The Truck Stops Here: Recent Episodes
NATSO
Pull up, grab the fuel nozzle and get ready to fuel up on trends and strategies to grow your travel center business in The Truck Stops Here, brought to you by NATSO.
As soon as we read about Nisqually Markets’ Ramen Go! Experience, we knew we had to have Sam Roark, director of retail operations for Nisqually Markets, on the podcast. Nisqually Markets has it all – innovative technology, experiential offerings, and good food.
Listen in as Roark walks listeners through everything that makes Nisqually Markets so special.
This year, the NATSO Foundation is partnering with the nonprofit Wreaths Across America (WAA) in the nationwide Truckloads of Remembrance initiative.
Through this initiative, the NATSO Foundation has joined WAA in raising awareness and support for the sponsorship of veterans’ wreaths for placement by volunteers at Arlington National Cemetery as part of National Wreaths Across America Day – Saturday, December 13, 2025.
The NATSO Foundation aims to raise funds through wreath sponsorships to fill one trailer load of sponsored veterans’ wreaths (approximately 4,500).
Wreaths Across America's Elisabeth Barna and NATSO Foundation Executive Director Amy Toner share about the partnership and how to get involved.
To support the NATSO Foundation in reaching its goal, truck stops and travel centers can participate by soliciting wreath sponsorships now through December 2, 2025. Truck stops and travel centers should ask for donations using this NATSO Foundation link: www.natso.com/wreathsacrossamerica.
With special guest: Elisabeth Barna for Wreaths Across America
Hosted by: Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
At All American Truckers Paradise, they’re setting a new bar for what a truck stop can be. Located on Interstate 35 in Gainesville, TX, the newly opened All American Truckers Paradise was designed with the trucker in mind.
Dean Ash, CEO of All American Trucker’s Paradise, joined the NATSO Foundation’s podcast to discuss the plethora of unique amenities, including soul food, no-wait mobile fueling and truck washing services, and a very unique mail and package offering.
“Consider this a trucker’s home away from home… We want them to have fun, we want them to smile. That is my passion, anything that is travel and transportation on one side, but then the hospitality of it. We want them to come in and have fun,” said Ash.
With special guest: Dean Ash, CEO of All American Trucker’s Paradise
Hosted by: Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
Ethanol has been around for a long time, but the incentives and the benefits are still going strong. Ginger Laidlaw, vice president of NATSO’s Alternative Fuels Council, and Andrew Falco, market development & analytic manager for Growth Energy, offer their take on what should be considered if you're thinking about offering ethanol blends for the first time or becoming a new blender. They discussed the essential steps for setting up supply and infrastructure, equipment considerations, state and federal incentives available to help you tap into this profitable market and more.
With special guests:
Ginger Laidlaw, vice president of NATSO’s Alternative Fuels Council and Andrew Falco, market development & analytic manager for Growth Energy
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
Sohail Butt, CFO of University Corner, and his partners are building a cutting-edge truck stop on the I-80 corridor of Pennsylvania. The truck stop, expected to open at the end of 2024, will be a very forward-thinking, inclusive travel center heavily focused on professional driver well-being. From unique amenities like a Himalayan pink salt room and a contemplation room to specialized food offerings and employee housing, this episode dives deep into what makes their approach to this new build truly one-of-a-kind.
With special guest:
Sohail Butt, CFO, University Korner
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation and Darren Schulte, Vice President, Membership, NATSO
Have you ever wondered what it's like on a road trip with a professional truck driver? This episode of The Truck Stops Here podcast features a candid discussion with Lisa Mullings, President & CEO of NATSO, on her week-long ride-along trip with Jennifer Evans, a Werner truck driver. Mullings reveals insightful details about Jennifer's routine, safety checks, traffic challenges, and how she keeps fit on the road. She also discusses the crucial role of customer service in travel centers and the importance of safe, legal parking for drivers.
With special guest:
Lisa Mullings, President and CEO, NATSO
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
Valkyrie Musarra, COO of Bowlin Travel Centers, joins the podcast to share the fascinating history of Bowlin, their merchandising strategy, and how they create an immersive "treasure hunt" experience that keeps customers exploring their stores. Founded by Musarra's grandparents in 1912, Bowlin Travel Centers are much more than your typical truck stop. With ten locations spanning I-10 and I-40 in New Mexico and Arizona, Bowlin customers stop for everything from t-shirts and keychains all the way to more expensive handmade native american jewelry and pottery at this Southwest standout.
With special guest:
Valkyrie Musarra, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President, Bowlin Travel Centers Inc
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation and Darren Schulte, Vice President, Membership, NATSO
Peter Rasmussen, founder and CEO of Convenience and Energy Advisors, joins the podcast to share the key components of successful loyalty programs including how to tailor rewards for professional drivers. Rasmussen and host Amy Toner also explore the role of AI in enhancing the customer experience and driving targeted offers, how small operators should tackle loyalty, and what to consider when choosing a loyalty provider.
With special guest:
Peter Rasmussen, Founder and CEO, Convenience and Energy Advisors
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
RaceTrac is making major moves in the travel center industry. Nick LaFalce, RaceTrac's marketing manager, joins the podcast to share how RaceTrac is positioning the 90-year-old retail convenience chain’s new travel center program for professional drivers and on-the-go travelers.
LaFalce, Darren Schulte, NATSO's vice president, membership, and host Amy Toner talk loyalty, merchandising, driver appreciation plans, and more.
With special guest:
Nick LaFalce, Marketing Manager, RaceTrac
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation and Darren Schulte, Vice President, Membership, NATSO
It has been a minute since Darren Schulte, NATSO's vice president of membership, put on his futurist hat to help guide the travel center industry.
In this episode, we cover groundbreaking trends, technological impacts, and the industry's competitive landscape. Discover how travel center operators are tackling these challenges and what industry changes could mean for their future. Tune in to learn how to stay competitive in an evolving industry.
With special guest:
Darren Schulte, Vice President, NATSO
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
Customer experience (CX) includes any interaction that customers have with a brand across all touch points. It can include the experience they have digitally, such as an app, through advertising at the pump or in the store. As convenience is growing and blurring with increased competition for truck stops and travel centers, a good customer experience is especially important.
In this episode, Amy Toner, executive director of the NATSO Foundation, discussed the importance of CX with Matt Sargent, VP of loyalty analytics at Nextchapter. They delved into how travel centers and truck stops can elevate their customer engagement and stay competitive in a constantly evolving market.
