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03-25-2026 by Mindy Long The Right Travel Center Signs Boosts Sales and Improves the Customer Experience

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.
03-25-2026
09-17-2025 by Tiffany Wlazlowski Neuman NATSO Opens Registration for NATSO Connect 2026

NATSO, the trade association representing America’s travel centers and truck stops, announced that registration is now open for NATSO Connect 2026, scheduled to take place February 24–26, 2026, at the Clyde Hotel and Albuquerque Convention Center in Albuquerque, NM.

“The truck stop and travel center industry is a truly diverse and innovative community driven by a singular mission of advancing the industry’s future success. Through partnership and collaboration, NATSO’s members drive value and growth for all,” said NATSO President and CEO Max McBrayer. “I am inspired by these unique perspectives, and I look forward to meeting with NATSO’s truck stop, travel center, Chairman’s Circle and supplier members during my inaugural NATSO Connect.” 
09-17-2025
04-16-2025 by Mindy Long Great Ideas for Attracting and Retaining Travel Center Customers

NATSO’s Great Ideas! for Travel Centers Workshop at NATSO Connect 2025 brought truck stop and travel center operators to share innovative strategies and best practices that are helping set locations apart from their competition. This year, industry leaders shared their insights into meeting customers’ increasing expectations through great fundamentals.

“Carve out a niche and differentiate yourself from your competition,” said Dustin Trail, manager of Trails Travel Center.

Trail, along with Valkyrie Musarra, chief operating officer of Bowlin Travel Centers, and Keith Wade, owner of KEW Travel Center Consulting, kicked off the workshop with a panel discussion moderated by NATSO Foundation Executive Director Amy Toner on merchandising, food service and operations.
04-16-2025
03-26-2025 by Mindy Long NATSO’s 2025 Chairman Encourages Operators to Embrace Change

Change is happening throughout the truck stop and travel center industry, and Joe Zietlow, industry and trade association manager for Kwik Trip Inc. and NATSO’s 2025 chairman, said operators have to adjust to continue meeting the needs of their customers. 

While speaking during NATSO Connect 2025, Zietlow shared lessons from the book Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson, MD, about anticipating, preparing for and managing change. The book follows four characters—Sniff, Scurry, Hem and Haw—who live in a maze and depend on cheese as their source of happiness and sustenance.
03-26-2025
03-19-2025 by NATSO Foundation OPIS Shares on Tariffs, Refining Trends, and the Future of Fuel Markets at NATSO Connect

Denton Cinquegrana, chief oil analyst at OPIS, offered a keynote address during NATSO Connect 2025 and shared his insights into how tariffs, geopolitical events, and refining trends could shape the energy landscape in the coming years.

“Gasoline and diesel margins continue to remain on firm footing. I do not expect this to change,” he explained.
03-19-2025
11-25-2024 by NATSO Foundation The NATSO Foundation Introduces New Hybrid Networking Event at NATSO Connect

The NATSO Foundation is excited to announce a unique hybrid educational and networking event during NATSO Connect. The event, which will run from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. on Feb. 28, has been designed to foster meaningful connections between vendors and truck stop and travel center professionals, helping them address key challenges that keep them up at night.
11-25-2024
09-19-2024 by Mindy Long Greenlane is Looking for Partners in its Electric Vehicle and Hydrogen Fueling Network

Greenlane—a $650 million joint venture funded by NextEra, BlackRock and Daimler—is planning to develop electric vehicle charging infrastructure for medium and heavy-duty vehicles. The charging sites will also serve battery-electric passenger car and light-duty fleet customers and are being designed to provide hydrogen refueling for commercial vehicles in the future.

This week Greenlane announced that it broke ground to develop its first commercial EV charging corridor along Interstate 15. The initial locations will be in Colton, Barstow and Baker, California. Over the next year, more locations will be added along the corridor, extending beyond Southern Nevada and to San Pedro in California.
09-19-2024
08-01-2024 by Amy Toner Building the Travel Center of the Future

Polly Flinn, founder and principal of Flinnstone Strategies, is an industry expert in creating customer- focused, convenience formats that make their numbers.

Travel centers have the opportunity to increase wallet share by creating a compelling and consistent brand experience to grow traffic, loyalty, sales and profit. In this NATSO Connect 2024 keynote, Flinn shares new insights into the future of travel center retail, offering her expertise on customer segments, brand experience and retail offers.

Watch a video of her presentation.
08-01-2024

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