Iowa 80 is the world's largest truck stop

Truck stop

A truck stop is a commercial facility predicated on providing fuel, parking, and often food and other services to motorists and truck drivers...

, located along Interstate 80

Interstate 80

Interstate 80 is the second-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, following Interstate 90. It is a transcontinental artery running from downtown San Francisco, California to Teaneck, New Jersey in the New York City Metropolitan Area...

 off exit 284 in Walcott

Walcott, Iowa

Walcott is a city in Muscatine and Scott counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 1,528 at the 2000 census. Walcott's interchange on Interstate 80 is home to an enormous complex of restaurants, motels and truck stops, including the Iowa 80 truck stop which is the world's largest.Most...

, Iowa

Iowa

Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...

. Set on a 220 acres (89 ha) plot of land (four times larger than an average truckstop) -- 75 acres (30.4 ha) of which are currently developed—the site receives 5,000 visitors daily, and features a 67000 sq ft (6,224.5 m²) main building, parking

Parking

Parking is the act of stopping a vehicle and leaving it unoccupied for more than a brief time. Parking on one or both sides of a road is commonly permitted, though often with restrictions...

 for 800 truck

Truck

A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...

s, and 15 fuel pumps. Four-hundred and fifty employees staff the megaplex.

Iowa 80 is currently affiliated with the TravelCenters of America

TravelCenters of America

TravelCenters of America is the largest "full service" truck stop chain in North America. The majority of customers are professional truck drivers. The corporate headquarters is located in Westlake, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland...

 chain.

History

Bill Moon, a regional manager for Standard Oil

Standard Oil

Standard Oil was a predominant American integrated oil producing, transporting, refining, and marketing company. Established in 1870 as a corporation in Ohio, it was the largest oil refiner in the world and operated as a major company trust and was one of the world's first and largest multinational...

, purchased the land and built the original truckstop in 1964 along the emerging I-80, the 3000 miles (4,828 km) highway which would directly connect San Francisco with New York. "As they were building I-80, my father was responsible for finding land and building truck stops for Standard," says his daughter Delia Meier. Initially a small white enamel building surrounded by cornfields, it housed a modest truckers store, a one lube bay and a restaurant. Bill Moon took direct control in September 1965, and eventually purchased the site from the corporation in 1984. In 1992, the year of Moon's death, it became a Travelcenter of America franchise, though the facility is still owned and operated by the Moon family. In addition, the Iowa 80 Group also owns the Joplin (MO) Petro on Interstate 44, Oak Grove (MO) 70 off Interstate 70 just outside of Kansas City, and Kenley (NC) 95 off of Interstate 95.

Exterior

In addition to the parking and truck scales, Iowa 80 offers fifteen fuel stations. A small convenience store is located on the fuel island. The pump stations feature a nozzle on each side, so they can fill both tanks simultaneously. A seven-bay service center offers diagnostics, minor repairs, oil changes and tire rotations. The stations truck washing facility, called the 'Truck-o-mat' can wash trucks and their trailers using a combination of machine- and hand-washing. Even the engine is washed, to clean away grime, salt, & oil, and to help find oil leaks. The fifteen-minute wash typically costs around fifty dollars.

Interior

Trucker's Warehouse Store

This two-story, 30000 sq ft (2,787.1 m²) showroom is the largest trucker's store in the country. Items for sale include a collection of chrome accessories, books, DVDs, CB's, cell phone accessories, apparel and cleaners, chrome stacks, and bumpers. There are custom built show trucks—one on a rotating platform—and the 20 foot wall displaying 500 illuminated truck lights. A vinyl graphics shop, custom t-shirt shop, and embroidery center are located in the store.

Food services

In addition to Blimpie, Wendy's, Caribou Coffee, Dairy Queen, Orange Julius, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut, The Iowa 80 Kitchen offers a fifty-foot salad bar and 'home-cooked' meals, serving 1 million cups of coffee and 90 tons of meat annually. The restaurant itself can seat 350 patrons, and a banquet room expands the total capacity by 60.

Other facilities

There are twenty-four private shower & toilet rooms (which may be requested from the gas pump), two game rooms, and the Driver's Den Lounge, with leather chairs and fireplace. Iowa 80 also features a business center with fax machines, logbooks & trip report forms and working stations. More unusual are the 60-seat movie theater and on-site barbershop. The most unexpected facility, though, may be the dentist

Dentist

A dentist, also known as a 'dental surgeon', is a doctor that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity. The dentist's supporting team aides in providing oral health services...

's office. The dentist usually arrives at around 2pm, after finishing at his regular clinic, and works for six or seven hours; some of his patrons are local residents rather than truckers. Across the hall from the dentist there is also a newly-added chiropractic

Chiropractic

Chiropractic is a health care profession concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disorders of the neuromusculoskeletal system and the effects of these disorders on general health. It is generally categorized as complementary and alternative medicine...

 clinic. Services include chiropractic adjustments and Department of Transportation

United States Department of Transportation

The United States Department of Transportation is a federal Cabinet department of the United States government concerned with transportation. It was established by an act of Congress on October 15, 1966, and began operation on April 1, 1967...

physicals.

External links

• Iowa 80 official website