Summer Traffic is Heating Up: What Merchandise Does Your Travel Center Need

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.

The House Agriculture Committee voted 34-17 on March 5 to advance H.R. 7567, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 — also known as the farm bill — to […]

Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Deb Fischer (R-NE.) introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at improving highway safety with respect to vehicle roadside crashes and work zones. The “Preventing Roadside and Work […]

The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade on Feb. 10, 2026, held a markup of legislation to advance and strengthen motor vehicle safety, including H.R. 1566, […]

The partial government shutdown ended February 3, 2026, after President Trump signed five of the remaining FY2026 appropriations bills plus a two-week extension of Homeland Security funding. This means that […]

For truck stops, upgrading or updating their point-of-sale (POS) systems is the first step toward tapping into new opportunities around multiple payment methods, loyalty programs and diverse ordering options. As consumers’ needs and preferences changes, POS platforms are going beyond processing transactions and becoming the foundation for customer engagement, operational efficiency and long-term growth.