Best Ways To Find Truck Stops

Planning where you’ll stop your truck is the best way to stay on schedule, compliant with Hours of Service, and out of last-minute parking scrambles.

Federal sources and industry studies estimate roughly one legal space for every 11 trucks, and drivers can spend close to one hour a day hunting for parking instead of resting or driving. No surprise, then, that truck parking ranked as the No. 1 concern among professional drivers in American Transportation Research Institute’s (ATRI) latest “Top Industry Issues” research.

In this guide, we’ll show the most reliable ways to find truck stops, starting with a step-by-step guide for the most popular stop-finding app, Trucker Path. We’ll also show you how other popular programs do it and offer practical tips on when to start looking and whether to reserve.

How To Find Truck Stops With Trucker Path (Step-by-Step)

Here is a step-by-step approach to finding truck stops within the Trucker Path app:

1. Open Trucker Path → Map tab
   Launch the app, and it opens to the Map view automatically. From here, you can see quick-access categories like Truck Stops, Parking, Fuel Prices, Weigh Stations, etc.
2. Show only truck-stop results
   Tap the Truck Stops icon (or tap a category icon to show/hide it) so the map highlights truck-stop locations along your route. This keeps the map focused on stops rather than every POI.
3. Zoom, pan, and pick a stop
   Drag the map or search a city/exit, then tap a specific truck stop. Its info card shows amenities (e.g., showers, laundry, CAT scale/DEF), user reviews/ratings, and other details you can scan before committing.
4. Check live parking status
   On the stop page, review the parking availability indicator (crowd-sourced by drivers). This helps you avoid full lots and plan a backup.
5. Use Parking Prediction (optional, planning ahead)
   If you’re arriving later, tap ‘Prediction’ on the stop page to see hour-by-hour forecasted parking based on historical trends, which is useful for deciding whether to book/aim to arrive earlier.
6. Start navigation (truck-safe routing)
   When you’ve chosen a stop, start navigation from the location card. If you use Trucker Path for routing, make sure truck parameters are set (height/weight/HazMat) for truck-specific directions, or you could end up going a direction not suitable or even safe for your vehicle.

Remember, this is just a popular example of how to do it, and there are plenty of other truck stop app alternatives you can check out below that can also do the job, depending on your specific needs.

Pro tips for using Trucker Path

• Filter your view to reduce clutter (show/hide categories), then dive into each stop’s page for amenities and recent driver reports.
• Rely on reviews and “last updated” parking timestamps to judge freshness. The crowd-sourced data is valuable to gauge the current status of a truck stop, but it varies by area/time. If it’s not up to date, you might want to steer clear or use other apps to confirm what it’s currently like there.
• Our hands-on testing found Trucker Path especially strong for live parking and stop detail. It’s one of the most useful driver apps to keep open while you roll. Read our Trucker Path review for more details.

Other Popular Station Finder Apps That Truckers Actually Use

Besides Trucker Path, there are plenty of other station finder apps that are on the market. Many have different primary purposes, whether that’s for load boards, fuel card integration, or as a telematics company for truck-safe routing. Here are seven other options that offer truck stop finding capabilities in some shape or form.

DAT One (truck services + routing-aware directions)

What is Dat One? In short, a combined load board and driver toolkit. The Map tab shows truck stops, fuel prices, rest areas, scales, repair, and more; its “TAKE ME THERE” button navigates with truck dimensions in mind.

How to find stops (quick steps):

• Open the app → tap Map (bottom).
• Drag up the bottom drawer → choose Truck Stops (or Fuel Up, Take a Break, Weigh Scales, etc.).
• Tap a location for full details, then TAKE ME THERE for truck-aware routing.

Best for: One app that can handle planning (loads + services) with truck-safe navigation to stops.

Hammer (free truck GPS with POIs, parking & prices)

What is Hammer? A truck-safe GPS focused on simple routing and roadside intel on points of interest (truck stops, showers, food), diesel prices, parking availability, weigh-station status, and full offline capability.

How to find stops (quick steps):

• Set your truck dimensions in Hammer.
• From the map, tap POIs and show Truck Stops (add filters like parking, showers, diesel price).
• Pick a stop → review amenities, parking signal, and price → start navigation (truck-safe).

Best for: Free truck GPS with clear POIs, live diesel pricing, and parking details, even offline.

Mudflap (discount diesel network; pay in-app with a fuel code)

What is Mudflap? A discount diesel app where you select a partner stop, generate a one-time fuel code, fuel, and get charged at Mudflap’s discounted rate through your linked card, plus an IFTA-friendly receipt.

How to find truck stops/use it (quick steps):

• Open Find Fuel and search the map/route for participating stops.
• Tap a stop → Get Fuel Code.
• Follow the on-screen redemption method (show code to the cashier or enter at the pump, which varies by location).
• Pump fuel and Mudflap bills your saved card at the discounted price and emails an IFTA receipt.