With special guest:
Matt Sargent, VP of Loyalty Analytics, NexChapter
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
Buying fuel is a complicated process, and determining the best approach helps truck stop and travel center operators increase profitability while minimizing risks. A self-diagnosed fuel nerd, Randy Grizzle, director, sales & marketing at TACenergy, joined the podcast to cover best practices in fuel buying that can help travel center owners navigate the complexities of the fuel market.
Grizzle helps listeners answer: What reports, indexes or key indicators should travel centers be monitoring? What one thing can a single store operator do to improve his or her fuel buying skills to improve profitability? What concerns should they be aware of in moving toward higher levels of ethanol such as E15 or E85?
In collaboration with TACenergy, the NATSO Foundation released a Fuel Buying for Truck Stops and Travel Centers Toolkit. The comprehensive guide was created to give travel center operators a broad understanding of available fuel types, the basics of spot purchasing vs. index-based purchasing, and information on fuel price indices. It also offers insights into choosing branded vs. unbranded fuel, building supplier relationships, and more.
Visit www.TACEnergy.com for more information on TACenergy.
With special guest:
Randy Grizzle, Director, Sales & Marketing, TACenergy
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation and Darren Schulte, Vice President, Membership, NATSO
Rob Poleki, CEO and Co-Founder of Washie, joined the NATSO Foundation's podcast to discuss his innovative company, which is behind the world's first smart, sanitizing toilet seat for public restrooms.
NATSO Services annually studies professional drivers’ stopping and buying behavior at truck stops and travel centers. In 2023, the research found that drivers' top factor in deciding whether to come inside from the fuel island or the parking lot was the cleanliness of restrooms and showers.
Given the impact of cleanliness on a truck stop's success and that Washie’s booth was causing quite the buzz at NATSO Connect, we knew we needed to have Poleki on the podcast.
Poleki shared fascinating insights into how Washie is transforming the experience of using public restrooms, especially in high-traffic areas like truck stops and travel centers.
With special guest:
Rob Poleki, CEO, Washie
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
Every summer families and RVers hit the road for summer vacations, looking to fuel quickly and get back on their way. Smart truck stop and travel centers will have something travelers need. Whether it is plush toys for kids, fresh food to stock the fridge, or RVer items such as toilet treatment, truck stops and travel centers should consider offering things geared toward summer travel. Dale Elks, regional sales manager for DAS, offers ideas for summertime merchandise, RVers and creative retail displays.
With special guest:
Dale Elks, Regional Sales Manager, DAS
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
FirstElement Fuel has created what it calls the world’s first fast-fueling hydrogen fueling station. The station is capable of filling 200 trucks a day in just 10 minutes each using proprietary pump technology that enables the rapid fueling times. Frequent NATSO Foundation writer Mindy Long, owner at Mindy Long Freelance LLC, recently attended a FirstElement Fuel press conference. She joined host Amy Toner to share about the fast-fueling hydrogen fueling station, highlighting FirstElement Fuel's partnerships with truck manufacturers, details about their hydrogen technology, and professional driver feedback.
With special guest:
Mindy Long, Owner, Mindy Long Freelance LLC
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
Naf Naf Grill is a fast-casual Middle Eastern concept that’s on a mission to bring the best flavors of the Middle East to the masses in a simple, affordable, fast-casual setting. With a flexible layout, minimal SKUs and a category of food that appeals to both professional drivers and four-wheel customers, Naf Naf Grill found a great partner in Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores.
"I give full credit to Love's. They recognized our brand and this opportunity based on their research and some feedback they got from their drivers and really approached us about doing business with them in their travel centers. They are, as you know, as good as it gets in terms of the way they operate their business," said Greg Willman, Chairman and CEO of Naf Naf Holdings, LLC.
Listen to gather three takeaways for truck stops and travel centers from Willman, including:
- Embrace diversity in food flavors. Alternate food options like Middle Eastern cuisine can set your travel center apart and cater to a wider palate.
- Try different partnerships. Consider the importance of operational flexibility to accommodate different settings and customer expectations.
- Listen to your customers. Feedback and data-driven partnerships can lead to fruitful collaborations that benefit both parties.
With special guest:
Greg Willman, Chairman and CEO, Naf Naf Holdings, LLC
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
In this episode, host Amy Toner is joined by LeeAnn Goheen, NATSO's senior director of government affairs, to discuss NATSO's Day on Capitol Hill, which will be held May 20 -22, 2024.
They discuss the agenda, key policy issues—the biodiesel blenders tax credit and the funding of infrastructure and highway programs—and how travel center operators can get involved. Goheen emphasizes the importance of building relationships with representatives and advocating for industry needs.
They also touch on the fun and networking opportunities during the event, including NATSO's famous pie reception.
Learn more about NATSO's Day on Capitol Hill at https://natsodayonthehill.com.
With special guest:
LeeAnn Goheen, Senior Director of Government Affairs, NATSO
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
Franchisors are in growth mode. With great foot traffic, ideal space, and an openness to partnering, truck stops and travel centers are a great fit. In this episode of "The Truck Stops Here," host Amy Toner invites guests Edith Wiseman, President, FRANdata and Christina Niu, Director of Research from FRANdata to discuss their recent research project for NATSO. FRANdata is a franchise market research company that aims to help companies grow smartly in franchising. The team delves into their comprehensive guidebook designed to help truck stop operators navigate the world of franchising. They explore key takeaways, opportunities for travel centers, and the importance of being a good partner to franchise brands. Additionally, they share insights on making it easier for franchises to do business with travel centers and discuss how travel centers can access FRANdata's services to discover new franchise opportunities. Tune in to explore the intersection of franchising and the truck stop industry, and gain valuable insights from FRANdata's expertise.
With special guests:
Edith Wiseman, President, FRANdata and Christina Niu, Director of Research, FRANdata
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
A 2023 poll from NATSO members found that 63 percent are ‘likely’ to invest in a rebuild or remodel during the next 12 to 18 months. Enter Darren Schulte, vice president, membership, NATSO and Michael Lawshe, president, Paragon Solutions, to the podcast conversation to tell us what is in and out for travel center design. Drive throughs? Beer caves? Automated vending? Salad bars? Self-checkout? Driver’s lounge? Schulte and Lawshe are prepared with all the answers to your travel center design choices.
