Home Away from Home: The Evolution and Meaning of American Truck Stops

Abstract

Truck stops provide a tie to place for mobile, long-haul drivers. Truckers rely on these businesses for necessities and help to shape their form and function with their perceptions and actions. An increasing domination of the industry by chain operations impacts these perceptions. Using interviews and field observations to determine drivers' sense of place, I find that, although feelings regarding truck stops vary, most drivers choose where to stop based on fuel, food, and restrooms.