It doesn’t make sense for someone who’s never driven a truck to tell you which rest stops are the best. That’s why I pay attention when truckers declare rest stops the best in America, which was the case at two places in Missouri.

A little backstory: I come from a family that has had a lot of truck drivers over the last few generations. My father-in-law was a driver for decades and I also had many good friends who hauled loads across America. What I’m saying? I have a soft spot for truck drivers and the challenging lives they lead, so I don’t share that lightly.

I saw Prime Inc, a major trucking company, feature the top 10 rest stops in America. They referenced a survey by CDL Life that asked drivers (the real experts) which rest stops they thought were the best in America based on the reviews they left on the Trucker Path app. Two of the top choices were in Missouri.

Big Apple Travel Center in Joplin, Missouri was called Second best truck stop in America by an independent company.

When asked about chain truck stops, the drivers replied: Sapp Brothers Travel Center in Harrisonville, Missouri was the 3rd best.

Locations in Missouri received high marks for ample truck parking, hot showers and good food options.

There’s no greater praise for a rest stop than that from the drivers. It seems that these two rest stops in Missouri are doing a lot of things right.