With special guest:
Michael Lawshe, President, Paragon Solutions
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation and Darren Schulte, Vice President, Membership, NATSO
The Iowa 80 Truckstop began as a small location with six diesel pumps and a 50-seat restaurant in Walcott, Iowa. Today, after 32 expansions and remodels, the truck stop is overseen by the second generation of the Moon Family, who have dedicated their lives to providing a home away from home for the thousands of people who visit each day. Delia Moon Meier, senior vice president of Iowa 80 Group, shares about Iowa 80's impressive 60-year journey.
With special guest:
Delia Moon Meier, Senior Vice President, Iowa 80 Group
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
At the start of the year, NATSO announced a significant visual transformation with the introduction of a new logo and brand elements. These changes, a result of the dynamic shifts in the industry landscape, are part of NATSO's ongoing commitment to meeting the evolving needs of its members.
Under the leadership of NATSO’s Vice President, Branding and Marketing, Andrew Evans, NATSO undertook a comprehensive visual refresh, including a modernized logo and brand colors. Evans joins the podcast to break down this important transformation for listeners.
"We're excited to unveil our new logo as part of our ongoing efforts to solidify our brand voice and distinguish ourselves within the industry," shared Evans.
With special guest:
Andrew Evans, Vice President, Branding and Marketing, NATSO
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
New Year’s resolutions often include goals that realign your focus and ideas that allow you to dream big. Darren Schulte, NATSO's vice president, membership, joined the podcast to advise on what should be on every truck stop and travel operator's back-to-basic goals list. He also shared resolutions ideas on food offerings and technology and ended with a bang, sharing his idea on a significant innovative change for this year.
With special guest:
Darren Schulte, Vice President, Membership, NATSO
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
NATSO Connect 2024 Title Sponsor Cyclum Renewables provides sustainable green energy solutions to the transportation industry by fueling commercial trucking through a nationwide network of renewable truck stops and travel plazas. Their truck stops are sustainably designed, focused on enhanced customer experience, and can dispense multiple renewable fuels. Shaun Lee, director of field operations at Cyclum Renewables, walked listeners through their innovative business model and Ben Khatirine, owner of 3B’s Truck & Auto Plaza, shared about their partnership with Cyclum Renewables.
Visit https://gocyclum.net to learn more about Cyclum Renewables.
With special guests:
Shaun Lee, Director of Field Operations, Cyclum Renewables and Ben Khatirine, Owner, 3B’s Truck & Auto Plaza
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
Sprint Mart opened a new 16,000-square-foot travel center in Vance, Alabama this year. Herb Hargraves, Sprint Mart's chief operating officer, joined the podcast to share the great things happening at the new Sprint Mart. It boasts a 150-seat diner, a huge bakery, its proprietary grab-and-go fried chicken and catfish program Chix and 15 cooler doors. Its forecourt includes 12 gasoline pumps and five diesel lanes.
"The enormous footprint of the store is what really makes it stand out. We used an arch concept in the front of the stores that makes it look like you're walking into a megalithic building and the excessively high ceilings that we have in there. And the major cooler presence stands out, too. We have fifteen cooler doors... for non-alcoholic beverages. Fifteen cooler doors are the most amount of cooler doors I've ever seen at a convenience store for non-alcoholic items. It made it so that we could really be diverse in what we're offering the consumer," said Hargraves.
Listen and learn more about how this new travel center stands out.
With special guest:
Herb Hargraves, Chief Operating Officer for Sprint Mart
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
NATSO Connect 2024 is scheduled to be held at Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts in Orlando, Florida. NATSO Connect takes place from February 18 to 22, bringing together industry professionals, experts, and innovators for an unparalleled networking and learning experience.
Pamela Hayes, vice president, business development at NATSO, and Andrew Evans, vice president, marketing and branding at NATSO, hopped on the podcast to share all the important details about this year's event.
The education selected by the NATSO Foundation this year provides information and analysis that truck stops and travel centers need to grow wallet share and meet customer fuel demands.
“A rapidly evolving fueling landscape coupled with technological advancements and changing customer habits is presenting fuel retailers with an opportunity to reimagine their operations,” said Amy Toner, executive director of the NATSO Foundation and The Truck Stops Here podcast host. “The engaging and thought-provoking sessions planned for NATSO Connect 2024 will position travel centers for the future.”
Educational highlights scheduled for this year’s event include:
- Travel Center New Builds and Remodels Pre-Event Workshop
- The Great Ideas! Workshop for Independent Operators
- Sessions dedicated to growing wallet share
- Insights into building the travel center of the future
- A technology forum focused on technology at the fuel island
- Travel center speed networking
- In-depth updates on key regulatory and legislative issues
- An immersive retail tour of two best-in-class travel center locations
Visit www.natsoconnect.com for more on the event.
With special guests:
Pamela Hayes, vice president, business development, NATSO and Andrew Evans, vice president, marketing and branding, NATSO
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
Food offerings are a key differentiator, setting truck stops and travel centers apart from the competition and enticing drivers inside. More importantly, sales in food or snacks are significant profit drivers. A new study from NATSO Services found untapped potential for growing food and beverage sales from drivers who are already stopping.
Most drivers taking the survey—81%—said they’d gone inside a travel center but left without purchasing food or beverages in the past month. Gaining even incremental sales from this group could result in significant gains.
Jessica Williams, founder and CEO of Food Forward Thinking, joins the podcast to walk listeners through menu planning for travel centers.
She offers advice on: What is usually missing at a travel center that drivers seek? What should travel centers think about when planning their food offerings? What food trends are “trending” right now?
With special guest:
Jessica Williams, Founder and CEO of Food Forward Thinking
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
In this sponsored episode with Digit7 CEO Chithrai Mani, we explore the digital retail innovations available from Digit7. Discover how autonomous checkout at stores can increase sales and loyalty and how AI technology makes the shopping experience interactive. Learn about computer vision, next-generation frictionless self-checkout machines and even drone inventory. Tune in to hear from Digit7 how these new technologies can help you grow your travel center business.
With special guest:
Chithrai Mani, CEO, Digit7
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
To help the nation’s truck stop and travel center operators better understand fleets, drivers and their needs, NATSO Services launched a survey of company drivers, leased drivers, independent owner/operators and fleet owner drivers in 2022. For the 2023 edition, NATSO Services asked professional drivers how often they fuel, rest and shop at travel centers during their work week, what brings them inside and their expectations around wait times, employee interaction, and food and loyalty preferences.
The survey revealed incredible opportunities to increase wallet share of existing customers, bring more buying customers inside and convert customer traffic into sales. Key findings include:
The cleanliness of the showers and restrooms came out as the most important determining factor in where professional drivers stop.
