Become A Truck Stop Maven Posted by DC Cargo Mall on January 02, 2014

Things to consider at every Truck stop visit:

Sanitation levels:  It can really be worth it in the long run to drive a few extra miles to choose a truck stop that is newer and more stringent in their maintenance of enough toilet paper, regularly scrubbed wash rooms, and even a better room fume.

Why is this worth it? You may want to inquire. Well, firstly, everyone knows that germs leads to you getting run down with the latest flu, and that is never cool when you’d rather rake in the bucks and not miss work on the road. Plus, people’s grimy hands touch some of the food and they haven’t washed their hands, so take from the back of the pans at a buffet. You can do your part too and keep your hands washed after every go. Carrying around a tiny hand sanitizer will always delight you whenever the bathroom has run out of soap.

Food Menu: Let’s face it, we all have different tastes.  It’s always good to experience a place and brave their food once, so that you can judge for yourself whether you’ll be back there in the future when your stomach needs a refill.

Your best bet though, is to pack your own food and munch it on the road. That way, choosing healthier options can always be bought in bulk and money, (and weight!) is saved. For example, chocking up on a whole wheat loaf and small tub of peanut butter will last you for at least a week (the PB for a year!) as opposed to spending $5 on a tiny sandwich that will last you for less than one meal for one day. The only one losing weight then is your poor wallet. 

Side point: Convenience stores at truck stops will charge more because they simply fit their description: they are convenient. If you really want to save yourself on spending, go to a discount store nearby and lose the guilt.

Laundry Available: Not all stops have laundry machines, although most of them do. If you won’t need your laundry done at a particular time, you may want to opt for a stop that although missing the laundry aspect, will be offering other extra amenities that you may need at that time, like a barber, better entertainment, or better window washing…

Window washing quality: This window washing thing might sound quite specific or silly. But here’s the deal: You don’t want to waste your precious time on a cleaning, and get less done in more time. That’s why it’s good to take note of which places pour more washing fluid into their buckets of water, and which ones additionally have longer brushes.  You may need to get your windows washed, but the last time you spend on it, the better.

Recreational: This is your TV Room, Game Room, and Wifi options. 

The wifi will always cost you money, but some stops have on sight computers for public usage.

  If you’re a gamer, see all your options and get familiar with the stops that provide your favorites. But be sure not to choose a great gaming stop with no laundry option when you’ve been wearing the same socks for three days in a row.

Choosing between TV rooms depends on whether you like a small, cozier atmosphere, or get easily claustrophobic and would rather an airy space or are more social and want to converse with a bigger crowd.

Safety: Even if your truck is locked securely, be sure your items are too. The more they are safe-locked, the better the chance that it will the stall you for time to discover the culprit red-handed, or better yet, that he will give up at the start from how difficult you have made it to steal from you.

Keep your smallest valuables on you like your cell phone, wallet and keys of course. Keep other small items that you don't need on you, like the gold necklace you just bought your wife, your $200 running shoes, and your quality tools, inside a lock box with fingerprint or coding technology. 

When carrying boxes of expensive equipment like iPods or jewelry in your interior van, double check if you have to: ensure that all your straps, bars, rings, hooks, or whatever is keeping it together is in a true tight-hold. Trust us, you don't want responsibility or blame for someone else stealing someone else's possessions!

 

Last but not least, park yourself next to a curb, whenever possible. That way you have at least one side of you protected against another driver snagging you on his way out.

(Write down your list of favorites and perks for later reference! Everyone's list will be different, so write it based on your own experiences.)

Happy stopping!

11 Tips That Will Keep Your Truck Sparkling Posted by DC Cargo Mall on November 20, 2013

A shiny truck does not necessarily mean a clean truck! The trick is to run it over with your hands. If it feels like glass, you’re on the right track, but if it’s more of a sand paper feel, it’s time to get scrubbing!

• Make sure your truck's engine, windshield, etc. are completely cooled down. Cleaning with cold water on a hot surface (although rare) can cause that surface to crack. Not cool.

•  Get in extra moisture onto the surface before scrubbing to avoid scratch marks by simply rubbing a sponge that hasn’t enough H2O on it.

• Touchy about your truck’s new paint job? Don’t use high pressure washing. Low pressure is preferred over high which would penetrate your paint and push fine particles into the paint’s surface. A simple garden hose can work wonders.

• Do NOT use dish-washing soap, apparently, what dishes can handle, your truck can’t. This soap will remove some, if not all of your precious wax/sealant coatings, leaving a slight residue on the surface.

• Finding out what kind of paint your truck is coated with can ease your decision-making process in choosing the right paint that will be safe and effective for your truck’s surface. If you don’t know, just buy a soap that reads that it is safe for ALL paint types to be safe, such as detergent.

• To avoid those nasty swirl marks, invest in a quality sponge/mitt/brush that is extra soft and uber-absorbent. Constantly rinse your sponge, keeping it clean as your best added measure for avoiding marks. Waxing will also remove any swirl marks that HAVE made their way to your surface.

• To be most time-efficient, begin your scrubbing from the top and then travel downwards as you go. This prevents you from cleaning the same spots twice out of confusion. Split your truck into sections mentally or even on a paper, placing them in categories like ‘roof, sides, trucks, doors, etc.’ This will ensure a clear check-off list of all areas involved and will help you feel more accomplished and motivated after an acknowledgement of each step.

• Your wheels are the dirtiest part, and more than just cleaning them last, have a separate sponge special for your wheels so that the dirt will not interfere with the paint on the rest of your truck.

• You can use the same soap used for the rest of your truck for your wheels, special wheel fluid is unnecessary. But, rims can be tricky as chrome and alloy both react differently to the same chemicals so it is best to find out beforehand for rims in specific.

• Drying with a water blade is a great means of sliding the water off in smooth strokes without scratching any paint off.

• Touch up any still damp areas with a top-notch quality towel, namely of Terry or Micro fiber, and wash them afterwards in separate loads then your other scrubbers with any chemicals on them to prolong their longevity and keep it from – that’s right – scraping your prized paint.

A cleaner truck is a safer truck as the more dirt in accumulation, the more it will camouflage into the night surrounding. Stick your truck with reflective tape all around and always remember to load with precaution - never judge a truck's safety by only its exterior.;)