Ten More Great Ideas from The NATSO Show

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.”

ALEXANDRIA, VA. — NATSO, representing truck stops and travel centers, and SIGMA: America’s Leading Fuel Marketers, applaud the U.S. House of Representatives for taking definitive steps to resolve the ongoing […]

President Trump on June 29 signed a Presidential Memoranda directing federal action to protect Americans’ right to repair their own vehicles and expand access to aftermarket parts, without being accused […]

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...

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...

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 toolkit found that while fuel prices remain important, drivers increasingly evaluate travel centers based on the overall experience, including parking availability, cleanliness, safety, lighting, convenience and loyalty rewards. “Drivers are making decisions based on the full experience, not just cost,” said Amy Toner, executive director of the NATSO Foundation. “Operators that invest in safe, clean and efficient locations will be better positioned to attract drivers and ensure repeat visits.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEDATE: June 9, 2026 ALEXANDRIA, VA — NATSO, representing America’s travel centers and truck stops, is pleased to welcome T Lines as a new Chairman’s Circle member. Through this […]

Speaker abstract submissions are now open for NATSO Connect 2027.

For operators, every gallon counts, and technology can help them prevent accidental losses as well as outright theft. It can also increase efficiency for operators by accurately tracking and communicating information on tank levels. “If I were an operator, I would be looking for things driven around efficiency—staff efficiency, maintenance efficiency, delivery efficiency, driver efficiency—anything that makes the staff’s work easier and eliminates the spreadsheets so they can focus on things that are more customer-centric,” said Tony Caputo, director of business development for Warren Rogers.

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.

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.

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.