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.
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.
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.
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.
Travel center parking lots should be safe, offer driver comforts, and even make money with additions such as kiosks and cell towers. Gather parking lot ideas from NATSO members.
Hurricanes can interrupt business operations and leave travel center and truck stop operators faced with difficult decisions. Business owners have to figure out how to keep fuel tanks full and their operations running as they work to serve their customers or even first responders.
Stop Watch magazine has shared several best practices for keeping customers and employees safe when a natural disaster strikes.
As we are in hurricane season, gather eight hurricane-specific ideas.
On the surface, a convenience store within a truck stop or travel center may look similar to those
in your neighborhood, but the differences run deep. The types of customers stopping at the locations vary, as do the reasons they visit and what they plan to purchase. As a result, there has to be a wider variety of products, amenities and services at a travel center than at a convenience store.
“In general, travel centers’ categories don’t see the same type of sales in each category that a c-store may,” said Darren Schulte, NATSO’s vice president of membership.
This sample checklist can be used keep customers and employees safe at your travel center when disaster strikes.
Article created for the digital issue of the NATSO Foundation’s magazine Harman Aulakh, vice president of marketing for Onvo, which operates 39 locations in Pennsylvania and New York, has focused on cultivating […]
Article created for the digital issue of the NATSO Foundation’s magazine Truck stops and travel centers feature multiple profit centers and amenities; plus, customers want to get in and out quickly. Travel […]
Article created for the digital issue of the NATSO Foundation’s magazine Businesses that are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, have to keep the lights on around the clock […]
Article created for the digital issue of the NATSO Foundation’s magazine A 2023 poll from NATSO members found that 63 percent are ‘likely’ to invest in a rebuild or remodel during the next […]