Topics: Great Ideas

Best of Darren's Great Ideas for Independent Operators in 2015

Thanksgiving means pumpkin pie, time to give thanks and if we are lucky a trip out of town with family and friends. As Darren enjoys a much-deserved vacation, I thought I'd guest host with a round-up of his most popular blog posts. More

Master a One-Day Sale with These 16 Tips

One-day sales can be a great way to add excitement to a truckstop and travel plaza locations and spike sales. During the most recent Operational Exchange phone call we discussed the role one-day sales can play during seasonal and/or holiday special events. After the call I received a handful of follow-up questions asking for more details on the concept of a one-day sale, which made me realize operators could use some standard operating procedure guidelines to follow when creating such an event. More

White’s Travel Center to Share Their Great Idea of a Pharmacy at The NATSO Show

In the fall of 2015, White’s Petro Stopping Center in Raphine, Virginia, added a number of new amenities, including a pharmacy. Owner Bobby Berkstresser first began thinking about adding the pharmacy when they added a doctors’ clinic in 2012. The truckstop is a rural area and is about 15 minutes away from the closest pharmacy. With the clinic now seeing as many as 70 to 80 patients a day and, of course, giving many of those patients prescriptions, he felt it was time to pursue his idea. Their first step was to do a demographic study, which study found that a pharmacy at their location could be profitable with local traffic alone. More

Dedicated Pump for Rv Traffic at Anew Travel Center Members Only Join or Login

Anew Travel Center, which is located in Zeeland, Michigan, is a family-ownedand-operated company with more than 65 years in the transportation industry. The Meeuwsen family decided to build their truckstop in 2013 to offer renewable energy sources, including ethanol and biodiesel blends, to end consumers. More

Daily Truckstop Checklist: The Morning Routine

The start of a new day can be hectic, but this list will help you keep it simple. You don’t need to check something just for the sake of checking it, but here are five key areas to check each morning. More

Before Purchasing New Technology, Use What You Have

Technology is such an important word in our culture today, and we often think more and better technology is the solution to whatever challenge we’re facing. During my visits with truckstop and travel plaza operators, many of them tell me they’re thinking of investing in new technology. I always like to dig a little deeper into why. More

What Does Walmart's Advanced Vehicle Experience Mean for Truckstops?

The trucking industry is buzzing with news of Walmart's Advanced Vehicle Experience. The truck prototype combines aerodynamics, mictroturbine-hybrid powertrain, electrification, advanced control systems, and cutting edge materials like carbon fiber all in one vehicle with the end goal of drastically improving fuel efficiency. More

White's 2.0: Destination Station

The Berkstresser's recently completed their second remodel of White's Travel Center and this one is somehow more impressive than the first. Under the Berkstresser's direction, White's evolved into a true family establishment and a home away from home for many. The latest incarnation, White's 2.0 as I call it, not only strengthens that sense of home, but also provides the opportunity to bring a little bit of your travels home thanks to some retail innovation, which I was fortunate enough to witness at their Grand Opening celebration for their expansion -- aptly named Destination Station. More

How to Know Your Truckstop Customer

I always highlight the importance of knowing your customer and understanding what your customers want, but operators frequently ask me what that means. They also want to know if it is going to be hard and where to start. I always tell them that, no, it isn’t hard, but it takes some time and effort to do it correctly. As so many of our members remind me daily, operators do not know what they do not know. Unless you have been taught how to spacewalk, chances are that when given the opportunity, you will not do well at that activity. So let’s walk through an example process of discovering who your customers are and what they want from you. More

WaWa Shares its Brand Building Tips at The NATSO Show

The convenience store chain WaWa is a leader in customer loyalty and food service, and during The NATSO Show 2014, WaWa executives shared their knowledge with truckstop and travel plaza operators. More