Photo: Cathy Duncan, vice president at DTN, speaking at NATSO Connect.
Photo Credit: Brittany Palmer/NATSO
Fuel buying has continued to get more sophisticated, and the current combination of demand, supply, terminal operating status and rack price rules have created a complicated equation for truckstop and travel plazas to navigate. To be successful, operators have to stay current on prices and trends and combine fuel buying techniques, many of which may be different than they’ve used in the past.
“Sometimes we get comfortable with what we’re doing and continue to do that, choosing the path of least resistance, but it is important to ask yourself if you’re buying fuel properly or if you’ve become too satisfied with the way you’re doing it,” said Darren Schulte, vice president of membership for NATSO.
Cathy Duncan, vice president of sales, downstream oil and gas at DTN and a featured speaker at NATSO Connect, said much has changed in the past five years, and buyers can’t afford to stick with the status quo. “A deal that might have been stellar five years go may no longer be the best option,” Duncan said. “What you have to do is not only question every year what your strategy is going to be but also watch your strategy for what you could have done during the year.”