TDS fuel card

[KevinH]

Yes the downside of mudflap is you have to go inside with your code. It’s the same as the TSD card it doesn’t show the discount at the pump. You’ll get an email or you can check the app later in the day and it will show the price that you paid. Also we’ve been using an Amazon credit card my wife says we get 5% discount on top of that. I haven’t actually seen the credit card bill to verify that. I don’t mind walking into the truckstop it’s nice to get out and walk around after you’ve been on the road. When we were out west this last summer didn’t seem like you got a very good discount at mudflap. But in the Midwest it seem to have a lot of locations where it was better than the TSD card. I’ve only been doing this for four years and travel about 4 to 5,000 miles a year but in that time I’ll pay a nickel more to go to a truckstop than a regular gas station. We plan  our stops around breakfast or lunch and there’s plenty of parking at a truckstop usually. The only time I use a regular gas station is when I’m at home there’s a Casey’s that’s an easy and easy out. When I have to top off before I hit the road. 

[willbo777]

I agree with you Kevin.  The discounts early in the year were huge as compared to now.  We're in the east right now after being in the west all spring and summer and prices are way higher, both rising prices in general and location.  We use the PenFed card and do get 5% off, actually points redeemable in cash if we pay at the pump.  We do use that now and then when we have to go or choose to go to a normal station, not truck stop.  But I like you, will gladly pay a little more for no hassles, ease of entry, fast pumps, and not having to go inside.  

[birdshill123]

Has anyone used the TSD in AZ? The truck pumps in Arizona  include an extra tax. The RV or car pumps do not. I think it is 8 cents a gallon.

Muflapis horrible. You do have to go inside. Many times the only ovations with a good price are very small. Casey's in some locations are not rv friendly. Other locations are far from the freeways.

Crowded stations are an accident waiting to happen. 

 

 

 

 

[willbo777]

I used TSD in Wilcox, AZ in May.  Pump price was $3.39/gal, and I paid $2.88.  Not sure on the taxes, it was at a TA.

[Hypoxia]

34 minutes ago, willbo777 said:

I used TSD in Wilcox, AZ in May.  Pump price was $3.39/gal, and I paid $2.88.  Not sure on the taxes, it was at a TA.

Wilcox TSD is $3.311 or retail $3.749 today.  I can get diesel locally at a slow pump $3.099 today.  I drive 65MPH and typically 250 miles in a day.  Although I like truck stops it really doesn't matter how much time I spend at the pumps, at the end of the day we'll be at the campground about the same time.  I compare it with running mountains; it really doesn't matter if you can keep up with me climbing those grades.  At the end of the day I'll still be checking into the campground when you arrive.  If I take a nap you'll beat me there.

Access is the main problem with normal gas stations, although people seem to homestead at a pump while they shop inside and then come out, yak on the phone for a while and as an afterthought pump some fuel.

[willbo777]

That's an incredible difference, with our traveling I rarely see differences in price like that.  If it was an open easy to access gas station I would go in also.  And it won't be me trying to race you, we rarely drive more than 200-300 miles in a day unless something catastrophic has taken place, we take our time and enjoy the drive as much as the destination.  But if access is poor or I think I have to worry about clearance and getting in and out, then I'll spend the extra $25.  JMO

[Joelsheriff]

Paid 386.9 FJ no discount the next day 299.9 Costco with additional 5%on cc. 

[Twomed]

On 10/12/2021 at 1:23 PM, Joelsheriff said:

So I just filled up with $200 at Pilot Flying J at 385 a gallon and got no discount not one penny is that correct or is this card that I was trying trying to screw rvers like all the oil companies are currently doing to the rest of the world

IT WORKS...but only IF you follow directions.

Download their (TSD)  app  TSD Open Roads app...at bottom of screen click MORE...under INFORMATION...read VIEW INSTRUCTIONS.

When you familiarize yoursel with how it works you will be successful.  ALSO note that not all Petro/TA will be a discount station. 

Example:  Oak Grove , MO  just east of Kansas City... same exit there is a Petro on south side of I70 NO DISCOUNT...a TA on the north side same exit that DOES DISCOUNT. 🤑

ALWAYS check the TSD APP  before you fuel or you may not be at a contracted for discount location.  You will also note under the INSTRUCTIONS that Pilot/FJ is no longer listed for any discount at all.

As an early user of TSD things have evolved for the better...proper use always up to the user.  Yeah EFS has route plan which was may be a plus but in the end ONLY the Open Roads TSD app will have the correct info to get your discount.

Safe travels... 

 

[Gary M]

7 hours ago, Twomed said:

IT WORKS...but only IF you follow directions.

