There are several well-known truck washes in the Great State of Nevada. Truckers need to get their truck washes as they travel West into California after coming off the mountains thru the weather, which dirties their trucks. There are two truck washes in Reno and two in Las Vegas, another strategically placed in Fernley to catch traffic coming from Las Vegas to Reno and on I-80 before the traffic. When picking locations from truck washes you must consider many factors and look for well-traveled crossroads, which are heavy on the truck traffic.
The other day I got a call from a gentleman wishing to put in a truck was in Northern NV. Where would you put a truck wash? Well it would need to be on I-80 for sure but there are only a few areas, which have labor supply. So which city? There is Winnamucca which has a highway going North into Boise Area and thru the desert to post Cascade OR. Then there is also Battle Creek nicknamed the armpit of the world. And there is Windover at the border after the Great Salt Lake. How about Elko, strong population base, labor and even its own market, well they are all good for truck wash and I-80 thru Northern Nevada is highly traveled. If you have been to Windover and the Bonneville Salt Flats you will see that would not be a bad choice at all and I actually made a comment that it would be a good place for a wash indeed.
http://www.carwashguys.com/tour_saltflats.shtml
http://www.carwashguys.com/tour_elko.shtml
Outside Reno there is a Blue Beacon Truck Wash and it always a line in Fernley, NV.
http://www.carwashguys.com/tour_fernley.shtml
There are Two truck washes in Reno, and a Scale on the way up the hill in CA on I-80
means truckers who are dirty can expect excessive grease tickets without a wash. Elko, NV seems like a good location indeed, because of the cross roads into Idaho shortcut some take? Other than that anywhere along there ought to be good as dirty trucks from I-70, I-80, or I-15 coming from Salt Lake into Northern Cal would be significantly dirty indeed.
Having been on the road thru there to Twin Falls by the Basque establishment, it seems viable at the I-80 junction. There is little truck traffic on that road compared to the massive I-80, but I do believe that one would find adequate volume for it to work. There is not need to do further research. I understand that the Flying J there does a good 200,000 gallons a day Tuesday thru Sat. Surely enough truck traffic. One would have the place cornered the day you start? It would be easy to corner the market with no competition for 160-200 miles either direction, it is an ideal location, providing one could get labor resource there, remember those desert areas have huge drug problems. The LDS crowd might provide you with good labor. I would go inexpensive to start there due to the profit motivation; Steel Structure, Above ground reclaim and skid hot water pressure washer unit. RO system, then someone could make a go of it if one went low cost to start, heavy on the signage and also invited the motorhome traffic in for a wash.
If you are considering opening a truck wash here are some Internet resources you might wish to check out.
www.truckwashguy.com/truckbbs
www.Truckwashguy.com
Here is some information you might like:
http://www.truckwashguy.com/08072003_1.shtml
Having traveled the nation, I have been to 1,000's of car washes. Not as many truck washes because, well there are not as many, at least 150 of them. Since I drive this unit as my house on wheels, http://www.carwashguys.com/blitz.html generally I get it washed at truck washes, sometimes I wash it myself with on board washing equipment. When you travel around the country and observe things you see where a truck wash is needed. Best to ask a truck driver, where in your state they desperately need a good truck wash. Think on this.
"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs