#88 Grow Wallet Share With the Right Food Offerings at Your Travel Center
Release Date: 10/24/2023
#110 Breaking Down the Walls: Fuel Retailers' Guide to Ethanol Blending
The Truck Stops Here
Ethanol has been around for a long time, but the incentives and the benefits are still going strong. Ginger Laidlaw, vice president of NATSO’s Alternative Fuels Council, and Andrew Falco, market development & analytic manager for Growth Energy, offer their take on what should be considered if you're thinking about offering ethanol blends for the first time or becoming a new blender. They discussed the essential steps for setting up supply and infrastructure, equipment considerations, state and federal incentives available to help you tap into this profitable market and more. With special...
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#109 UK Travel Plaza and Truck Stop's Unique Travel Center Experience
The Truck Stops Here
Sohail Butt, CFO of University Korner, and his partners are building a cutting-edge truck stop on the I-80 corridor of Pennsylvania. The truck stop, expected to open at the end of 2024, will be a very forward-thinking, inclusive travel center heavily focused on professional driver well-being. From unique amenities like a Himalayan pink salt room and a contemplation room to specialized food offerings and employee housing, this episode dives deep into what makes their approach to this new build truly one-of-a-kind. With special guest: Sohail Butt, CFO, University Korner Hosted by: Amy Toner,...
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#108 On the Road With NATSO: A 1500-Mile Journey With a Professional Truck Driver
The Truck Stops Here
Have you ever wondered what it's like on a road trip with a professional truck driver? This episode of The Truck Stops Here podcast features a candid discussion with Lisa Mullings, President & CEO of NATSO, on her week-long ride-along trip with Jennifer Evans, a Werner truck driver. Mullings reveals insightful details about Jennifer's routine, safety checks, traffic challenges, and how she keeps fit on the road. She also discusses the crucial role of customer service in travel centers and the importance of safe, legal parking for drivers. With special guest: Lisa Mullings, President and...
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#107 Bowlin Travel Centers Boasts Hospitality and Unique Finds
The Truck Stops Here
Valkyrie Musarra, COO of Bowlin Travel Centers, joins the podcast to share the fascinating history of Bowlin, their merchandising strategy, and how they create an immersive "treasure hunt" experience that keeps customers exploring their stores. Founded by Musarra's grandparents in 1912, Bowlin Travel Centers are much more than your typical truck stop. With ten locations spanning I-10 and I-40 in New Mexico and Arizona, Bowlin customers stop for everything from t-shirts and keychains all the way to more expensive handmade native american jewelry and pottery at this Southwest standout. With...
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#106 Dial Into Loyalty for Professional Drivers
The Truck Stops Here
Peter Rasmussen, founder and CEO of Convenience and Energy Advisors, joins the podcast to share the key components of successful loyalty programs including how to tailor rewards for professional drivers. Rasmussen and host Amy Toner also explore the role of AI in enhancing the customer experience and driving targeted offers, how small operators should tackle loyalty, and what to consider when choosing a loyalty provider. With special guest: Peter Rasmussen, Founder and CEO, Convenience and Energy Advisors Hosted by: Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
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#105 RaceTrac: 90 Years of Convenience, 6 Years of Travel Centers Excellence
The Truck Stops Here
RaceTrac is making major moves in the travel center industry. Nick LaFalce, RaceTrac's marketing manager, joins the podcast to share how RaceTrac is positioning the 90-year-old retail convenience chain’s new travel center program for professional drivers and on-the-go travelers. LaFalce, Darren Schulte, NATSO's vice president, membership, and host Amy Toner talk loyalty, merchandising, driver appreciation plans, and more. With special guest: Nick LaFalce, Marketing Manager, RaceTrac Hosted by: Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation and Darren Schulte, Vice President,...
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#104 Trends, Threats and Opportunities for the Travel Center Industry
The Truck Stops Here
It has been a minute since Darren Schulte, NATSO's vice president of membership, put on his futurist hat to help guide the travel center industry. In this episode, we cover groundbreaking trends, technological impacts, and the industry's competitive landscape. Discover how travel center operators are tackling these challenges and what industry changes could mean for their future. Tune in to learn how to stay competitive in an evolving industry. With special guest: Darren Schulte, Vice President, NATSO Hosted by: Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
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#103 Customer Experience Best Practices for Travel Centers With NexChapter
The Truck Stops Here
Customer experience (CX) includes any interaction that customers have with a brand across all touch points. It can include the experience they have digitally, such as an app, through advertising at the pump or in the store. As convenience is growing and blurring with increased competition for truck stops and travel centers, a good customer experience is especially important. In this episode, Amy Toner, executive director of the NATSO Foundation, discussed the importance of CX with Matt Sargent, VP of loyalty analytics at NexChapter. They delved into how travel centers and truck stops can...
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#102 Fuel Buying for Travel Centers With Experts From TACenergy
The Truck Stops Here
Buying fuel is a complicated process, and determining the best approach helps truck stop and travel center operators increase profitability while minimizing risks. A self-diagnosed fuel nerd, Randy Grizzle, director, sales & marketing at TACenergy, joined the podcast to cover best practices in fuel buying that can help travel center owners navigate the complexities of the fuel market. Grizzle helps listeners answer: What reports, indexes or key indicators should travel centers be monitoring? What one thing can a single store operator do to improve his or her fuel buying skills to improve...
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#101 Clean and Smart: The Future of Truck Stop Bathrooms With Washie
The Truck Stops Here
Rob Poleki, CEO and Co-Founder of Washie, joined the NATSO Foundation's podcast to discuss his innovative company, which is behind the world's first smart, sanitizing toilet seat for public restrooms. NATSO Services annually studies professional drivers’ stopping and buying behavior at truck stops and travel centers. In 2023, the research found that drivers' top factor in deciding whether to come inside from the fuel island or the parking lot was the cleanliness of restrooms and showers. Given the impact of cleanliness on a truck stop's success and that Washie’s booth was causing quite the...
info_outlineFood offerings are a key differentiator, setting truck stops and travel centers apart from the competition and enticing drivers inside. More importantly, sales in food or snacks are significant profit drivers. A new study from NATSO Services found untapped potential for growing food and beverage sales from drivers who are already stopping.
Most drivers taking the survey—81%—said they’d gone inside a travel center but left without purchasing food or beverages in the past month. Gaining even incremental sales from this group could result in significant gains.
Jessica Williams, founder and CEO of Food Forward Thinking, joins the podcast to walk listeners through menu planning for travel centers.
She offers advice on:
What is usually missing at a travel center that drivers seek?
What should travel centers think about when planning their food offerings?
What food trends are “trending” right now?
With special guest:
Jessica Williams, Founder and CEO of Food Forward Thinking
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation