Spending long amounts of time on the road, one can start to feel a little grimy. Not to mention the vivifying effects a fresh shower can produce. Who doesn’t feel a little better after a hot shower?
A truck stop shower is available at most truck stops. They cost between $12.00 and $15.00 although many truck stop chains offer points towards free showers with a certain amount of fuel purchased.
In a perfect world, they’d be built into the rigs and all truckers would be able to pull off at a truck stop and make their way to the back of their vehicle for a shower. However, since that isn’t the case, there is an alternative and it’s the truck stop shower. Below, we’re going to cover the details of the truck stop shower and the price range.
What Is A Truck Stop Shower?
As its name would imply, truck stop showers are showers at most truck stops. Not all truck stops have them, but many of the large, commercial ones feature them. Most truck stop showers are divided into two sections. One section is a bathroom with all of the components of a regular bathroom such as a toilet, sink, blow dryer and mirror.
The shower section is usually a shower stall equipped with soap, toiletries and towels. Many of these showers are actually quite clean if they are located at a truck stop chain and are more like a hotel shower than one might picture being at a truck stop.
Some of the chains that feature higher end showers are Love’s Travel Stops, Clearwater Travel Plaza, Flying J and TravelCenters of America although independent truck stops may also have truck stop showers. Flying J even provides a free daily shower with a monthly fuel of over 1000 gallons in a month.
If you’re still a little put off by the idea of using a shower at a truck stop, the big chains take cleanliness seriously. According to TravelCenters of America, “Every shower is sanitized by our dedicated porters—our Dream Team of Clean—before every use and includes two freshly-laundered, trucker-sized towels, a bath mat and washcloth, liquid and bar soap, a wall-mounted oscillating fan and a hairdryer.”
What Should One Bring?
While a higher end truck stop shower may be cleaned thoroughly and even feature toiletries and towels, it can’t hurt to be prepared. Many truckers bring a few items to make the experience go smoother and not be dependent upon what the individual shower has to offer.
The number one item you’ll want at even the cleanest of truck stop showers is footwear.
- Much like you would at a gym or campground, wearing shower sandals can keep your feet protected while still getting them clean.
- Even if the shower is cleaned regularly, it’s still possible to get foot fungus such as ringworm, Athlete’s foot, or Plantar Warts.
- A bathmat or shower mat can also be plopped down to stand on during your shower but it’s a bit more cumbersome to pack and dry off.
A small toiletry bag is also a handy item to carry.
- In this you can bring your toothbrush and toothpaste
- Soap or shower gel, and any other personal hygiene items you would bring to a hotel or shower.
Another handy item to bring are bleach wipes or Clorox wipes. Even though these showers are said to be cleaned often and thoroughly, you might rest easier if you give everything a quick wipe-down. One can never be too careful when it comes to cleanliness and giving the area an extra once over instills a bit more confidence in the overall experience.
While many of the national truck stop chains provide their own towels, it’s never a bad idea to bring your own towel and washcloth. Some chains pride themselves on their clean and fresh towels, but it certainly can’t hurt to bring your own.
If you’re in a pinch and you don’t have all of these items, most of the big chains are fully equipped so you can still take a shower successfully, you just might feel better bringing and using your items.
How Much Does It Cost?
The average cost of a truck stop shower is between $12.00 and $15.00, with many of the chains offering benefits like a free shower if you spend over $50.00 on diesel fuel. TravelCenters of America gives credits for anyone who buys up to 1500 gallons of petrol to be used for food or showers.
Once you’ve paid for the shower, you’re given a ticket with a code on it that allows you to enter the shower when it’s ready. You simply type in your code and enter the shower, many of which have no time limit. Many of the chains have a waiting area with items like food or even games to play while you wait for your turn to shower.
In Conclusion
Whether you’re in need of shower because you’ve been on the road for days or simply because you need to wake up and refresh, most truck stops are equipped with full-service showers. If the cost of $12.00 to $15.00 seems like too much of an additional expense, pay attention when and where you fuel up as many of the truck stop chains have free shower kickbacks when you buy a certain amount of fuel.
Bring your shower kit but know that most of these showers at the big chains are safe, clean and equipped with everything you need to enjoy a fresh, hot shower.