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NATSO Member Benefits

NATSO is always on the lookout for new benefits that advance the success of truckstop and travel plaza members. NATSO currently offers the following:

Advocacy

Government Affairs Representation
On the federal front, NATSO is the voice of truckstops and travel plazas on issues that impact the industry. The association serves as your advocate to Congress and federal regulatory agencies. Your dues dollars help to fund NATSO’s aggressive advocacy efforts that preserve the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands employed in the industry.

On the state scene, NATSO monitors and reports on legislation that affects the industry, alerting you to advocacy efforts you can advance locally. There are many instances where NATSO contacted a local mayor or local representative and utilized NATSO’s research and talking points to make a difference.

Government Affairs Conference
Participate in the highly acclaimed Government Affairs Conference for NATSO members only. Inform key Members of Congress about the hot issues that affect your business. Meet with your congressional representatives during appointments arranged by NATSO to help advance the industry’s position with decision makers. You will receive in-depth briefings and a personalized pocket agenda to make the most of your access to key Members of Congress. The conference will be a memorable experience that makes a historical impact.

Education, Information and Networking

The NATSO Show
NATSO members can attend the premier show for the truckstop and travel plaza industry at discounted rates. See the latest products and services and meet existing and prospective suppliers who have the goods and services to make your operation run smoothly and deliver what your customers want and need. Hundreds of exhibitors will be there to bring you the most up-to-date products and services. Come network and roundtable with truckstop and travel plaza colleagues who are working through similar challenges and experiences. The NATSO Show is an opportunity you can’t afford to miss! Learn about The NATSO Show 2009 here.

Stop Watch Magazine
NATSO's bi-monthly magazine is packed with news and feature articles that will give you insights into new ways of running your business. By implementing the ideas you get from the magazine, you will save money and increase your profits.

NATSO News Weekly
Keep up-to-date with NATSO's weekly electronic newsletter. Learn the latest government, regulatory and business developments that affect your business.

NATSO Truckers News Magazine
Have free copies delivered to your locations registered with NATSO. With a monthly circulation of 130,025 readers, Truckers News delivers sought-after news to your best customers. This magazine is available exclusively at NATSO member locations. This is a great value with an average of 50 copies per location per month.

NATSO Study Group
NATSO is pleased to offer the NATSO 1600 Study Group for independent operators. The purpose of the study group is to provide a mechanism for a group of non-competing operators to get together for a confidential exchange of experiences, solutions and ideas at regular meetings. Participants also receive the benefit of reliable, comparative operating data on a periodic basis. The objective of the group is to help members improve the overall performance of their businesses.

NATSO Great Ideas! All Year Long Conference Calls
NATSO has launched a new program to benefit independent operators. NATSO's monthly Great Ideas! All Year Long conference calls offer independent operators an opportunity to share their most innovative ideas and to ask their peers questions about immediate problems. Expert speakers also provide insight into opportunities to raise profits, cut costs or improve operations. The monthly peer-to-peer best practice sharing calls are free to NATSO independent members.

Online Buyers’ Guide
Looking for a new supplier or vendor? Check NATSO’s online Buyers’ Guide for a complete list of suppliers that have proven their dedication to the travel plaza industry by joining NATSO as allied members. The guide is a great reference resource for truckstop and travel plaza operators. Support allied partners that support you!

Business Solutions and Marketing

NATSO Check-Link™
Check-Link™ is a member-only program that provides check verification for thousands of professional drivers and offers NATSO’s assistance in collecting bad debt for an additional fee of $30 per month. In 2008, NATSO Check-Link™ was enhanced by adding authorizations through a larger nationwide network called SCAN.   While the Check-Link™ program already had data on bad check writers at truckstops, the SCAN network is comprised of data from the nation's largest retailers (such as Kmart and Wal-Mart).  In other words, NATSO members now have access to much more information on the check writer’s history.If your location is not currently a Check-Link location and would like to become apart of the Check-Link network, sign-up today!

NATSO Check-Link™ Directory Listing
All NATSO member locations are listed through an online directory provided to over 10,000 registered drivers who consult this resource for participating NATSO truckstop and travel plaza member locations. Various search criteria allows drivers to locate Check-Link locations while on the road. Click here to learn more about how Check-Link can help your business.

