A major truck stop has opened along I-35 in Gainesville, Texas. Called Truckers Paradise, the site sits at 4321 N Interstate 35 and officially opened its doors on June 26. The property, once an outlet mall, has been reworked into a large-scale facility offering free parking, mobile fueling, dining, rest areas, and additional services designed for drivers on the road.
A Project Built Around Drivers
The effort was led by CEO Dean Ash, who said the goal was to put drivers at the center of the design.
With nearly 200 pull-through parking spaces and what Ash described as “five-star hotel-quality … showers and restrooms,” the facility was created with time and comfort in mind.
Mobile fueling is already available. Instead of lining up at traditional pumps, drivers can park and request fuel delivery. A mobile truck wash works the same way.
“We come to them to fill them up,” Ash explained. “Thirty-five gallons a minute, and they can just relax.”
Why It Was Built
The idea came after Ash heard about the challenges faced by a close friend, a veteran truck driver who lost his truck to an axle fire. While staying with Ash, the driver shared stories about the struggles of the road and how few truck stops truly offered a positive experience.
“After 25 years on the road, there are about four truck stops that I can name that I really enjoy going to,” the driver told him.
Ash, who is not a driver himself, said those conversations helped him understand the need.
“I’ve never had a CDL, never driven a truck, never even been in a truck that’s moving down the highway. But I can relate because these are people and, you know, I think too many people, at least in the industry, don’t treat truckers like a human being, like they ought to.”
Parking and Access
Parking access was a top priority.
“For the guys that are doing their short reset or their 34, they’re welcome here, and we will never have a financial requirement for them,” Ash said.
The site currently features 186 pull-through diagonal parking spaces, each with six feet of clearance on both sides. Overflow areas could push that number to 300 spots, and online reservations are free.
Located just one mile from a welcome center with only 23 spaces, Truckers Paradise has coordinated with TxDOT to redirect drivers when that lot is full.
“That’s kind of the bigger picture of where this has evolved, is that we want to work with TxDOT and even federal DOT to really take a stab at the truck parking issue,” Ash added.
Food and Amenities
The property uses the old mall’s food court for multiple restaurants. Five are already open, serving pizza, Mexican, Indian, and other meals, with room for more vendors.
Showers and restrooms were built to stand apart from standard facilities.
“With multiple jets that can massage your midsection. And it’s a marble finish,” Ash said.
Other features on the site include:
- A chrome and truck accessories store
- A cigar lounge
- Massage therapy services
- DOT physical and chiropractic care
Drivers also check in at a tiki hut entrance where staff provide a quick rundown of available services and fueling options.
What’s Ahead
Truckers Paradise isn’t stopping with what’s already open. Ash is working on:
- Expanding chrome and accessories offerings
- Adding a repair shop
- Building a 30,000-square-foot entertainment complex with batting cages, virtual golf, pickleball, pool tables, and poker.
Long-term, he aims for the model to expand nationwide across the U.S.
“The long-term goal: a frictionless environment where [truckers] just don’t have to think,” Ash said. “It’s really like a five-star resort kind of thing where things are done for them, they don’t have to think. They can just be a real person.”
Source: Overdrive
Image Source: Truckers Paradise
