I am currently involved in two truckstop projects, one in France and one in UK - aside from location what are your top three reasons for choosing a particular truckstop?
Safe secure parking, good affordable food and a separate area for fridges.
As above but also at reasonable cost.
Thanks guys - do I also need to think about wifi (free) and laundry facilities??
When you say ‘reasonable cost’ - what do you think that is - say €15 per night for secure?
BobbyH:
Thanks guys - do I also need to think about wifi (free) and laundry facilities??When you say ‘reasonable cost’ - what do you think that is - say €15 per night for secure?
Sound’s good…
With the seemingly ever-spiralling cost of a night out at an MSA this has become a more interesting question. Does anyone think there’s enough money in this now to build a top class facility? I have to say to the OP though you should be working out all your costs to establish the minimum charges you would need to apply in order to make it a going concern. Asking drivers what they would pay isn’t likely to give you the information you really need.
MysonVinnie:
Safe secure parking, good affordable food and a separate area for fridges.
Ahh, the Holy Grail! Not likely in good ole Blighty!
As few Brits as possible parking there.
Good Showers.
Decent food.
Why less Brits - am I missing something?
BobbyH:
Why less Brits - am I missing something?
Too much BS. Telling you what they told their boss, the Gendarme who stopped them they pinned against the trailer and disarmed, the €100,000 they were fined for some nonsense, the ferry they just missed that sank, the tunnel fires and exploding truckstops they have survived and so on and so on and so on and on and on and on.
i think if you go down the route of decent safe parking, with good clean facilities, and a reasonable price, your on a winner. good toilets and showers, good food, and ideally a bar, with happy smiley staff and you should have it cracked.
laundry and wifi is also a big plus point, (for me anyway.)
best thing is go to German Autohof!
Decent food, beers, clean showers and easy parking
Autohof Tennenlohe in Erlangen (nr Nuremberg) - I stayed there for overnight cost me €15 but they gave me 2 x meal vouchers cost €7 so I order a large steak, chips and salads with decent pils beers that mean I don’t have to pay extra money for foods, it is all cover by parking fee! very good! 
I was surprise to see some Turks and Eastern European trucks stay at Autohof cos facilities are good 
Decent free WIFI if your paying €15 .
Coffeeholic:
BobbyH:
Why less Brits - am I missing something?Too much BS. Telling you what they told their boss, the Gendarme who stopped them they pinned against the trailer and disarmed, the €100,000 they were fined for some nonsense, the ferry they just missed that sank, the tunnel fires and exploding truckstops they have survived and so on and so on and so on and on and on and on.
Amen to that,sit with the dutch french & spanish any day!
Not been there for a while but if your looking for how to do it visit All4Trucks in Calais. Best truck stop I’ve encountered. Although to be fair I’ve not encountered many as I try to avoid them like the plague. As for how not to do it try Lymm, rubbish staff, awful food and a truck accessories shop that seems to be open for 5 minutes a day and charges twice anywhere else for the tat it sells
Betz:
best thing is go to German Autohof!Decent food, beers, clean showers and easy parking
Autohof Tennenlohe in Erlangen (nr Nuremberg) - I stayed there for overnight cost me €15 but they gave me 2 x meal vouchers cost €7 so I order a large steak, chips and salads with decent pils beers that mean I don’t have to pay extra money for foods, it is all cover by parking fee! very good!
I was surprise to see some Turks and Eastern European trucks stay at Autohof cos facilities are good
Overnighted there a couple of years ago, sound as good now as it was then. . . deffo would reccomend it.
jimboy124:
Decent free WIFI if your paying €15 .
BobbyH:
I am currently involved in two truckstop projects, one in France aside from location what are your top three reasons for choosing a particular truckstop?
if you were to charge 15 euros then I’d want free wifi, free showers and even free food for a truckstop in france
maybe you could visit vivonne or chatearoux to see how its done.
decent tarmac parking with somebody walking around making sure drivers parking are buying a meal or faff off, hence ensuring a good income and no cab rats and trailer box eaters
decent cheap showers, I’ve never paid more than 2 euro
good food, 12 euro for a 4 course meal with wine is about the average
wifi would be good but it does mean less interaction between drivers
most places I use in france don’t have a problem with curtain slashers or diesel thieves as quite often its other drivers who do it and if they are the type who won’t buy a meal 
they won’t park next to those that will
Suedehead:
Betz:
best thing is go to German Autohof!Decent food, beers, clean showers and easy parking
Autohof Tennenlohe in Erlangen (nr Nuremberg) - I stayed there for overnight cost me €15 but they gave me 2 x meal vouchers cost €7 so I order a large steak, chips and salads with decent pils beers that mean I don’t have to pay extra money for foods, it is all cover by parking fee! very good!
I was surprise to see some Turks and Eastern European trucks stay at Autohof cos facilities are good
Overnighted there a couple of years ago, sound as good now as it was then. . . deffo would reccomend it.
Me too. I have stopped there many times as I used to regularly load out of Siemens in Erlangen and was one of my favourite stops in Germany.
Looks like I’m off to Erlangen for a visit then! As a matter of interest what is the tacho time from Calais to Erlangen?
- Is there decent, useable WIFI?
- Are the showers / toilets good (after days on the road the German Sanifair ones seem really cheap).
- Is there going to be room for my wagon? This is very important as I’m doing long distances across Europe and very often have to max my hours out. Sometimes I’ll have to stop earlier than I’d like in order to be absolutely sure of actually getting a place.
That’s pretty much my top three, in order. They are all pretty close though. It seems odd even to me that WIFI is on the top of that list, but if I’m honest that’s the way it is 