Amy Toner is the Executive Director of the NATSO Foundation. In this capacity, Toner spearheads the Foundation’s education, research and outreach activities. Toner serves as Editor of Stop Watch magazine, spearheads education and speaker selection for NATSO live events and hosts NATSO’s Podcast, The Truck Stops Here. She sets the knowledge strategy, education.
Due diligence is the groundwork to every successful travel center construction project and investing 12-24 months to complete the necessary research to ensure projects are feasible pays dividends when it is time to build.
RJP Consulting Group’s Robert Peppelman, CEO, Mark Devlin, division manager, and Val O’Connor, director of construction, shared their expertise in proper feasibility and site due diligence during this webinar.
Truck stops and travel centers should create a mix of grab-and-go, built-to-order and quick service options that can appeal to customers who are on the go.
Here are trends in the fresh food category.
Beverage offerings inside of truck stops and travel plazas can be a powerful driver of sales, bringing customers inside and often prompting additional purchases of snacks or foodservice items.
Travel centers should have their eye on these five trends in beverages.
The NATSO Foundation has released the Truck Stop and Travel Center Safety Guidance Toolkit, a comprehensive resource designed to help truck stop and travel center owners, managers and staff build safer environments for employees, drivers and the communities they serve.
“Truck stops and travel centers play a critical role in keeping professional drivers, local communities and the traveling public moving safely,” said Amy Toner, executive director of the NATSO Foundation. “This toolkit is designed to help truck stop and travel center operators make safety part of everyday operations so everyone at the location feels protected and supported.”
Fast Forward Focus, NATSO and the NATSO Foundation’s fall leadership conference, will feature an educational session on how to pursue federal truck parking grants. Held October 28 – 29, 2026 in Nashville, Tenn., this must attend event offers sessions to get attendees up to speed on breaking trends shaping highway businesses’ future and the opportunity to create new insights with the industry power players filling the room.
Fast Forward Focus, NATSO and the NATSO Foundation’s fall leadership conference, will feature an educational session on how to pursue federal truck parking grants. Held October 28 – 29, 2026 in Nashville, Tenn., this must attend event offers sessions to get attendees up to speed on breaking trends shaping highway businesses’ future and the opportunity to create new insights with the industry power players filling the room.
The NATSO Foundation has released its 2026 Annual Professional Driver Buying Behavior at Travel Centers Survey Toolkit, giving truck stop and travel center operators new insights into the factors shaping where professional drivers choose to stop, their wants and needs, and what makes them return to a location.
The survey revealed that truck stops and travel centers are competing not only on location and fuel price, but also on the overall stopping experience. Operators focusing on efficiency, safety, cleanliness and value have incredible opportunities to attract customers, increase loyalty and convert customer traffic into sales.
Key findings include:
Loyalty programs influence drivers’ decisions on where to stop and can be a powerful tool to attract value-minded consumers. More than a one-third of drivers prefer to redeem loyalty program points for free showers, followed by in-store discounts and merchandise discounts…
Food is a critical part of truck stops and travel centers’ offerings, and it continually helps locations stand out from the competition. The NATSO Foundation’s 2027 Food and Beverage Steering Council is bringing together experts to share their insights and knowledge to help steer the industry in this important profit center.
“QSRs, beverage companies, wholesale supply chains—these companies all have a wealth of knowledge to guide travel center operators on their food offerings,” said Amy Toner, executive director of the NATSO Foundation. “The NATSO Foundation Food and Beverage Steering Council ensures travel centers remain relevant amidst evolving consumer food, buying, and travel habits.”
The NATSO Foundation has released its 2026 Annual Professional Driver Buying Behavior at Travel Centers Survey Toolkit, giving truck stop and travel center operators new insights into the factors shaping where professional drivers choose to stop, their wants and needs, and what makes them return to a location.
The survey revealed that truck stops and travel centers are competing not only on location and fuel price, but also on the overall stopping experience. Operators focusing on efficiency, safety, cleanliness and value have incredible opportunities to attract customers, increase loyalty and convert customer traffic into sales.
Key findings include:
Very few drivers plan their stops far in advance, making awareness and visibility critical to attracting customers. Most drivers—42%—said they plan their fuel stops the same day. The top factors drivers consider when choosing a truck stop are fuel prices, plenty of parking and easy access to the interstate…
Speaker abstract submissions are now open for NATSO Connect 2027.
Today, technology can greatly assist with customer-facing forecourt monitoring, compliance, and the protection of every travel center’s most expensive asset: its fuel inventory.
Register to join our webinar on How Modern Remote Fuel System Monitoring Drives Speed, Compliance, and Profitability on May 14.
Even as diesel demand is forecasted to grow, an unprecedented expansion of diesel lanes by c-store retailers is intensifying competition across the country. For travel centers, the landscape is no longer defined by location alone — it’s about economics, investment strategy, and creating a differentiated experience for professional drivers.
Register to join Peter Rasmussen, CEO and founder of Convenience and Energy Advisors and the NATSO Foundation for a webinar on Dec 11, 2025 at 2:00 PM EST (1:00pm CST, 12:00pm MST and 11am PST.) Rasmussen will uncover the underlying drivers of this expansion and outlines the operational, financial, and strategic decisions every travel center should be considering today.