Download their (TSD)  app  TSD Open Roads app...at bottom of screen click MORE...under INFORMATION...read VIEW INSTRUCTIONS.

When you familiarize yoursel with how it works you will be successful.  ALSO note that not all Petro/TA will be a discount station. 

Example:  Oak Grove , MO  just east of Kansas City... same exit there is a Petro on south side of I70 NO DISCOUNT...a TA on the north side same exit that DOES DISCOUNT. 🤑

ALWAYS check the TSD APP  before you fuel or you may not be at a contracted for discount location.  You will also note under the INSTRUCTIONS that Pilot/FJ is no longer listed for any discount at all.

As an early user of TSD things have evolved for the better...proper use always up to the user.  Yeah EFS has route plan which was may be a plus but in the end ONLY the Open Roads TSD app will have the correct info to get your discount.

Safe travels... 

 

Again I understand what u are saying, but to be able to compare TSD discount prices and other fuel stops in same area that you plan to fuel, you need another brand App to compare prices. My mistake was assuming the TSD fuel stops would be close to other fuel stops in the area instead they have been steadily $0.20 - $0.35 higher than truck stops close by.

So next trip we will need other fuel apps to compare before we fuel.

[willbo777]

10 hours ago, Gary M said:

Again I understand what u are saying, but to be able to compare TSD discount prices and other fuel stops in same area that you plan to fuel, you need another brand App to compare prices. My mistake was assuming the TSD fuel stops would be close to other fuel stops in the area instead they have been steadily $0.20 - $0.35 higher than truck stops close by.

So next trip we will need other fuel apps to compare before we fuel.

So you are saying that even with the discount with TSD you are finding real truck stops nearby that are cheaper than that by $.20-.35?  Wow, never has that happened for me.  All I have ever seen is all the stops in a given area about the same posted price within a few cents.  I better open my eyes.  Wouldn't Gas Buddy do what you are looking for?

[Ivylog]

Since I usually fuel in K City, currently on my route, the best MF is $3.03, TSD $3.14 and Sam’s $2.84 ($2.70 with 5% off)… not sure I’d get 5% off the MF price???

Picture below is what pulls up for the MF station and getting to it looks difficult. For 33 cents or 45 cents TSD ($67 savings) I’ll go to the Sam’s that I’ve used with their slow pumps although if not busy I’ll use 2 pumps.

[Bob Blackmon]

On 10/14/2021 at 6:57 AM, Joelsheriff said:

Paid 386.9 FJ no discount the next day 299.9 Costco with additional 5%on cc. 

TDS does not contract with Flying J anymore. There is no discount.

[Steve P]

See screenshot from the TSD Open Roads app.  This shows about a $0.48 discount per gal.  You forfeit 10% of that difference as a fee to TSD, and about another $0.01 to the station ($0.65 transaction charge divided by a fillup of 65 gallons).  So you end up saving between 42 and 43 cents a gallon off the price on the sign/pump in this example.  Someone else can present the math on a nearby Sam's or Costco, but for the hassle of waiting for a pump, manuevering in and out, and slow pumps, and repeated card swipes, and no long-handled bug scrubbers, at some point, it just isn't worth it.  Try TSD.  Use the app.  Plan ahead.  Save money and aggravation.  I am way over the hassle of anyplace other than a truck stop.  Not to mention someone at anyplace else getting peeved and deciding to key (scratch) your paint. 

[Gary M]

10 hours ago, willbo777 said:

So you are saying that even with the discount with TSD you are finding real truck stops nearby that are cheaper than that by $.20-.35?  Wow, never has that happened for me.  All I have ever seen is all the stops in a given area about the same posted price within a few cents.  I better open my eyes.  Wouldn't Gas Buddy do what you are looking for?

As my memory serves me, my discount price at a TSD truck stop in Utah was $3.39. I pulled out and the very next exit, a truck stop price not in the TSD group was $3.34. The TSD stop was $3.69 I think before my discount.

So yes I will be using other fuel apps along with the TSD app. I usually put in 65 to 75 gallons at stops. And I need to keep a record rather than relying on the grey matter between my ears.

[Joelsheriff]

I'm currently headed cross-country and I've been very surprised a real eye-opener that the TSD card is not what it was in the past. There are a number of stations from GasBuddy that are saving me substantially from The increased ridiculous prices we are now facing. You have to use gas buddy and you can save 20, 30 or even forty cents a gallon

[Ivylog]

I’m surprised it doesn’t bother more that before the TSD card, you were paying 75 cents/gallon, or more, for the privilege of using a truck stop… my savings averaged over 75 cents over the last decade using GasBuddy. Within a mile of the Jax TA above, and a block off I-95, I could get fuel for $3.00…34 cents less than the TSD price and 82 cents less than the bend over price.

