Is It Safe To Truck In Louisiana?

Hey all. I’m fairly new to trucking as I’ve been driving for about a year and 3 months now. I’ll be trucking through Louisiana for the first time in a couple of days and when my father found that out, he warned me not to stay at a truck stop in Louisiana because it wouldn’t be safe.

My dad has tricked since he was 17 and is now 60. I don’t know what to make of his advice because part of me is nervous hearing it but the other part of me thinks that surely staying at a truck stop in Louisiana wouldn’t be any different than anywhere else. And if it wasn’t safe how could they get any good trucker to haul anything in the state? Still, he is my dad and he was fairly adamant that I stay in Mississippi instead.

I’d LOVE to hear thoughts from others on this issue. Thanks!

- Brandon

I'm sleeping at a truck stop in Louisiana tonight. As a matter of fact my dedicated route has had me sleeping at a truck stop in Louisiana almost two nights a week for the past four years! I'm safe... you will be too!

I just spent the night in Rayville last week didn't have any problems. The people were nice. I think they were more afraid of me after they saw me trying to back into my spot for the night... I'd be more afraid of driving through some of those areas, roads are old. Many of those areas are not designed for 53-foot trailers. I'm driving a Kenworth and I seriously was afraid I would hit my head on the ceiling of the truck with some of the roads I was on.

No offense, but your dad is wrong. I have stayed in truck stops all over Louisiana without a problem. Stay at the right one and you could get some good local food.

Could be possible that it was that way in the past. For example the TA in Albuquerque back in the day wasn't a very safe spot. Driver was hit over the head with a pipe and robbed. Now the worse thing that may happen there is a bum asking to polish your wheels. I rather stay at a truckstop in Lousianna over Memphis any day. I been to the TA in Lafayette and the TA close to New Orleans and had no issues.

I tried to reply once, but I must have done something wrong, but if my first response appears, it's because I don't know what I'm doing! You'll be just fine in LA. No worries. Just be careful around Baton Rouge because that place will drain your clock at the wrong times of day! (if you can, use 190 and the old bridge then Airline Hwy and old Hammond Hwy-viseversa from the East) I-10 has a lot of truck stops between Lafayette and Lake Charles, and I-20 has a lot of stops as well. Some truck stops have great food inside or nearby. (RIP Tony the tiger) There is a Christian stop in Pineville with free food, freeshowers, free laundry, tv, coffee, etc... (like the one at exit 68 on I-70 in Illinois) Some restaurants have truck parking (Crawfish Town, etc...) Your dad's right about MS having better truck stops than LA, but the food is much better in LA. If you can get to the Pilot in Moss Point, MS, that would be great because there is a Crack Barrel right behind it. (yummy country cooking)

My company doesn't go to Louisiana very often but I've been down there with West Side and had no problems. I loaded in Baton Rouge and had no problems there either, other than the fact that it was a nasty chemical company, I was teaming at the time, had to wake my codriver and it was hot as h3ll and we were both required to change into long pants lol.

Funny story... Security asked me if I had any pets in the truck. My response, "just my codriver" and those ladies about lost it. He was required to come inside (safety/security procedures) and they kept calling him "Pet" and he had no clue why.

I go to and through Louisana all the time. I have slept in truck stops and cemetaries all over and never once had any problems or felt uncomfortable, except for the humidity. The roads are horrible espically on 20 through Shreveport. The long bridge on 10 west of Baton Rouge is right lane restricted for trucks. They have cameras all along it and if you get in the left lane a trooper may be watching on the other end. They can watch the feeds from their cruiser. Expensive ticket.

Remote live time feed camera's...awesome.... on a separate completely different thought, I was in Germany back in the day and was going thru a construction zone in a Government Vehicle, not paying attention, and all the sudden a bright flash grabbed my attention...BAM.... The passenger says, I think that will send you a speeding ticket...well even though the vehicle was dispatched to me, I never got that ticket, and to this day, NEVER speed in a construction zone...not even 2 over......

Remote live time feed camera's...awesome.... on a separate completely different thought, I was in Germany back in the day and was going thru a construction zone in a Government Vehicle, not paying attention, and all the sudden a bright flash grabbed my attention...BAM.... The passenger says, I think that will send you a speeding ticket...well even though the vehicle was dispatched to me, I never got that ticket, and to this day, NEVER speed in a construction zone...not even 2 over......

I saw that near Toronto. The flash was so bright it startled me 3 lanes and a 20 foot median away. I have no idea how the driver wasn't blinded, as it took a picture of his front plate.