policy that  we have decide to encourage our membership to support them instead and thank them for supplying the free dump service. I have found that if your respectful and have the numbers you can effect change.

[mightybooboo]

Agree with all you said Sob.

The world is changing.

Patronize the outfits that cater to us as much as possible,vote with our wallets.

It was a good run with Flying J but the world has turned.Lets find new sources for our RV dollars is best we can do.

[Oz]

Everyone has a right to their opinion, and of course, not all would be in agreement with my point of view.  I respect that and every point should be considered for it's value.

Although Flying J could receive hundreds, or even thousands of letters, and not change their policy, it is important that our disagreement be heard.  It's better to have voiced our opinions and be denied, than to never have spoken at all.

And, who knows, they may accidentally come to realize what it all means in terms of dollars and cents to lose our business and perhaps come up with a better compromise.

[mightybooboo]

But really what choice do they have? Obviously they went Bankrupt for a reason,not enough revenue. So they need to charge for services.

If service isnt worth charge then folks will go elsewhere,and if it is worth charge then they were right.

In any event market will determine if they were right or not.

Agree,letters wont hurt.But we still vote with our wallets.

My question is,what is the alternate source for the dump service that gives us best value?

[Oz]

My question is,what is the alternate source for the dump service that gives us best value?

Those waste burners they came out with during the 70s for our rigs... the ones that burn up the waste while you drive... can't remember what they're called right now.  For some reason, masticator is stuck in my head, but I sure as heck know that isn't right - LOL!

Here's a link to a topic about it.  Origianlly it had a link to Thermasan, who manufactured the unit, however, when I just checked it... I got a "forbidden link' error... hmmm... that's an odd error!

http://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/index.php?topic=3494.0

[ClydesdaleKevin]

They were called Waste Incinerators...They would leech small amounts of waste into a propane fired incinerator furnace while you drove at highway speeds, and then the ash would sprinkle out the bottom behind you on the road as you drove.  Sounds gross, especially to the poor guy in the convertable driving behind you, but its ash so its clean and santitary.  I wonder if anyone makes an aftermarket version that will retrofit into our existing systems?  We looked into incinerating toilets, but they are very expensive, use a lot of amperage and/or propane, and they are HUGE!  In order to fit one in our bathroom, which is decent size for a 77 27 foot RV, I'd have to completely remove the sink and cabinet, and then crawl over the toilet to get into the shower.  Not an option...lol!

Kev

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

They were called Thermasan Waste Destruction system
Bottom of page 16
http://www.winnebagoind.com/products/previous-models/1972/pdfs/72-Chieftain-bro.pdf

An operators manual
http://www.bdub.net/manuals/Thermasan-Operating-Guide.pdf

and here is a technical manual for the GMC motorhome version
http://www.gmcgreatlakers.org/GMCGreatLakers/Technical/Livingarea/Thermasan-System/Pages795-800%20from%20X7425.pdf

Dave

[Oz]

Well, when women wanted to show their dissatisfaction with their roles in society, they burned their bras.

We can burn our poop!  (I'll bet it's illegal, though).

[ibdilbert01]

But really what choice do they have? Obviously they went Bankrupt for a reason,not enough revenue. So they need to charge for services.

If thats how the corporate minds at Flying J are thinking, then I'm afraid they are fighting an already lost cause.

For them to be successful, they have to be competitive or offer something their competitors don't have.  Honestly, Gas is Gas, you need something else to attract the customers.   For example, the TA across the street has free dumps, a neat gimmick to attract me as an RV owner, regardless of their gas prices.    The speedway on the same side of the street gives me a free coffee on my 7th purchased cup.  A tiny self owned gas station on the corner fills your gas for you, washes your windows and checks your fluids.    Are these gimmicks free, heack no, they are paid for by tiny inflations of other products, but thats the idea of a gimmick.

If you have no gimmicks, then you have to have lower prices, or you won't survive.   I pass a flying J every day on my way to work.   It wasn't too long ago they were always cheaper, even if only by a penny.   Now, they are always the most expensive.

[angrybreadbox73]

well this may or may not be off subject but flying j and pilot have merged with this merger the word in the industry is that the resaraunts are going to be replaced the tv rooms will also go bye yet to hear about propane and dump stations tho but if u look at most pilots they have no propane or dump soo the jury is still out ill will post if i hear what they will do  i??

[ClydesdaleKevin]

I talked to the regional manager that was at the last Flying J I was at, and here is the scoop so far:  All the restaurants are going to eventually be replaced by Denny's...at least Denny's is decent diner food...could have been worse like McDonalds.  If the facilities exist, like dump stations, propane, TV rooms, showers, laundry, etc., then they will stay.  If they don't exist at a particular Flying J they will probably never be added.  Right now dump stations are on the honor system...they aren't locked but there are signs posted to pay 10.00 without a Flying J card, and 5.00 with the card. 

Kev

[Boise_Chief]

With a quick websearch you can find free dump stations almost anywhere. I have 6 around my town.  It definately is an inconveniance to go elsewhere though.  My biggest problem is the 10 dollars. It seems pretty high, 5 dollars or free with purchase of 50 gals seems like it would have created less backlash.

[Froggy1936]

I just stopped at a Flying J on IS 80  and found out that my loyalty card is no longer of any value they no ;longer honor them i asked about the credit i had for dumping ($15.00) and was told it is $10.00 to use (I had just purchased $55.00 in Fuel) Then she gave me a Dump Card which makes it $5.00  they are installing a Dennys now   Frank   

[Froggy1936]

Ha, Going thru my 3 Mo. of Mail I found a letter from Flying J   Effective Sept 1st   Stating that over 400 Pilot locations have joined With FJ and the loyalty cards have been discontinued .   Frank

[Rick Shaw]

Have you ever tried to dump at a KOA?   The one in St. Petersburg, Fl charges $25.00 if you are not staying with them.    If you are like me.....I spend a lot of money at Flying J and getting a discount on dumping fees buy purchasing gas sounds a lot better.