Debt Collection Support
NATSO Check-Link^TM subscribers receive free debt collection support. NATSO works to gain payments or cancel the privileges of high-risk drivers by monitoring the nationwide network of NATSO members. NATSO members work together to protect your location.

Discounted Credit Card Processing
Credit card fees are taking a big bite out of truckstop operators’ profits. In an effort to execute NATSO’s mission to advance the success of truckstop and travel plaza members, NATSO has developed a cost effective, competitive solution for processing credit card transactions. The program, which applies to Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, Diners Club, JCB, Voyager and Wright Express cards, offers group purchasing power through the association. Provided through a partnership with First Data Community Merchant Services, the NATSO member only program provides excellent rates.  For more details, please contact Dan Hudson with First Data Community Merchant Services at (800) 235-1794, extension 15317, or via e-mail at DanJ.Hudson@firstdata.com. You can also contact Amy Carle, NATSO’s director of membership, at (703) 739-8570 or acarle@natso.com.

Check Guarantee Service
Save thousands of dollars a year through check guarantee and self-risk check management programs for personal and business check acceptance designed to increase sales and manage the point of purchase. Participants receive a preferred rate of 1 percent of the check’s face value for this powerful check guarantee service, provided through Certegy (formerly Equifax), a NATSO business partner.

Royal Buying Group Buying Program
NATSO and Royal Buying Group, Inc. (RBG) have entered into an exclusive partnership to offer savings and discounts to NATSO member truckstop and travel plaza operators. Royal Buying Group is a marketing association that negotiates pricing and promotions for operators. RBG acts as a large chain, so locations may obtain rebates on over 400 products and programs they are not eligible for otherwise. There are no upfront costs associated with this program, as fees are taken out of rebates received. By participating in this NATSO member only program, operators could save about $8,000 just by participating in the “Top Programs” offered through the partnership. Learn more about those programs here.

American Bus Association
NATSO membership now entitles your travel plaza to join the American Bus Association (ABA). For a limited time, join ABA at a 50 percent savings off of the initiation fee and attract the motorcoach industry to your location.

Discounted Business Services
Benefit from the “members only” discounts on products and services negotiated by NATSO with member suppliers to increase your competitiveness and boost your bottom line. NATSO is constantly working on improved relationships in bringing you a NATSO advantage. When you shop with NATSO allied members you’ll see results that will improve your business.

NATSO Partnerships—Innovative Solutions, Cost-Saving Ideas
NATSO has entered into several business partnerships to save you money.

• Diversified Insurance Services, Inc.
  Diversified Insurance Services, Inc. was selected by the NATSO Board of Directors to be NATSO’s insurance partner. The company provides solutions for the business insurance, occupational health and safety, human resource and environmental problems faced by independent truckstop and travel plaza owners. Diversified Insurance Services, Inc. believes “We Provide Solutions . . . Not Just Insurance” is more than a motto—it is a way of life.
• PRS, Inc.
  PRS, Inc. has a software program, C+ Calculator, that makes it easy for your truckstop or travel center to audit and reconcile the daily settlements from fuel card companies. PRS customizes your data to meet the individual needs of your business. You decide; they provide! PRS’s mission is to provide the most effective management and marketing information available in the truckstop industry because the right business decisions are always based on facts, not guesses.

Free Listing in NATSO's Truckers News
Gain exposure to over 130,000 drivers in NATSO's Truckers News Magazine. You can reach readers with a free company listing for all new NATSO members, a $100 value. The exposure tells potential driver customers that you are a part of the NATSO network and can lead them to your location. Marketing ads and programs are featured throughout the year educating drivers on products and services available with NATSO members.

NATSO Membership Directory & Buyers’ Guide
All NATSO members receive a free listing in this annual guide to truckstop and travel plaza owners, operators and suppliers. Use your copy to network with colleagues or to find new sources of supply. Maximize the efficiency and profitability of your business by locating NATSO member suppliers and the new products and services they offer. This guide is free to members. Non-members may purchase the guide for $1,100.

Classified Advertisement Service
Post your ad to sell land, equipment or services in Stop Watch magazine and on the NATSO Web site. Members receive discounted rates to run classified ads in Stop Watch and a 60-day online listing is free. Reach thousands of readers and viewers monthly.