Loyalty programs can be a powerful tool for attracting and retaining customers and spurring sales. More than half of drivers—55%—said that loyalty programs influenced their decision to make non-fuel purchases.
Not surprisingly, the survey found that check-out delays significantly affect purchasing. Most drivers—58%—said they would only wait in line for one to five minutes and 3% expect no wait. 10% said they’ll leave even if there are just two people in line.
36% of fueling customers said they’d go inside for reliable food from a national brand they recognize and 21% said they’d go inside for out-of-the-ordinary food offerings.
Christine Schoessler, COO of NATSO and Amy Toner, Executive Director of the NATSO Foundation, discuss the survey results. Visit https://www.natso.com/driversurvey for more on the new toolkit from the NATSO Foundation.
With special guest:
Christine Schoessler, COO, NATSO
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
The past few years have been fraught with challenges for retailers, including travel centers, from supply chain disruptions to shifting customer demands to ongoing labor shortages. Technology is playing a vital role in helping companies meet those challenges head-on.
Bethany Allee, head of marketing and education at PDI Technologies, joined the NATSO Foundation's podcast to talk about convenience and fuel technology. Together with NATSO Foundation Executive Director Amy Toner, they explore inventory technology, automation, loyalty and much more.
The podcast took a short summer break and is back with this very exciting guest.
With special guest:
Bethany Allee, Head of Marketing and Education, PDI Technologies
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
Earlier in the year, Darren Schulte, vice president, membership at NATSO and Amy Toner, executive director of the NATSO Foundation, presented on trucking trends on truckstops at M-PACT.
Schulte and Toner brought their trends information to the podcast, answering:
- What factor is most important when professional drivers choose a place to stop?;
- What trends are we seeing in food for professional drivers?;
- There is a lot of “new” technology that is impacting the professional driver experience at a truckstop. How does all this technology impact the professional driver customer?;
and more!
With special guest:
Darren Schulte, Vice President, Membership, NATSO
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
The NATSO Foundation has formed a strategic partnership with HAAS Alert, the leading innovator behind the digital alerting service and connected vehicle platform, Safety Cloud®. Together, the organizations aim to significantly enhance the safety of roadside service technicians who support and repair commercial vehicles when they need to be serviced along the Interstate Highway System.
Tom Parbs, the Senior Director of Sales for HaasAlert, joined the podcast to share about HAAS Alert. Listen to learn:
- How Safety Cloud® works;
- What equipment is needed; and
- Why HAAS Alert partnered with the NATSO Foundation and NATSO.
Truckstops and travel centers can learn more about the partnership at www.natso.com/HAASalert.
With special guest:
Tom Parbs, Senior Director, HAAS Alert
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
Have you ever wondered what it's like to visit a travel center in Ireland? This summer during NACS's International Study Tour, Darren Schulte, NATSO's vice president, membership, traveled to Ireland to get a unique look into best practices in the advanced European market.
During the tour, Schulte saw not only what is different but also what is possible -- from curved fuel canopies to fresh food displays to best-in-class coffee offerings.
On this episode of the Truck Stops Here podcast, host Amy Toner, Executive Director of the NATSO Foundation, speaks with Schulte about his Irish takeaways. He talks about interesting food offerings, cleanliness focus, the customer experience, and more. Tune in to learn about the impressive features of travel centers in Ireland.
With special guest:
Darren Schulte, NATSO's vice president, membership
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director of the NATSO Foundation
In 2005, the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum established its Survivor Fund to provide immediate financial support to families of roadside operators who lose their lives. Jeffrey Godwin, vice president, International Towing Museum, joined the podcast to share about the program.
Providing information on the fund is part of the NATSO Foundation’s multi-faceted approach to addressing critical issues involving truck repair provider safety.
With special guest:
Jeffrey Godwin, President, FTI Groups and Vice President, International Towing Museum
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO
This March, Peter Rasmussen, CEO and Founder, Convenience and Energy Advisors co-led the Travel Center Technology Forum at NATSO Connect 2023. We brought Rasmussen back onto the podcast to offer more of his deep knowledge on the top travel center technology priorities for improving customer experience and brand loyalty.
Rasmussen has spent 23 years in the convenience and energy industry, where he held strategic leadership positions with some of the industries most admired companies and co-founded two startup brands. He began his career with Sheetz, followed by a 17-year tenure with Wawa.
Rasmussen and Christine Schoessler, NATSO's COO, take a deep dive into the landscape for travel center point-of-sale, innovations in checkout and more, offering both insights on these strategies and concrete tactics to make them a reality.
With special guests:
Peter Rasmussen, CEO and Founder, Convenience and Energy Advisors and Christine Schoessler, COO, NATSO
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
In partnership with the Tire Industry Association (TIA), the NATSO Foundation now offers a Road Service Safety Training course. The NATSO Foundation has taken a multi-pronged approach to addressing critical issues involving truck repair provider safety.
As part of its efforts, the NATSO Foundation has partnered with TIA to provide a Road Service Safety Training video that covers: - How to set up your job site; - What you need to be aware of to stay safe; - How to identify hazards while working on the side of the road; and - Critical best practices to avoid getting hurt.
Kevin Rohlwing, senior vice president of training for the Tire Industry Association, shared about the course from the NATSO Foundation booth at NATSO Connect.
With special guest:
Kevin Rohlwing, senior vice president of training for the Tire Industry Association
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
After wowing the audience at NATSO Connect, Stephanie Stuckey, CEO of Stuckey's Corporation, hopped behind the podcast desk to share more about creating and curating a unique brand-building experience.
Stuckey dug into how travel center operators can differentiate themselves from their competitors. "Create the whole experience. That's what people are looking for! Whether you're a chain, or whether you're an independent with a handful of stores or truckstops, you can create that experience," she said.
Stuckey shared her recommendations for attracting RVers and families on road trips as well as her advice for authentically growing your social media presence.
With special guests:
Stephanie Stuckey, CEO, Stuckey's Corporation and Andrew Evans, Vice President, Marketing and Branding, NATSO
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
Nick Stanley, vice president of JJ’s, joined the podcast from NATSO Connect to talk about the family-owned and operated convenience store and travel plaza JJ's, which is headquartered in Huntington, Indiana. Stanley oversees the back of the house operations. On the podcast, he shared about JJ's Excellence Card, community support and more.
