Equipment manufacturers and fleets are deploying and testing autonomous Class 8 technology, moving the trucking industry closer to high-volume production and deployment of fully autonomous driverless solutions.
NATSO Foundation
The NATSO Foundation is the research, education, and public outreach subsidiary of NATSO, Inc. The foundation is completely autonomous and relies solely on donations. The foundation’s work includes tools for truck stops and travel centers to future-proof their business, educational programs, safety initiatives, and scholarships through the Bill and Carolyn Moon Scholarship.
Surprise and Delight Your Travel Center Customers this Holiday Season
The upcoming holiday season brings additional opportunities to boost sales, and travel centers can bring a little magic to the mix by surprising customers with unexpected products.
“We can offer unique, fun things, and we have the opportunity to do something very, very different,” said Darren Schulte, NATSO’s vice president of membership. “I think there is an opportunity to get away from the old, tired retail stuff we often try to sell for Christmas.”
The NATSO Foundation Introduces New Hybrid Networking Event at NATSO Connect
The NATSO Foundation is excited to announce a unique hybrid educational and networking event during NATSO Connect. The event, which will run from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. on Feb. 28, has been designed to foster meaningful connections between vendors and truck stop and travel center professionals, helping them address key challenges that keep them up at night.
Travel Centers Strike a Balance Between Loss Prevention and Customer Convenience
Retail theft and pilferage can be serious issues for businesses, but maintaining a balance between loss prevention and the customer experience is essential for businesses, especially at travel centers where speed is a priority.
“We know our customers are time starved,” said Darren Schulte, NATSO’s vice president of membership. “In my opinion, we have swung so far to one side of loss prevention that it is negatively affecting our sales and impacting our customer experience.”
“We don’t seem to be doing anything about it other than locking up merchandise,” he said, adding that locks create friction for customers, which discourages sales and creates frustration.
So, if locking up merchandise isn’t the answer, what can operators do instead?
Drivers Want Well-Lit, Easy-to-Access Sites to Boost Safety
A well-organized, well-lit parking lot layout can significantly reduce the risk of incidents, improve overall safety and make drivers feel at ease. There are several ways to improve safety in the parking lot. Here are 10 tips to cultivate a culture of safety.
Cargo Thefts are Expected to Increase Over Labor Day
People across the country are looking forward to the upcoming Labor Day holiday, including cargo thieves. “The data paints a clear picture: theft incidents peak on the Friday preceding Labor Day,” CargoNet wrote in a release. Warehouses, truck stops and large retail parking lots were found to be the most common sites for thefts.
There are several ways operators can help improve safety for their employees and customers and help reduce the risk of cargo theft at their locations.
Multifaceted Factors Influencing Fuel Costs
Fuel prices are subject to a complex interplay of global, national and local factors that all contribute to the fluctuations in fuel prices. The NATSO Foundation pulled together a macro-level look at the factors influencing fuel costs.
Guide to Different Types of Fuel
Understanding the various types of fuels available is crucial for providing customers with the right choices and maintaining compliance with environmental regulations. The most common types of fuel include regular octane gasoline, premium gasoline, reformulated gasoline, Low Reid Vapor Pressure gasoline, E85, diesel, premium diesel, winter diesel, biodiesel and renewable diesel.
Selecting Your Travel Center Fueling Equipment
Fuel pumps are an essential part of travel center operations, and choosing the right equipment will help increase efficiency and customer satisfaction.
The NATSO Foundation’s Travel Center and Truck Stop New Build Toolkit offers these factors to look at as you select the right pumps for your location.
Resources for Buying Diesel with Confidence
Commercial fuel buying is a complex process involving several pricing mechanisms, multiple fuel types, and various outside market factors that can affect supply and demand. At the same time, truck stop and travel center operators must closely monitor their budgets, fuel prices and inventory.
“One of the most important things to understand is how fuel is priced. There are several pricing mechanisms, including the spot market. In a traditional procurement perspective, that means I don’t necessarily have an agreed-to price,” Randy Grizzle, director of sales and marketing for TACenergy said. “I needed it today. I bought it today.” However, in commercial fueling, there are one of two indices that have spot in their name, which can create confusion, Grizzle said.
More on the Trends and Opportunities Shaping the Travel Center Industry
When it comes to the future of the truck stop and travel center industry, Darren Schulte, NATSO’s vice president of membership, has a strong history of identifying trends, warning about threats and identifying new opportunities. He has an extensive background in the industry, has made thousands of site visits, and has constant conversations with operators and industry experts.
Read a detailed write-up of Schulte’s episode of the Truck Stops Here podcast, where he shared on what is happening in the travel center industry.