Sorry but if the truck stop price was only 15 cents more I’d still go elsewhere as I refuse to reward their decades of gouging us…for me it’s not just about the savings.

[Steve P]

I would love to save the money, but saving 25 cents a gallon amounts to $100 extra on a 2600 mile trip with about 4 fillups.  That's 4 opportunities to risk damage in tight spaces and 4 extended waits for a 60 foot space to clear on a slow volume pump.  Been there, done that, and the risk to reward ratio is simply too high.  People in automobiles have no patience with RV'ers... I'm staying out of their space. 

Edited October 17, 2021 by Steve P

[cbr046]

Try the Sam's Club in Ocala if you like tight spaces.  I could barely fuel the 32' gasser and get unscathed.  I won't even try with the DP.  Oh, and no matter when that place is always full of people.

- bob

 

[Steve P]

I think I'll leave that and every other Costco (and Sam's, and any other non-truckstop) to those with something to prove. 

[Ivylog]

11 hours ago, Steve P said:

People in automobiles have no patience with RV'ers... I'm staying out of their space. 

Actually I’ve had more interesting conversations with the car folks than the truckers, some who seem to resent us using the truck lanes. One of the few times I’ve used a truck stop, the truck finally moved ahead so I could fuel, but 5 minutes after I finished fueling, it sat there unoccupied. I can back up so I was able to go around it.

“to those with something to prove”???

Interesting comment, probably aimed at me, so I did some math. 100,000+ miles over last 16 years so 15,000 gallons at only a 60cents savings is $9,000… it’s probably more $$$ so Thank you GasBuddy! No hits, no key scratches, and no one giving me the finger…. your mileage may vary.

[Ivylog]

Made a quick trip to Tampa in my PU…580 miles. Didn’t take my TSD card as it’s best price was $3.38 (a good discount from the $3.90 bend over price) as WalMart was $3.32 (2 blocks off I-75) less 16 cents with my credit card… $3.16 so filled up there in both directions. 

[Steve P]

3 hours ago, Ivylog said:

Made a quick trip to Tampa in my PU…580 miles. Didn’t take my TSD card as it’s best price was $3.38 (a good discount from the $3.90 bend over price) as WalMart was $3.32 (2 blocks off I-75) less 16 cents with my credit card… $3.16 so filled up there in both directions. 

Got me thinking... maybe I'll replace my toad with a diesel pickup, and put a large auxiliary tank in the pickup bed, with a refueling hose.   Then I can fill that up easily at places that won't accommodate a 60' rig, and do a fuel transfer to the motor home when I get back there with the pickup.  Any thoughts on that? 

[Gary M]

20 minutes ago, Steve P said:

Got me thinking... maybe I'll replace my toad with a diesel pickup, and put a large auxiliary tank in the pickup bed, with a refueling hose.   Then I can fill that up easily at places that won't accommodate a 60' rig, and do a fuel transfer to the motor home when I get back there with the pickup.  Any thoughts on that? 

Well I guess the extra weight of fuel and truck would have to be figured in to see how much extra fuel u would burn towing.

[FishAR]

1 hour ago, Steve P said:

Got me thinking... maybe I'll replace my toad with a diesel pickup, and put a large auxiliary tank in the pickup bed, with a refueling hose.   Then I can fill that up easily at places that won't accommodate a 60' rig, and do a fuel transfer to the motor home when I get back there with the pickup.  Any thoughts on that? 

I thought about doing that with my 2018 Ram dually, I already had that kind of 60 gallon tank in it.

But I thought I might be crowding my 10,000 pound tow limit closer than I wanted, plus who wants to pull a crew cab dually around, and I got offered so much money for it I couldn't turn it down.

More than I paid new.

[Steve P]

3 hours ago, Gary M said:

Well I guess the extra weight of fuel and truck would have to be figured in to see how much extra fuel u would burn towing.

2500 lbs more for truck and fuel increasing rig total to about 40000.  Can't see that increasing fuel burn significantly.  Wouldn't necessarily carry much fuel in the aux tank of the pickup bed while traveling.   Typical day is 300 miles.  6.5 miles pret hall worst case.   Could fill the aux tank while out for dinner, unless I don't feel like unhooking.  Then transfer fuel when I return from dinner, or just before departure in the morning.  Truck could be a gas burner (e.g. Ram 1500 or F-150).  Then the bed tank would be self- contained, not aux of course.  This setup would increase my options and potentially save on fuel.  It makes refueling 2 steps, and it would be crucial not to spill in a campground.