With special guest:
Nick Stanley, Vice President, JJ’s Travel Plaza
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
Safety is a top priority for travel center technicians providing truck repair, whether it is in a shop or on the roadside, and the NATSO Foundation has taken a multi-pronged approach to addressing critical issues involving truck repair providers. As part of its efforts, the foundation transformed its booth at NATSO Connect, March 7-10, into a Roadside Safety Showcase.
The showcase featured roadside safety expert Kevin Rohlwing, senior vice president of training for the Tire Industry Association, and an interactive display to illustrate best practices in roadside repair. Attendees could see and learn proper placement for their repair truck, cones and signage.
Rohlwing joined the podcast, from the NATSO Foundation booth, to share many of the safety best practices highlighted in Dallas.
With special guest:
Kevin Rohlwing, senior vice president of training for the Tire Industry Association
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
We snagged Delone Wilson, president at Cubby's Inc. and NATSO Leadership Committee member, at NATSO Connect to hear all about Cubby's Inc. Cubby’s Inc. has been the operator of convenience stores in Nebraska, Iowa, and South Dakota since 1979. Wilson shared about Cubby's work in the community, its world-famous food and their Bear Bucks loyalty program.
With special guest:
Delone Wilson, President, Cubby's Inc.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
What is new and impacting travel centers in retail technology space? What trends are popping for travel centers? What travel centers are killing the travel center game? Darren Schulte, vice president, membership at NATSO, stops by the podcast to share what he has been seeing and hearing in the truckstop and travel world.
With special guest:
Darren Schulte, Vice President, Membership, NATSO
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
NATSO Connect 2023 is scheduled to take place March 7-10, 2023 at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in the Dallas Metropolitan Area. The annual meeting of truckstop and travel center operators, the event features hundreds of truckstop and travel center operators as well as industry partners coming together for face-to-face learning and networking to help them identify trends and maximize profit margins.
Pamela Hayes, vice president, business development, NATSO and Andrew Evans, vice president, marketing and branding, NATSO hopped on the podcast to share all the important details about this year's event. Visit https://natsoconnect.com for more information.
With special guests:
Pamela Hayes, Vice President, Business Development, NATSO and Andrew Evans, Vice President Marketing and Branding, NATSO
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
More than $7.5 billion will be distributed by state transportation departments to install electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure along alternative fuel corridors under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program. As truckstops and travel centers look to install EV chargers, they must understand how much energy the chargers consume. Tim Victor, who serves as the Project Lead, EV Infrastructure at Scale Microgrids, walks listeners through some of the important considerations for powering EV chargers.
With special guest:
Tim Victor, Project Lead, EV Infrastructure, Scale Microgrids
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
Finding ways to cut down on the energy needed to run travel centers makes financial sense, and it also benefits the environment. What should every truckstop operator be doing to be more sustainable? Bernie Erickson, CMO/Director of Innovation at Facility Solutions Group, answers that question, bringing a wealth of sustainability knowledge to the podcast. Together with host Amy Toner, executive director of the NATSO Foundation, he provides ideas for sustainability in lighting, water consumption, and more.
With special guest:
Bernie Erickson, CMO/Director of Innovation, Facility Solutions Group
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
With the start of Human Trafficking awareness month, we welcome Tiffany Wlazlowski Neuman, vice president of public affairs for NATSO, on to the podcast to discuss the NATSO Foundation's 10 years of work in this important area. "No one could have predicted in 2013, when the NATSO Foundation signed a simple pledge to take a stand against human trafficking, that our promise would mature into the comprehensive public awareness and education program that we have in place today," said Wlazlowski Neuman. Wlazlowski Neuman, who oversees the NATSO Foundation’s anti-trafficking program, said January is the perfect time to implement a human trafficking awareness program or recommit to an existing program. Listen for her advice on how to grow your awareness one step further in the coming year.
With special guest:
Tiffany Wlazlowski Neuman, Vice President of Public Affairs, NATSO
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
This year the NATSO Foundation's Truck Repair and Roadside Safety ShareGroup received a special briefing from Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) Director of Compliance and Enforcement Programs Jake Elovirta. Elovirta spoke about state Move Over Laws, their differences, what NATSO members need to know and how we can advance public awareness on roadside safety. We invited Elovirta onto NATSO’s podcast to share his expertise with listeners. Elovirta shared information to help keep roadside service technicians safe on the side of the road.
With special guests:
Jake Elovirta, director of compliance and enforcement programs, Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance and Tiffany Wlazlowski Neuman, Vice President, Public Affairs, NATSO
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
The truckstop and travel center industry is built on speed, and speed is a critical piece of any travel center’s success. Increasingly, customers want to walk into stores and buy things on their own. Smart travel center owners are building AI-driven checkout-free technology into their new builds and exploring retrofits. Krishna Motukuri, CEO and co-founder of Zippin, joined NATSO's podcast to breakdown the technology from security to layout best practices to the future of AI.
With special guest:
Krishna Motukuri, CEO and Co-Founder, Zippin
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
Meet NATSO's newest employee, Andrew Evans. Evans is a branding powerhouse with more than 15 years of experience developing strategies for global, billion-dollar brands like KONE and The University of Iowa. "I love everything marketing," Evans shared. With the recent growth in NATSO and the industry, Evans is the perfect person to market the complex program of work that the NATSO board of directors has established.
With special guest:
Andrew Evans, Vice President, Marketing and Branding, NATSO
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation and Darren Schulte, Vice President, Membership, NATSO
Meet NATSO's newest employee, Andrew Evans. Evans is a branding powerhouse with more than 15 years of experience developing strategies for global, billion-dollar brands like KONE and The University of Iowa. "I love everything marketing," Evans shared. With the recent growth in NATSO and the industry, Evans is the perfect person to market the complex program of work that the NATSO board of directors has established.
With special guest:
Andrew Evans, Vice President, Marketing and Branding, NATSO
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation and Darren Schulte, Vice President, Membership, NATSO
Casey’s General Stores Inc. continues to grow its commercial fuel business. In the past several years, this growth has included a focus on fuel cards. Tony Spuzello, director, commercial fuels, Casey’s General Stores Inc. joined NATSO's podcast to share what they are doing to revamp and boost their commercial payment acceptance. Spuzello walks listeners through their business process for choosing a fuel card partner, from the technology supporting the card to the guest experience.
