Mindy Long - NATSO

AI’s Growing Role in Truck Stop Operations

Posted on 04-20-2026 by Mindy Long

Artificial intelligence is gaining traction across at truck stops and travel centers as well as their core customer base. The technology is helping operators and fleets increase profitability and efficiency, and it has the potential to reshare how operators do business.

“AI is rapidly evolving from a buzzword into a practical business tool that can deliver real, measurable benefits and is becoming the next practical step for productivity and efficiency. It is becoming more and more accessible and is being built directly into many of the everyday systems operators already use, including point-of-sale platforms, loyalty programs and fuel management solutions. As AI use advances rapidly in the coming years, it will become increasingly important for travel centers to understand the technology and its impact on the industry,” said Amy Toner, executive director of the NATSO Foundation.

How to Innovate in Food Service: Lessons from Travel Centers

Posted on 04-14-2026 by Mindy Long

Innovation in food service isn’t just about trendy new menu items. For truck stop and travel center operators, food service innovation can help draw in customers, reduce friction and improve margins while also ensuring locations deliver food that people actually crave.

During the NATSO Connect Food Focus Forum at NATSO Connect 2026, three industry leaders shared practical ways to think about and execute innovation.

Trucking’s Long Slump Gives Way to a Painful, But Promising Recovery

Posted on 04-09-2026 by Mindy Long

The trucking industry’s long downturn is finally easing after a years-long freight recession, but the recovery is being driven by decreased availability of capacity rather than increased freight.

Fleets and drivers are leaving the industry, and new truck purchases are running below replacement levels, gradually tightening capacity in what American Trucking Associations Chief Economist and Senior Vice President Bob Costello called a “supply-side cycle.”

“I’m going to let you decide if the glass is half full or half empty. I’m going to go with it being half full,” Costello said while speaking during NATSO Connect 2026 in late February.

The Right Travel Center Signs Boosts Sales and Improves the Customer Experience

Posted on 03-25-2026 by Mindy Long

Signage is an important tool to bring in highway traffic, but locations only have a few seconds to grab drivers’ attention.

“Signage studies show that it takes about five seconds due to cognitive load to look at a sign and determine what that sign says,” said Curtis Dukes, director of digital solutions and integration for Sunshine Electronic Display Corp. “At 70 miles an hour, you only have three seconds.”

That’s why signage needs to be clear and concise. “Drivers scan. They don’t study a sign,” Dukes added. “Complexity will hurt you.”

During NATSO Connect 2026, Dukes told attendees that drivers are scanning signs for brand recognition, price advantage or a compelling amenity and recommended operators simplify their messaging so it can be understood at speed in real-world conditions.

Create Reasons for the Four-Wheel Customer to Come Inside Your Travel Center

Posted on 03-18-2026 by Mindy Long

Speed, efficiency and location have long been a competitive advantage for truck stop and travel center operators, but those attributes alone may no longer be enough to drive traffic inside the store.

“The world already sells convenience,” said Frank Beard, head of marketing at Rovertown. “What convenience stores really sell is a better day.”

While speaking during NATSO Connect 2026, Beard said operators need to shift their focus from convenience to emotional value, saying c-stores competes not just with other retailers but with a broader ecosystem of on-demand services that are increasing convenience across nearly every aspect of daily life.

TA and Relay Payments Partner Launch Fraud-Free Digital Fuel Payments

Posted on 12-05-2025 by Mindy Long

Building a Safety Culture at Your Travel Center Starts with Training

Posted on 09-11-2025 by Mindy Long

Cultivating a safety culture takes time, and structured, role-specific training programs customized for the various areas of the travel center can protect employees and customers alike. In addition to training employees receive when they’re hired, operators should offer are ongoing trainings, including post-accident and seasonal safety, to keep safety at the forefront of everyone’s mind.

“We believe safety is owned by every team member,” Mark Sorine, vice president, enterprise safety and security at Pilot. “Each week, we share a safety message with our stores and ask managers to discuss it with their teams. These messages often focus on trends or situations within the travel center industry. Continuous improvement is a priority, and we conduct multiple safety audits to maintain our processes and standards for safety and security.”

Travel Center Leaders Discuss the Future of Fuels at ACT Expo

Posted on 05-22-2025 by Mindy Long

Truck stop leaders speaking at the 2025 Advanced Clean Transportation Expo said that they are investing in zero-carbon fuels for trucking fleets and rolling out solutions as the markets allow. They also see a future where locations will need to offer multiple fuels and energy sources to meet fleets’ needs.

“There’s no one size fits all solution,” said Debi Boffa, CEO of TravelCenters of America and a member of NATSO’s board of directors. “We’re looking for different opportunities to learn and test these technologies as it gets played out.”

She said that offering choice is important because different fleets have different needs. “We’re constantly looking at what’s going on in the market, what is the best price opportunity for our customers, where we want to invest first and where we want to invest later,” she explained.

Valor Oil’s Hop Shops Draw Customers in with a Unique Attraction

Posted on 05-14-2025 by Mindy Long

Kentucky-based Valor Oil operates 15 Hop Shop convenience stores and is in the process of building its first truck stop from the ground up. The company is investing $2 million in the truck stop, which is in Owensboro, Kentucky. It will sit on about 15 acres and feature a 9,500-square-foot store along with 120 parking spaces.

The newest location will also feature something Hop Shop has become known for—its disco bathrooms.

Hop Shop’s mascot is a mischievous frog named Hopper, and he warns customers not to push the red button in the bathroom. “If you push the red button, that is when the disco starts,” said Tim Dupin, director of store operations, Valor Oil.

Technology to Detect and Prevent Loss for Travel Centers

Posted on 04-24-2025 by Mindy Long

Reducing shrink and theft can seem like a constant battle for truck stop and travel center operators, but technology is making it easier to detect and prevent loss. During NATSO Connect 2025, members of the NATSO Foundation’s Technology Steering Council shared solutions and strategies to combat theft.

Great Ideas for Attracting and Retaining Travel Center Customers

Posted on 04-16-2025 by Mindy Long

NATSO’s Great Ideas! for Travel Centers Workshop at NATSO Connect 2025 brought truck stop and travel center operators to share innovative strategies and best practices that are helping set locations apart from their competition. This year, industry leaders shared their insights into meeting customers’ increasing expectations through great fundamentals.

“Carve out a niche and differentiate yourself from your competition,” said Dustin Trail, manager of Trails Travel Center.

Trail, along with Valkyrie Musarra, chief operating officer of Bowlin Travel Centers, and Keith Wade, owner of KEW Travel Center Consulting, kicked off the workshop with a panel discussion moderated by NATSO Foundation Executive Director Amy Toner on merchandising, food service and operations.