Best for: Fast, card-based discounts at independent/regional stops without a credit check.

iExit Trucks (exit-by-exit guide for interstates)

What is iExit Trucks? A highway-exit view of truck-friendly stops (diesel with prices, parking, rest areas, scales, repair, dealers) organized by upcoming exits.

How to find stops (quick steps):

• Open the app while on an interstate → it auto-enters On Highway mode showing upcoming exits.
• Tap an exit to see all businesses, or filter for truck stops/diesel.
• Not on the road? Use Find Me On Highway or Lookup Any Highway for advance planning.

Best for: Quick, exit-based planning on interstates with a simple, by-exit list of truck services.

Rand McNally (Rand Navigation/TND devices & apps)

What is Rank McNally? Truck-dedicated navigation with robust point of interest search (e.g., Travel Centers, Parking & Rest Areas, Truck Services), including Quick Stops near current location, along route, or near destination.

How to find stops (quick steps):

• From Destinations → POIs.
• Choose where to search (near truck, along route, near destination).
• Pick a category like Travel Center or Parking & Rest Areas → select a stop → Start Trip.

Best for: In-cab truck GPS users who want integrated routing plus POIs with truck-friendly filters.

Comdata (Driven/FleetAdvance)

What is Comdata? For Comdata cardholders. Driven for Comdata includes a site locator and card tools; FleetAdvance layers analytics and “find fuel” recommendations to steer drivers to lower-cost sites.

How to find stops (quick steps):

• In Driven, enable Location Services, then open the Site Locator to view nearby accepting merchants and directions.
• If your program includes FleetAdvance, use Find Fuel to see recommended locations based on price/discounts.

Best for: Fleets and drivers on Comdata who want a locator plus savings guidance tied to their card program.

WEX apps (WEX Connect + 10-4 by WEX)

What are WEX Connect and 10-4 by WEX?

• WEX Connect → station locator with real-time prices; search by lowest price, brand, distance, or location.
• 10-4 by WEX → discount diesel app with a fuel finder and code-based, cardless pay (no credit check).

How to find/use them (quick steps):

• WEX Connect: Open → search by price/distance/brand → pick a station → get directions; prices update as transactions occur.
• 10-4: Download → link a debit/credit card → choose a discounted location near route → request fuel code → activate pump & pay → receipts/savings tracked in-app.

Best for: WEX card users (WEX Connect) who want live pricing and a broad locator. Owner-ops/small carriers (10-4) seeking instant diesel discounts with app-based payment.

Major brand apps (useful for planning + reservations)

Besides those apps already mentioned, there are a few brand-specific truck stop apps that truckers report as being extremely useful to have on the road.

• Pilot Flying J (myPilot / Pilot app): Search locations, Prime Parking reservations, mobile fueling, receipts. Reserve ahead when you expect late arrivals in busy corridors.
• TA/Petro TruckSmart: Locate TA/Petro/TA Express, see parking availability, and reserve via Reserve-It! right in the app.
• Love’s Connect: Find nearby Love’s/Speedco by city/route and use Love’s Mobile Pay to activate the pump from your phone.

Which Truck Stop Apps Do We Suggest? Picking The Right Mix

There’s no exact science to what apps will suit your needs best. We think Trucker Path is a must, but beyond that, here are three suggestions on how to use the apps and what to have installed:

• Use DAT One or Hammer for truck-aware routing + POIs.
• Layer a discount app (Mudflap or 10-4) to control fuel cost.
• If you’re arriving late, check brand apps for paid reservations (Pilot/TA) to guarantee a spot.

Do Any Fleet Management Platforms Include Station Finders?

Short answer: A few do, but most don’t. From the providers on our top fleet management roundup, only Motive clearly offers a driver-facing fuel/station map inside its own driver app (and only for Motive Card users). The others focus on fuel analytics and fuel-card integrations, and expect drivers to use a separate fuel-card for truckers or fuel brand apps (e.g., WEX Connect, Comdata Driven/FleetAdvance).

Motive (Driver App + Motive Card)

What you get: “Savings Finder” shows nearby partner (and some non-partner) fuel stations on a map with prices/discounts. You can filter by fuel type, see details, and tap Take me here to navigate. Motive also markets Savings Finder as a way to “easily find the best rebates” and plan stops.

How to use it (quick steps): Driver App → menu (☰) → Savings Finder → filter (Diesel/Gas; in-network/all) → tap a pin → Take me here.

How do drivers using fleet management software find fuel stops if most don’t offer these features?