With special guest:
Tony Spuzello, Director, Commercial Fuels, Casey’s General Stores Inc.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation and Darren Schulte, Vice President, Membership, NATSO
Casey’s General Stores Inc. continues to grow its commercial fuel business. In the past several years, this growth has included a focus on fuel cards. Tony Spuzello, director, commercial fuels, Casey’s General Stores Inc. joined NATSO's podcast to share what they are doing to revamp and boost their commercial payment acceptance. Spuzello walks listeners through their business process for choosing a fuel card partner, from the technology supporting the card to the guest experience.
With special guest:
Tony Spuzello, Director, Commercial Fuels, Casey’s General Stores Inc.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation and Darren Schulte, Vice President, Membership, NATSO
What is the future of autonomous trucking? Has any alternative fuel pulled ahead of another in the heavy-duty space? How can truckstops and travel centers partner with fleets to help relieve the regulatory pressure of decarbonization? Mike Roeth, executive director of NACFE and Ginger Laidlaw, vice president of NATSO's Alternative Fuels Council, take a deep dive these alternative fuels questions and more in the latest episode of NATSO’s The Truck Stops Here podcast.
With special guests:
Mike Roeth, Executive Director, NACFE and Ginger Laidlaw, Vice President, NATSO's Alternative Fuels Council
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
The Biden Administration announced Sept. 27 that it has approved Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Deployment Plans for all 50 states and the District of Columbia under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program. More than $7.5 billion will be distributed to state transportation departments to install electric vehicle charging infrastructure along alternative fuel corridors.
You may download your state’s EV deployment plan here.
State DOTs now will begin issuing Requests for Proposals (RFPs) to partner with the private sector for EV charging stations along alternative fuel corridors. It is critical that NATSO members interested in investing in EV charging stations watch for, and respond to, these RFPs.
Just prior to the announcement, we sat down with Joe Annotti, senior vice president and partner at Gladstein, Neandross and Associates, to address truckstop and travel center's most burning questions on the grants.
With special guests:
Joe Annotti, Senior Vice President and Partner, Gladstein, Neandross and Associates and Ginger Laidlaw, Vice President, Alternative Fuels Council
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation
Tom Panos is the owner of TA Wapakoneta in Wapakoneta, Ohio, which the Panos family bought in 1991. Located off exit 111 at the intersection of I-75 and US 33, the 19,000-square-foot space has a full-service restaurant, 125 parking spaces, eight fuel islands, a c-store, CAT Scale and a shop. Panos became president in 2003 and in 2005, he took over the family’s business, which does everything from apartments to restaurants to billboards. Prior to running the family business, Panos earned a Masters in Information Technology and worked in IT for 10 years. He brings a deep understanding of business to the podcast, sharing thoughtful ideas on the future of truckstops, the impact of the pandemic on his business and how to meet the needs of professional drivers. He also shared about the scholarship he started in honor of his late father, Art Panos.
With special guest:
Tom Panos, Owner, TA Wapakoneta
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content
Tom Panos is the owner of TA Wapakoneta in Wapakoneta, Ohio, which the Panos family bought in 1991. Located off exit 111 at the intersection of I-75 and US 33, the 19,000-square-foot space has a full-service restaurant, 125 parking spaces, eight fuel islands, a c-store, CAT Scale and a shop. Panos became president in 2003 and in 2005, he took over the family’s business, which does everything from apartments to restaurants to billboards. Prior to running the family business, Panos earned a Masters in Information Technology and worked in IT for 10 years. He brings a deep understanding of business to the podcast, sharing thoughtful ideas on the future of truckstops, the impact of the pandemic on his business and how to meet the needs of professional drivers. He also shared about the scholarship he started in honor of his late father, Art Panos.
With special guest:
Tom Panos, Owner, TA Wapakoneta
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content
NATSO’s Darren Schulte, vice president, membership and Ginger Laidlaw, vice president of NATSO’s alternative fuels council, attended ACT Expo 2022 this spring to gather intel on emerging alternative fuel trends sure to impact the truckstop and travel center industry. They listened to educational sessions, walked the tradeshow floor and met with trucking leaders to bring business intelligence back to NATSO.
With special guests:
Darren Schulte, NATSO, Vice President, Membership and Ginger Laidlaw, Vice President, Alternative Fuels Council
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, NATSO, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content
NATSO’s Darren Schulte, vice president, membership and Ginger Laidlaw, vice president of NATSO’s alternative fuels council, attended ACT Expo 2022 this spring to gather intel on emerging alternative fuel trends sure to impact the truckstop and travel center industry. They listened to educational sessions, walked the tradeshow floor and met with trucking leaders to bring business intelligence back to NATSO.
With special guests:
Darren Schulte, NATSO, Vice President, Membership and Ginger Laidlaw, Vice President, Alternative Fuels Council
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, NATSO, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content
With so many car manufacturers shifting their production lines to electric vehicles (EVs), some are projecting that we could have more than 18 million EVs on the road by 2030. The Charge Ahead Partnership believes that the fastest, most efficient way to build out that charging network is to utilize existing businesses that are willing to invest their own money to serve EV drivers. Charge Ahead Partnership is a coalition of businesses, organizations and individuals that share the common goal of efficiently and effectively developing a charging network for EVs across the United States. Jay Smith, executive director of the Charge Ahead Partnership, and Tiffany Wlazlowksi Neuman, vice president, public affairs at NATSO, join the podcast to discuss the changes needed in energy policy so that the truckstop and travel center industry can implement EV charging stations and sell electricity in a way that is profitable.
With special guests:
Jay Smith, Executive Director, Charge Ahead Partnership and Tiffany Wlazlowksi Neuman, Vice President, Public Affairs, NATSO
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, NATSO, Vice President, Membership
NAMA is the association representing the $31 billion U.S. convenience services industry. Marc Whitener, Chairman of NAMA Board of Directors and CEO of Refreshment Solutions, joined the podcast to get listeners up to speed on what they need to know in this important technology space. Fast and easy service is especially important in the travel center industry, making this a must listen for truckstop and travel center operators.
With special guest:
Marc Whitener, Chairman of NAMA Board of Directors and CEO of Refreshment Solutions
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content, NATSO
After decades in the gas station business, Zakoil Inc launched the Lone Star Market concept in their Texas-based travel centers in 2018. As second-generation operators, Hasan Zakaria, CEO, Sugarland Petroleum and Ahmed Zakaria, vice president, Sugarland Petroleum, were already experts on the industry basics - offering great service, being clean, being organized and having good training. With Lone Star Markets, they wanted to push the envelope of innovation to stand out on a crowded corner. This month they joined the podcast to share about their secret to success from the fresh kitchen to their diversified product selection to the competitive pricing.
