Blog

Let NATSO Connect Keynote Speakers Know What You Want to Learn

The goal of NATSO Connect is to bring truckstop and travel plaza operators in direct contact with the thought leaders that can help them thrive in the future, and this year’s keynotes at have been re-engineered with a focus on truckstop input. More

Davis Travel Centers Meets the Community’s Needs

For Davis Travel Centers, which operates three locations in Virginia, meeting the needs of the traveling public and the community has always been a priority, and the location in Stony Creek offers everything from special treats for those traveling with pets to healthcare. More

Take a Deep Dive into Five Disruptive Trends During NATSO Connect

The pace of change within the truckstop and travel plaza industry is increasing exponentially. E-commerce, the future of autonomous trucks, major changes in technology and consumer demand are shaking up the retail and trucking industries. To help operators better understand how these changes will affect them and identify strategies to tackle the future, NATSO Connect, scheduled to be held Feb. 10-13, will present five keynote addresses that focus on key trends disrupting the industry. More

FireLake Grand Travel Plaza Caters to Its Customers

FireLake Grand Travel Plaza in Shawnee, Oklahoma, excels in service, and the management makes sure they take care of their customers. More

Eatonton Travel Center Appeals to Multiple Customer Types

Shaker Sangam, owner of Eatonton Travel Center in Eatonton, Georgia, really understands who his customers are and has carefully crafted his product mix to meet their needs. Eatonton isn’t a typical travel center in that it isn’t located along the interstate, and the offerings reflect the multiple types of customers who shop there. More

5 Common Biodiesel Myths — And The Facts That Debunk Them

You may think the cold weather so many of us are experiencing would make me reluctant to boast about biodiesel. You’d be wrong. Questions about cold weather operability are common for those of us in the biodiesel industry, and I’m happy to answer them — because biodiesel blends are used by fleets and truckers problem-free throughout North America, including during the depths of winter. Yet biodiesel’s alleged cold weather issues is one of the most persistent myths related to biodiesel. So in my last blog post of the year, I’m going to give you the facts on this and a few other myths. Myth: Biodiesel doesn’t work in cold weather. Fact: Just like with petroleum diesel, proper additive use and storage and blending methods allow biodiesel to be used even when the temperature drops below freezing. And keep in mind that 90 percent of a B10 blend is petroleum diesel, which impacts its cold weather properties much more than the biodiesel. You don’t have to take my word on biodiesel’s cold weather capabilities, though. Click here for a short video on G&D Integrated, an Illinois-based for-hire carrier that has seen engine performance stay strong since switching its large diesel fleet to a B20 blend year-round. More

Four Tips to Cut Food Costs from NATSO's Conference

During The NATSO Show 2017, Michael Ouimet, president of Oiumet Resources, which operates travel center restaurants in 11 states and provides consulting work, led a session on food costs for operators. “It has become really, really important in our restaurants to get the food cost right,” Ouimet said. Ouimet will be back again to present on food service best practices during the Good to Great Workshop during NATSO Connect 2018, which will be held February 10 - 13, 2018. During the session in 2017, Ouimet shared his insights to help operators cut costs and improve operations, and urged operators to find ways to save 2 percent or more in food costs and other restaurant-related expenses. More

QuikTrip Travel Center Stands Out with Speed of Service

QuikTrip’s stores are clean, well stocked and filled with friendly faces waiting to help customers, but what stands out above all else is the speed of service. They have evaluated every aspect of the location and eliminated anything that slows the speed of the transaction. More

Highlights from Day One of NATSO Connect

NATSO has redesigned its annual tradeshow to deliver the connections truckstops need to adapt the way they do business in order to thrive amidst ongoing disruption and increased competition, and the excitement at NATSO Connect kicks off on Feb. 10 in Nashville, Tenn. More

Tonkawa Trading Post is an Inviting and Fresh Travel Plaza in Oklahoma

Tonkawa Trading Post in Tonkawa, Oklahoma, is the third of Saqib Anwar’s travel center locations and his newest. Tonkawa Trading Post is another example of how owner Saqib Anwar uses clear, catchy signage to bring in multiple customer types. More

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