Most fleets will use fuel card apps, separate from their fleet management software, as these are built for station discovery and pricing (albeit often brand-specific and with many not offering truck-specific details). Here are three reliable options for truckers, two of which we’ve already mentioned briefly:

• WEX Connect/Fuel finder: Live prices and brand/distance filters across WEX’s acceptance network.
• Comdata (Driven app) + FleetAdvance: Site Locator maps in-network truck stops (and shows your discounts); FleetAdvance recommends cheaper options along the route.
• AtoB FuelMap: In-app map with discounts/prices for AtoB cardholders; plan routes to the cheapest stations.

When to start looking for truck stops and whether to reserve

We suggest starting to look earlier than you think, especially toward the evening.

ATRI’s driver “parking diaries” found drivers lose around 56 minutes of drive time per day searching for parking, and that difficulty spikes in the late afternoon through midnight window.

In practice, begin scouting at least an hour before you must stop, and earlier if you’ll hit metro corridors between ~4 p.m. and midnight. Have 2 to 3 backups pre-picked.

You also need to plan around your hours of service restrictions. With the 11-hour drive and 14-hour duty limits, don’t let your search run into your final hour. Do a mid-afternoon check: confirm a primary stop and two alternates near your route/ETA, then re-check availability before your last leg.

When do reservations make sense?

Paid parking can be the difference between a calm shutdown and circling an overfull lot. It’s worth considering when:

• You’ll arrive after the evening peak (urban interstates, mid-week).
• Weather, construction, or events are compressing capacity (common triggers in various state studies).
• You need a specific amenity (e.g., shop work early a.m., guaranteed proximity to a fuel lane).

Where to reserve?

• Pilot Flying J: Prime Parking (reserve in the Pilot app or online).
• TA/Petro: Reserve-It! via the TruckSmart app (pay in-app; see FAQs).

Fast workflow for quick parking

1. Open your main stop-finder (e.g., Trucker Path or a brand app) and confirm live/forecasted parking.
2. If late arrival is likely, reserve at Pilot or TA/Petro (or brand other apps relevant for your locations) and save the confirmation in your notes.
3. Add two backups within 15 to 30 miles. Note access/exit side of the interstate.
4. Before rolling, check fuel price apps (Mudflap/10-4, or your card app) to align a fuel stop with your shutdown.
5. Reassess 60 to 90 minutes out. If lots are filling, pivot to backup #1 while you still have a buffer.

Why does this approach work? It minimizes last-hour scrambling (the cost driver ATRI measured) and respects HOS buffers while avoiding the known evening squeeze window.

Things To Consider When Choosing A Truck Stop

Besides being physically near a truck stop, which is going to be one of the ultimate deciding factors when on the road, there are many other areas to consider when selecting where to stop off. In fact, we’ve picked nine to consider:

1) Parking availability (live now vs later tonight)

Check live/recent parking reports in Trucker Path and use its Parking Prediction graph to see hour-by-hour likelihood before you commit.

If you’ll hit the evening squeeze (roughly 4pm to midnight), book paid parking where available (Pilot Prime Parking, TA/Petro Reserve-It!).

We suggest you start looking at least an hour before you must stop. Plus, it’s always good to have two backups so you can avoid last-minute searching during peak hours.

2) Safety, lighting, and sightlines

Prefer well-lit, visible lots with clear lines of sight. Poor lighting increases risk and stress. Look for sites that advertise lighting and security or are busy/attended.

3) Amenities you actually need on this leg

Shortlist locations with showers, laundry, Wi-Fi, food options, dog areas, DEF at pump, and CAT Scale (you can filter these in chain apps or location finders). Whatever you need on this leg of the route, you can probably find out with relevant apps.

4) Fuel price & discounts (stack your tools)

Use a discount app to pick the stop (e.g., Mudflap or 10-4 by WEX), then navigate there in your main GPS. WEX Connect also shows real-time prices at accepting stations, as well as other fuel card providers (though make sure they are truck-friendly).

5) Access & layout for your rig

Speaking of which, you need to favor truck stops with wide approaches, clear signage, and easy in/out near your route. This reduces backing risk and tight-turn issues at the end of a long day. Lighting and clear sightlines for safer parking areas should be a clear preference.

6) Maintenance & roadside coverage

If you might need service in the morning, choose chains with on-site truck care and roadside programs (e.g., Love’s Truck Care/Speedco for light mechanical, tires, and emergency roadside).

7) Compliance & weighing

If you’ll need a scale ticket before rolling, pick a stop with a CAT Scale on-site or nearby and plan a quick in-and-out.

8) Loyalty & company policy

If your carrier prefers certain networks, or if you’re maximizing branded loyalty points, compare My Love Rewards, Pilot myRewards, and TA/Petro UltraONE benefits (free showers with fuel, points toward parking/food).

9) Special requirements (reefer power, anti-idling, HAZMAT/oversize)

If you need shore power or truck-stop electrification, confirm locations in advance (availability varies by corridor). Oversize/HAZMAT policies also vary by location, so you’ll need to check the site page.