Is Little America Travel Center booting fuel island lingerers?

Editor’s note: This article has been updated to reflect that the location of the Little America Travel Center in question is in Little America, Wyo.

This is one of those fuel island stories we wish we didn’t have to tell.

But alas, here we are.

Little America operates travel plazas in Wyoming, Utah and Arizona. The brand has a long-standing reputation for catering to travelers, especially truck drivers. The sprawling grounds of their flagship location, Little America, Wyo., offers everything from diesel to wedding reception venues. It has become a destination in itself.

Recent rumors swirling through the interwebs and social media about commercial trucks being booted if they’re left on the diesel fuel island at Little America Travel Centers too long prompted a call to Spencer Riggs, general manager of Little America, Wyo. In a telephone interview, Riggs cleared up the rumors and offered a statement on behalf of his location.

To be clear, the only fuel plaza that actually has tire-boots on hand and ready to go is the Little America, Wyo., location. And just because they have them, doesn’t mean they want to use them.

“We’re a service industry,” Spencer said. “We don’t want to come across as having a bad attitude or wanting to harm truck drivers in any way – it’s our business to serve them, and we try as hard as we can to do that.

“We have the capacity for 400 trucks to park on premises – for free,” he said. “But we still have people (park) on the fuel island at night and find them there in the morning – they park and sleep.”

Signage is not the problem. Spencer reports having a multitude of warnings on the 16 fuel islands and the lanes approaching them.

“We have all kinds of parking for someone to pull forward and run in to buy food, or whatever else they may need to do after fueling,” he said. “We have courteous reminders and signs posted everywhere.”

Unfortunately, all the courtesy in the world hasn’t been effective.

“As of yet, we have not actually put a boot on anyone. But we do have them here – this isn’t a bluff,” he said. “Again, we don’t want to impede anyone. We just want them to obey the rules.”

Consequences for those who choose to ignore courtesy at the fuel island can involve fines of up to $200, as multiple posted signs on every station warn.

“We will not boot anyone who isn’t aware of our policy,” Spencer said. “We want to be lenient and friendly. We are here to serve the truckers.”