With special guests:
Hasan Zakaria, CEO, Sugarland Petroleum and Ahmed Zakaria, Vice President, Sugarland Petroleum
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content, NATSO and Darren Schulte, Vice President, Membership, NATSO
TravelCenters of America Inc. is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Company founder Phil Saunders and Jon Pertchik, managing director and chief executive officer of TravelCenters of America, joined the podcast to share about Saunders' original vision and what the next 50 years will look like for TravelCenters of America Inc.
With special guests:
Phil Saunders, TravelCenters of America Founder and Jon Pertchik, Managing Director and CEO, TravelCenters of America
Hosted by:
Lisa Mullings, NATSO, President and CEO and Amy Toner, NATSO, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content
Broco Energy is a family-owned heating oil and emergency fueling company based in Haverhill, Massachusetts. Kristopher Ellis, contracting officer for Broco Energy, joined the podcast to share his insights into biodiesel blending. Ellis along with Ginger Laidlaw, vice president, NATSO's Alternative Fuels Council, discussed biodiesel misconceptions, how using biodiesel has impacted Broco Energy's operations and more.
With special guest:
Kristopher Ellis, Fuel Purchasing, Broco Energy
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content, NATSO and Ginger Laidlaw, Vice President, NATSO's Alternative Fuels Council
In many states, there are grants, subsidies and rebates available to make energy-saving solutions, including solar panels, affordable. Elliot Jaramillo, founder of Concept Clean Energy, and Ben Earl, COO of Concept Clean Energy, joined the podcast to walk listeners through the how, why and where of installing solar panels.
With special guests:
Elliot Jaramillo, Founder, Concept Clean Energy and Ben Earl, COO, Concept Clean Energy
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content, NATSO and LeeAnn Goheen, Director of NATSO’s Government Affairs, NATSO
In this episode of The Truck Stops Here, Darren Schulte, NATSO's vice president, membership, does what he does best - dissect retail technology trends, explaining what they mean and how they will impact the industry. Automated retail is the process of using technology to sell goods and services in a fast and efficient way with low to zero human interaction. Schulte delivers his take on automated retail for truckstops, offering specific ideas on where it will work and not work.
With special guest:
Darren Schulte, NATSO's Vice President, Membership
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, NATSO's Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content
From the food trolley to the outdoor patio, Racine Petro is full of experiential elements that welcome and delight travelers. Michael Willkomm, co-owner and president of Willkomm Companies, walks podcast listeners through the vision the Willkomm family has poured into the stop.
With special guest:
Michael Willkomm, Co-Owner and President, Willkomm Companies
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, NATSO, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content and Darren Schulte, NATSO, Vice President, Membership
Matt Mildenberger serves as President/CEO of Mitten Inc. in Oakley, Kansas. Mitten’s Travel Center offers both fast and casual dining, an urgent care facility, truck repair service, Blue Beacon truck wash, and more. As President/CEO, Mildenberger took Mitten Inc. from a $20 million to a $80 million operation with 140 employees. In this episode of The Trucks Stops Here, new NATSO Board member Mildenberger shares his leadership philosophy, walking listeners through what is important to him in leading Mitten's.
With special guest:
Matt Mildenberger, President/CEO, Mitten Inc.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content, NATSO
2022 ushers in several new NATSO Board members, including Raina Shoemaker co-owner and operator of Shoemaker’s Travel Centers in Lincoln, NE. Passionate about implementing change that benefits the company, as well as the lives of their employees, Shoemaker joined the podcast to share her leadership vision. She shared about new technology they've deployed, company culture ideas, permanent pandemic changes and more.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content, NATSO
Refresh Travel Plazas recently opened the first of several new locations. The project is headed by Ravinder Grewal and Sachin Malik. The location, in Madera, California, was designed to meet the changing needs of the trucking industry and the country. Simran Grewal and Arjun Khosa joined the podcast to share about the location, from its innovative food program to professional driver amenities.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, NATSO, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content
ExxonMobil Synergy Diesel Efficient will serve as the title sponsor of NATSO Connect, NATSO's annual meeting dedicated to the truckstop and travel center industry. NATSO Connect 2022, which takes place Feb. 20-24, at Disney Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando, Florida, combines exclusive, executive briefings with opportunities for truckstop and travel center operators to gain specific guidance on how to succeed by speaking directly with industry leaders, their peers and vendor partners. NATSO's podcast sat down with Austin Johanson, Commercial Sales and Marketing Director, ExxonMobil to learn more about ExxonMobil Synergy Diesel Efficient.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, NATSO's Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content
Jimmie's Truck Plaza has had a fantastic year, providing home cooking and a warm welcome to professional drivers in Lee, Florida. Listen and learn about how the truckstop started and what makes them hum today.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, NATSO's Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content
In the fall of 2021, NATSO member Thorntons LLC launched a new Pro Driver Refreshing Rewards app exclusively for the professional driving community. The Pro Driver Refreshing Rewards card and app were designed to provide many of the same benefits as Refreshing Rewards, but also offers special fuel discounts and exclusive rewards for professional drivers.
Scott Harris, Manager of Fleet for Thorntons LLC, and Amy Nicholson, Senior Manager, Digital and Loyalty Marketing at Thorntons LLC, joined NATSO's podcast to talk about the new loyalty program.
They covered how drivers are responding to the new program, what loyalty perks they are finding are most important to the driver community, and the surprises they learned after launching the program.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content, NATSO
While leading the NATSO board during the pandemic certainly was different than what Delia Meier, president at Iowa 80 Group, envisioned when her Chairmanship kicked off at NATSO Connect 2020, it was a rewarding two years. "I really wanted it to be a meaningful year for me and for NATSO and so, it was. But it wasn't what I was hoping for at all, but it was meaningful, and it was important and for that I am grateful," said Meier. "The really exciting part was how NATSO worked together and how truckstops were lifted up as essential businesses during this time," she added. During this last podcast of the year, Meier and Lisa Mullings, NATSO's president and CEO, shared important achievements, how the board adapted during the pandemic and their thoughts on the direction of the truckstop industry.
