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What is the demand, where the demand comes for lodging on the Hwy intersections/truck stop areas that usually cuts through or near a small rural town?
I just took a road trip to the middle of the Great Plains from Northeast. I drove through and stopped at many intersection of highway, and roads leading into small rural towns. You see the obvious fast food places, gas stations, and brands like Flying J, TA Centers. Usually there is also a hotel or two like Days Inn, Quality Inn, Motel 6s, Super 8s.
Most of the surrounding area is farmlands. Is the market for the lodging largely for temporary farm/ranch hands? Public works/hwy construction? Or is it weary travelers like myself, or long haul truckers? The parking usually dont have the space for those big rigs though. Travelers like myself can usually plan to stay near larger cities though. So should truckers.
I live in the northern plains, so when I use lodging out here, it’s when I’m traveling and want to sleep. 99% of the time, there is no reason to spend $100 for a room at some little town, out in the middle of nowhere, other than sleep. The little towns out here try and do some kind of touristy stuff, but most of the time they are either closed or it something dumb and boring that every other town is doing.
I think it's mostly travelers. Of course, the seedier motels near the truck stops have had other purposes.... Most truckers have pretty nice accommodations in their trucks nowadays. And they can't afford hotels every night.
I am not sure why travelers would benefit from holding out for a city. All you'd get there is more people, more traffic, harder time to get back to the freeway and probably more money. I'd rather stop in small towns.
I live in the northern plains, so when I use lodging out here, it’s when I’m traveling and want to sleep. 99% of the time, there is no reason to spend $100 for a room at some little town, out in the middle of nowhere, other than sleep. The little towns out here try and do some kind of touristy stuff, but most of the time they are either closed or it something dumb and boring that every other town is doing.
But as a traveler just passing through such as myself last week, you can plan to stay nearer to larger cities. Unless the traveler has no plan at all, and just drives out as far as they can keep finding gas stations.
Or the traveler is trying to go to the small towns. That is why I mention, the temp farm/ranch hands. Can it also be there is some outdoor recreations nearby like hunting or fishing? Yellowstone has no large cities nearby. I dont think the Grand Canyon does either.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Diana Holbrook
I think it's mostly travelers. Of course, the seedier motels near the truck stops have had other purposes.... Most truckers have pretty nice accommodations in their trucks nowadays. And they can't afford hotels every night.
I am not sure why travelers would benefit from holding out for a city. All you'd get there is more people, more traffic, harder time to get back to the freeway and probably more money. I'd rather stop in small towns.
Larger cities is where most travelers be coming from to begin with, and likely where these travelers are heading to as well. US road system is laid out to connect larger cities to one another. So odds are you will pass by one or few when going places. And you may as well check it out while there. Plus more amenities like food choices.
As for the other purposes, I did not see any "lot lizards". I was actually surprised. But I guess the big brands like TA Travel, and Flying J cannot have that going on.
I was disappointed the routes I took did not have any Buccee's. That would have been a highlight of my trip.
There are things that draw some people to smaller town motels: weddings, funerals, family reunions, and hunting seasons (deer, pheasant, etc.). A lot of small towns have high school alumni weekends for all classes which draw a lot of people.
Crime can happen anywhere, but I imagine the chances of your car getting broken into are greater at a larger city motel than in a smaller town. Rooms are probably cheaper, too. Most of the people are just stopping for the night and this was their logical stopping place.
But as a traveler just passing through such as myself last week, you can plan to stay nearer to larger cities. Unless the traveler has no plan at all, and just drives out as far as they can keep finding gas stations.
Or the traveler is trying to go to the small towns. That is why I mention, the temp farm/ranch hands. Can it also be there is some outdoor recreations nearby like hunting or fishing? Yellowstone has no large cities nearby. I dont think the Grand Canyon does either.
Larger cities is where most travelers be coming from to begin with, and likely where these travelers are heading to as well. US road system is laid out to connect larger cities to one another. So odds are you will pass by one or few when going places. And you may as well check it out while there. Plus more amenities like food choices.
As for the other purposes, I did not see any "lot lizards". I was actually surprised. But I guess the big brands like TA Travel, and Flying J cannot have that going on.
I was disappointed the routes I took did not have any Buccee's. That would have been a highlight of my trip.
I go on many road trips and I would never ever intentionally stop for the night in a large city. Ever.
The goal is to get through the big cities so you don't have to deal with more traffic in the morning when you leave.
In the Midwest, if you have a Flying J, Days Inn, Quality Inn, Motel 6, Super 8, etc, I would say that is along a pretty busy route, like an interstate. Most of the demand is going to be travelers just stopping for the night while on a long trip. If you get on the smaller highways, small towns may have one kind of homegrown, local, motel, if that. There might be a Casey's General Store, Subway and a Dollar Store. There may be railroad workers, workers for wind generating, and other local workers. The mom and pop motels will be less expensive than the major route, national motel chains.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NJ Brazen_3133
What is the demand, where the demand comes for lodging on the Hwy intersections/truck stop areas that usually cuts through or near a small rural town?
...
Most of the surrounding area is farmlands. Is the market for the lodging largely for temporary farm/ranch hands? Public works/hwy construction? Or is it weary travelers like myself, or long haul truckers? The parking usually dont have the space for those big rigs though. Travelers like myself can usually plan to stay near larger cities though. So should truckers.
lodging largely for temporary farm/ranch hands? No.. A motel stay would be more than a day's pay for a farm worker. In 60+ yrs of farming, I have never known a farmwarker to stay in a motel for semi permanent lodging. I knew one family that rented a motel room, so mom could give birth one snowy night, rather than stay in the tent trailer and risk freezing to death.
weary travelers YES
Especiually true during blizzards / weather events that catch people stuck on the remote road for a few days.
As previously mentioned... I would NEVER stay in a larger city when traveling cross country if I could stay in a small town. (I don't do stop lights... none in my entire county). As a trucker I hated to stay in cities, would usually sleep in the boonies and come into city about 4am to drop a trailer and get OUT before 6AM.
In Singapore I stay in the city. (There is no countryside)
Bangkok / Paris / London / Madrid / Rome..., I head to the countryside
But as a traveler just passing through such as myself last week, you can plan to stay nearer to larger cities. Unless the traveler has no plan at all, and just drives out as far as they can keep finding gas stations.
Yeah - No way I'd choose city over a smaller town or roadside hotel in the country on a trip.
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