Topics: Great Ideas

Great Idea: Add Eclectic Items to Your Truckstop Buffet

After concluding that drivers are tired of eating the same foods everywhere, L.G. Truckers City dba TA Wapakoneta in Wapakoneta, Ohio, started putting unusual meat products on its buffet. Items include duck in orange sauce, lamb, frog legs and pastisio, which is a Greek lasagna. More

Great Idea in Action: We Pump Wednesday

During lunch on Wednesdays at the truckstops of Miller Oil Co. in Norfolk, Virgina, customers are treated to the unusual luxury of having their fuel pumped. More

Great Idea in Action: Bobby Bucks

White’s Petro Stopping Center in Raphine, Virginia, has its own currency—Bobby Bucks. More

Great Idea in Action: New Employee Buttons

To help take some of the stress off of new cashiers and set customers’ expectations, Wade has new hires wear big yellow buttons that say, “Be patient. I am in training.” More

Getting Your Truckstop Noticed on Google Maps

Not long ago, I started uploading photos of the NATSO member locations I visit to Google Maps, and today those photos have gotten more than 1 million views! Adding photos to Google Maps is one way to shape the first impression your customers see when they search for your location specifically or simply a place to stop. More

Replace an Unproductive Restaurant in Your Truckstop with One of These 15 Creative Offerings

Over time, certain profit centers can fail to produce the same margins they once did. Many in our industry are experiencing this with sit-down restaurants. Priorities for both professional and passenger drivers’ have shifted what today’s consumers are seeking out. For truckstop and travel plaza operators replacing an unproductive restaurant with another food option or service offering can bring a boost in sales. Here are 15 ideas for transforming space within your location. More

Four Ways to Make the Most of End Caps at Your Truckstop

End caps are prime real estate within a truckstop and they need to say “Bam, buy me!” To maximize the effectiveness of end caps, make sure they: More

How to See Your Truckstop with Fresh Eyes

We all know that curb appeal is important, and now new surveys show that two thirds of customers will not come into your operation if the curb appeal is not positive and inviting. But often times, we need to look at our locations with fresh eyes and see our operation in the same way a customer does. The next time you pull into your truckstop or travel plaza, pretend you’re a customer stopping for the first time. Take a good look at your location for these things. More

Seven Tips for Selling at Your Truckstop's Transaction Counter

Your transaction counter is one of the most important touch points that you have in your operation. It is frequently the first and last thing your customers see upon entering and leaving your operation. It is valuable and every single truckstop and travel plaza should treat it as premium space. Here are seven thoughts to consider when choosing what to put in that space. More

Flags and Family at Ports to Plains Members Only Join or Login

If you drove up to Ports to Plains truckstop, located in Lamar, Colorado, the first thing you’d probably notice is their big American flag. “We have a 20-foot by 30-foot American flag out front and a dozen American flags around the facility,” said owner Jim Miller. More

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