In today’s information-overloaded business world, we often find ourselves deluged with literally hundreds of news items from dozens of sources. While it is likely impossible to read every article and remain productive, by not doing so we risk missing the one article that could change a key business practice or thought process. And that is where the NATSO Foundation’s newest publication, Biz Brief, provides assistance! The NATSO Foundation's Biz Brief is a daily collection of the most relevant business intelligence for truckstop and travel plaza operators.
While we think the Biz Brief is a must-read every day, if you only read ten news articles this week, these ten most-clicked Biz Brief articles are the ten to read.
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Bike Week Interrupts Travel Plaza Operation
From March 7 to March 16, the Love's Travel Stop located on Interstate 95 in Ormond Beach is offering fueling services only with no long-term parking due to the extremely heavy traffic generated by Bike Week. Love's sits adjacent to the Daytona Harley Davidson store, a center point for the rally, which draws thousands of motorcyclists. Click here to read more > -
Educating Customers on Transaction Fees
The owner of the tiny Glover Street Market in Twisp, Wash., pays an average of $1.09 for each credit card transaction in her store. Consequently, she has taken a two-pronged approach to educating customers about this costly transaction fee. First, she charges a surcharge of $1.00 for each credit card transaction under $10. Additionally, she posts a chalkboard for customers where she tallies the credit card transaction fees she has paid since her business opened. The large total helps to educate customers about the hidden costs of processing credit cards. Click here to read more > -
Love's Generates Buzz With Sign Test
Love's created a buzz in Macon, Mo., recently when residents spotted a large, orange blimp flying over Highway 36. What residents saw was a high rise sign test being conducted by a sign contractor at the future site of a Love's Travel Stop. The blimp is raised to various heights to ascertain how far the sign might be visible from the highway. While the company's minimum acceptable visibility distance is four-tenths of a mile, Love's prefers for the sign to be readable from one mile. Click here to read more > -
Shell Slows Natural Gas Plans
Shell is slowing its approach to natural gas as a power source for the trucking industry. Though it is moving ahead with plans for two LNG fuel plants in Louisiana and Ontario, the oil company confirmed its decision not to build a third conversion plant in Calgary that would have turned natural gas into LNG. Shell remains committed to developing a 900-mile long network of LNG filling stations running from Alberta to the Pacific Coast of Canada. Pilot Flying J will operate the LNG facilities but Shell will not create the product. According to a Shell spokesperson, “We are definitely still interested, but it’s an emerging market so Shell has to take a balanced approach to these developments.” Click here to read more > -
Create Leaders Not Bosses
Most businesses have plenty of bosses. They are the people who tell you what is wrong with things, they know how things are done, they use people and they take credit. They also create teams that are uninspired and lack motivation. Leaders, on the other hand, are transformational coaches, who ask rather than tell, develop teammates, give credit and inspire excellence. Are you doing all that you can to develop leaders rather than bosses? Click here to read more > -
Walgreens Develops Trailer Ice Remover
Ice that forms on truck trailers poses a safety hazard when it is inadvertently thrown onto roadways while driving. Numerous accidents have been caused by frozen debris, including a tragic death in Pennsylvania some years ago. While some state lawmakers are seeking legislative solutions, Walgreens has developed an answer for fleets leaving its distribution center. The drug store company has installed a large blade at trailer height that each truck leaving its facility drives under, cleaning ice and snow from the top of the trailer. Click here to read more > -
Diesel to Remain Dominant Trucking Fuel
Diesel will remain the dominant fuel source for the trucking industry well past 2050, according to Allen Schaeffer of the Diesel Technology Forum. Schaffer outlined three factors that helped form his conclusions. The environmental improvements in diesel over the last several decades have made the product a clean option. A truck manufactured after 2007 emits just 2 percent of the pollutants that a truck made 20 years prior did. Today's diesels are considerably more fuel-efficient than their predecessors, burning 13.3 million barrels of petroleum less than they would have several decades ago. And finally, diesel cost, while higher in price than some other alternatives, is much more consistent throughout the year than natural gas. Click here to read more > -
Bridgestone Announces Truck Tire Management Change
NATSO Chairman Circle Member Bridgestone Commercial Solutions has announced that Matt Loos will become the director of truck and bus marketing. In the newly created position, Loos will lead the overall strategy for truck and bus radial tire marketing, including product marketing, pricing, programs, training and marketing communications. Loos joined the company in 2007 and has worked in the tire retread business and truck and bus tire marketing. Click here to read more > -
Industry Mourns Melvin C. King
Former NATSN CEO and truckstop operator Melvin C. King died March 1 at the age of 73. King, along with his brothers, owned several Bobber Travel Centers throughout Missouri for more than 20 years. Melvin was the first elected President of the NATSN Board and later served as the organization's CEO. Click here to read more > -
Fast-Fill CNG Station Opens in Florida
Trillium CNG and AmpCNG opened a new fast-fill CNG station in Orlando, Fla. The facility, located along Interstate 4, has two islands that pump at the gasoline gallon equivalent of 10 gallons per minute. The islands are open to the public, but Frito Lay is expected to be the station's largest customer. Trillium plans to open 77 CNG stations by June. Click here to read more >
I might be biased, but I think if you aren't receiving Biz Brief, you are missing out! Not a subscriber? Be sure to submit a request to be added to the email list. Already receive it and have feedback for me? Be sure to email me at editor@natso.com.
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