The COVID-19 vaccine and testing mandate, otherwise known as the Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS), continues to generate concern across the business community. At NATSO, we recognize that the vaccine and testing rule would have a significant, negative impact on truck stops and travel centers, which already suffer from a fragile labor market. To help NATSO members prepare, we invited Robert J. Baker, shareholder, partner at Chartwell Law, on to the podcast to provide information on the OSHA ETS requirements and advice on how to comply with the rule. Baker answered specific questions from NATSO members on religious exemptions, which tests are considered acceptable and more.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President Publishing and Digital Content, NATSO
Robin Puthusseril is Vice President and owner/operator of Greater Chicago I-55 Truck Plaza in Bolingbrook, IL. She has been involved in the truck stop industry since 1999 and is a NATSO Board member. In this special interview from the road, Lisa Mullings, NATSO’s President and CEO, interviews Puthusseril to hear about the location. They cover biodiesel, working with family members, staffing a bustling truck stop and much more.
Hosted by:
Lisa Mullings, NATSO President and CEO and Amy Toner, NATSO, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content
For 30 years, Big Boys Truckstop has provided hospitality to professional drivers and local customers in Kenly, North Carolina. With a big 30th celebration planned, owner Wendi Powell joined the podcast to tell us about their anniversary plans and what has helped the business succeed for three decades. From a family fun day to a car show to a Veteran's Day tasty thank you, they have a lot planned to celebrate this big milestone.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content
NATSO Podcast hosts Amy Toner and Darren Schulte always love to pick the brains of folks that are new to the industry. When Ben Khatirine, owner of 3B's Truck & Auto Plaza offered to come on the podcast, they jumped on the chance. He walked listeners through his technology, labor and food decisions as he remodels the Lodi, California location.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content, NATSO and Darren Schulte, Vice President, Membership, NATSO
NATSO’s Alternative Fuels Council Vice President Ginger Laidlaw returns to NATSO's podcast to talk about blending renewable fuels, some of the incentives involved and the services and tools that the Alternative Fuels Council offers.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Media, NATSO
Over the summer, Gina Bonafede, Director of Marketing Communications at DAS and Derek Lehman, Director of Channel & Shopper Marketing, at DAS shared a great presentation on Guiding Customers on the Road to Purchase in the Post-Pandemic World during NATSO Live. One of the important points they covered is the need to focus on experience in your store. We asked them to come on the podcast to dive a bit deeper into the why and how of customer experience. Listen to hear their ideas on creating an experience, from the minute customers find you online to when they are in your store(s).
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, NATSO, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content
LeeAnn Goheen, NATSO's director of government affairs, joins the podcast to get listeners up-to-speed on important truckstop and travel center industry government affairs activities including the infrastructure bill and NATSO’s efforts on the future of transportation energy.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, NATSO, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content
The truckstop and travel plaza industry has a long history of investing in alternative fuels, including biodiesel, renewable diesel, natural gas and ethanol. As the Biden Administration prepares to leverage $15 billion for electric vehicle charging infrastructure, fuel retailers are prepared to invest in electric vehicle charging infrastructure, advancing the number of electric vehicle charging stations across the United States and lowering the carbon footprint of transportation energy. Kris Kentera, executive sales manager for Blink Charging, joined the podcast to discuss what type and mix of charging equipment makes the most sense for truckstops and travel centers, the average return on investment, grant considerations and much more.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, NATSO's Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content and Darren Schulte, NATSO's Vice President, Membership
At NATSO, we are always scanning our members, their customers and the industry for trends. The Truck Stops Here podcast hosts sat down with NATSO contributor and industry veteran Eliote Duarte to dive into some of the trends emerging this summer. With the increase in four-wheel traffic, trucktops and travel centers need to be clean, well-staffed and fully stocked. Duarte shares his expertise on what truckstops and travel centers should be doing to excel.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, NATSO, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content and Darren Schulte, NATSO, Vice President Membership
TA Express White Hills, AZ opened its doors in August of 2020. Guy Jackson walked us through the many offerings on the 12 acres, including eight lanes of diesel, 67 truck parking spots, massage chairs, shower, two convenience-stores, a QSR, dog park, and much more, with room to add even more on six additional acres.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, NATSO, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content and Darren Schulte, NATSO, Vice President, Membership
Getting professional drivers and car customers inside from the fuel islands is always important in the truckstop and travel center business. This summer, with an expected increase in vacation travel, it will be especially impactful. To increase the likelihood that fueling customers will make the trek inside from the fuel islands, you need to be hitting on all cylinders when it comes to the fundamentals.
Darren Schulte, NATSO's vice president, walks listeners through signage, merchandise and technology ideas to draw customers inside. He also offers ideas on what things people see from the fuel island that might deter them from coming in.
AAA predicted that auto travel on Memorial Day would increase 52 percent compared to 2020, with that increase expected to continue all summer. As the country transitions to our new normal, travel is increasing. Listen to make sure your truckstop is ready.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, NATSO, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content
Employee turnover is a top concern among truckstop and travel centers. Low employee retention affects employee morale and productivity and has a negative long-term financial impact on the business. What’s more, if a travel center is continuously hiring and training to keep shifts covered, it does not leave much room for growth and development. Eliot Duarte, author of NATSO's Truckstop and Travel Center Employee Retention Guide, shares his retention expertise on this episode of NATSO's podcast. Drawing on his 23 years in the truckstop industry, Duarte provides listeners with ideas to improve employee retention. NATSO's recently created Truckstop and Travel Center Employee Retention Guide 2021 can be found at the NATSO Website.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, NATSO, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content and Darren Schulte, NATSO, Vice President, Membership
Novelty and gift items are the best sellers at Duke's Mount Vernon TA Express and for a reason. From cowhides to Texas metalwork, the Texas powerhouse knows what products to have and how to sell them. Mike Hamzeh, general manager at Dukes Mount Vernon TA Express, walks listeners through what makes the truckstop special. "This truckstop is very unique. It is wooden, it is rustic. We carry a lot of unique items," Hamzeh shared. Listen to hear how this Texas-themed location blends a western-motif with a modern feel to make their stamp on the interstate.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content, NATSO and Darren Schulte, Vice President, Membership, NATSO
Bringing a deep appreciation for the professional driver to everything they do, Florida 595 Truck Stop has been open in Davie, Florida since 2011. The location has 44 acres, 450 truck parking spots, diesel and gas islands, a seven-bay repair shop, truck wash, restaurant and a bar. Norka Rodriguez, CEO of Florida 595 Truck Stop, joined the podcast to share the truckstop's great ideas including the friendly culture, the retention pond and much more.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content, NATSO and Darren Schulte, Vice President, Membership, NATSO
It was our pleasure to welcome David Schwalb, principal and chief legal officer at Fred’s Fuel N Food in Gilman, