NATSO President and CEO Max McBrayer urged Congress to reinstate the biodiesel blenders’ tax credit to help lower fuel costs, stabilize fuel supplies and strengthen demand for American agricultural product […]
10-13-2026Fast Forward Focus, NATSO and the NATSO Foundation’s fall leadership conference, will feature an educational session on how to pursue federal truck parking grants. Held October 28 – 29, 2026 in Nashville, Tenn., this must attend event offers sessions to get attendees up to speed on breaking trends shaping highway businesses’ future and the opportunity to create new insights with the industry power players filling the room.
Fast Forward Focus, NATSO and the NATSO Foundation’s fall leadership conference, will feature an educational session on how to pursue federal truck parking grants. Held October 28 – 29, 2026 in Nashville, Tenn., this must attend event offers sessions to get attendees up to speed on breaking trends shaping highway businesses’ future and the opportunity to create new insights with the industry power players filling the room.
07-14-2026The 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.
04-09-2026Even as diesel demand is forecasted to grow, an unprecedented expansion of diesel lanes by c-store retailers is intensifying competition across the country. For travel centers, the landscape is no longer defined by location alone — it’s about economics, investment strategy, and creating a differentiated experience for professional drivers.
Register to join Peter Rasmussen, CEO and founder of Convenience and Energy Advisors and the NATSO Foundation for a webinar on Dec 11, 2025 at 2:00 PM EST (1:00pm CST, 12:00pm MST and 11am PST.) Rasmussen will uncover the underlying drivers of this expansion and outlines the operational, financial, and strategic decisions every travel center should be considering today.
12-04-2025NATSO on Dec. 4 joined organizations representing oil refiners, ethanol producers, fuel marketers and convenience store retailers in asking President Trump to support long-term legislative policies that would help ensure […]
12-04-2025The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (SNPRM) to revise the proposed Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) renewable volume obligations (RVOs) for 2026 and 2027 to […]
09-18-2025Fuel islands are vital to the operations of truck stops and travel centers, but they also pose a variety of safety risks. There are obvious dangers associated with flammable fuels as well as more routine threats of slips, trips, and falls. By focusing on employee training, regular maintenance, and safety technologies, operators can significantly reduce risks and provide a safer environment for both drivers and staff.
“As part of our onboarding, we train on the use and locations of all fire extinguishers. We take new team members to each fire extinguisher, have them pick it up from the holder, to make sure they can do it, and explain where to direct the nozzle,” said Damon Borden, operations manager for Broadway Group.
09-18-2025The backcourt at truck stops is evolving with new diesel fuel pump technologies designed to enhance fueling efficiency, reduce downtime and improve overall service.
Reducing friction at the pump and increasing fueling times benefits operators and drivers alike. Drivers can either back on the road or head inside to take advantage of other amenities and the truck stop has greater throughput.
Payment technology is one tool that can increase speed at the pump. Traditionally pumps at the backcourt have not accepted credit card payments, so drivers must walk inside, visit the fuel desk to authorize the transaction, go outside to pump fuel and go back inside to get a receipt. More and more drivers want to save time by completing transactions right at the fuel island.
“Think of ways to allow them to pay that doesn’t require them to go inside,” said Darren Schulte, NATSO’s vice president of membership. “If drivers have to go in to pay and your competition provides the option to pay for fuel without going inside, you are putting yourself at a disadvantage for the customer who wants to fuel and go.”
07-31-2025Private fleet has surged, and drivers for private fleets often have different needs than long-haul drivers at for-hire, over-the-road fleets.
What does it means for travel centers? Speed and efficiency are always important to professional drivers, and private fleet drivers may be on even tighter and more predictable schedules, making clean restrooms, quick-service food, efficient fueling and short-term parking even more important for this group. Private fleets also tend to have shorter lengths of haul, which means their drivers are less likely to need overnight parking, showers or other amenities that truck stops have traditionally provided.
07-23-2025NATSO testified before the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) July 8 that fuel retailers view the proposed 2026 and 2027 renewable volume obligations (RVOS) as a positive signal for biofuel investments […]
07-09-2025
Congressman Bost (R-IL) and Congressman Mike Collins (R-GA), along with 31 House lawmakers, on June 10, 2025, requested that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) implement a preemptive and […]
06-12-2025
