Congressman Bill Shuster, Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, told reporters July 19 that he plans to put out a “discussion draft” on infrastructure before the House breaks for August recess.
NATSO
NATSO Testifies EPA Needs Transparent Process to Assess Small Refinery Waivers
A travel center executive testifying on behalf of NATSO told the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that the Agency needs a transparent process to guide its assessment of small refinery waiver requests to ensure that such exemptions don’t continue to undermine the law’s intent and decrease demand for biofuels.
NATSO to Testify on EPA’s 2019 Renewable Volume Obligations
NATSO member Beth Westemeyer, Director of Business Development for Anew Travel and Fuel Centers, the retail arm of Zeeland Farm Services in Zeeland, Mich., is scheduled to testify July 18 at the Environmental Protection Agency’s public hearing in Ypsilanti, Mich., regarding the agency’s proposed renewable fuel standards for 2019 and the biomass-based diesel volume for 2020.
NATSO Submits RFS Point of Obligation Brief
NATSO, the national association representing truckstops and travel plazas, along with the Society of Independent Gasoline Marketers of America (SIGMA) and the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS), submitted an amicus brief last week to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals providing support for the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) determination that the point of obligation under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) remain with refiners and importers. NATSO filed the brief in response to legal challenges from some refiners and importers that argue EPA should move the point of obligation to downstream entities.
ATA, Motor Carriers Sue Rhode Island Over Truck Toll Program
The American Trucking Associations, along with Cumberland Farms Inc., M&M Transport Services Inc. and New England Motor Freight, asked a federal court to rule Rhode Island’s RhodeWorks truck-only toll scheme unconstitutional, arguing it discriminates against interstate trucking companies and impedes the flow of interstate commerce.
EPA Administrator Resigns Amid Ethics Scandals
Scott Pruitt, the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and one of President Trump’s most effective and controversial cabinet secretaries, resigned on July 5 amid continuing revelations about ethical lapses and investigations that plagued much of his tenure at the agency.
Taking the NATSO Foundation’s Pulse
As we cross into the second half of the year, now is a great time to stop and reflect on all that the NATSO Foundation is doing in 2018 to help advance the educational needs of the truckstop and travel plaza industry.
Truckstop Operators Use Varied Food and Offerings to Appeal to Travelers and Locals
Wendi Powell, co-owner of Big Boys Truck Stop in Kenley, North Carolina, knows that travel centers need to be all things to all people, and she tries to create solutions that appeal to all types of customers, whether they are locals, the traveling public or professional drivers.
“The more creatively we can make the mix work, the better for us,” Powell said.
Although convenience and time are always important, local customers love favorites while travelers like experiences. “It’s my goal to create a mix,” Powell said.
At Busy Bee, a regional chain of travel centers in Florida, local customers are in the store weekly and form close relationships with the locations and teams. “We see them coming in to not only to fill up their cars, but also meet daily/weekly needs from grocery items to our locally made cakes,” said Elizabeth Waring, president of Busy Bee. “However, with our traveling guests the needs slightly vary. When they stop in at our facility, they are there to fill a more immediate need. We have tried to build those relationships so that as they travel they look to us first to fill that—or empty that.”
Truckstop Floor Layout Best Practices [Infographic]
Creating the right flow through a truckstop and travel plaza can draw customers deeper into the location and help increase sales.
A Renewable Fuels Standard Deep Dive from the Alternative Fuels Council
The Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS), which has been in place since 2005, can be a complex issue to untangle and understand.
Three Generations of Women Create Success at Coffee Cup Fuel Stops
Jane Heinz started her journey into the truckstop and travel plaza industry when she married into it 36 years ago. Since then, she has worked side-by-side with her husband, Tom, to open new Coffee Cup Fuel Stops stores and train people to run them. She also has done everything from serving as general manager to handling the merchandising, and together she and Tom have created a thriving business that now includes their children and grandchildren.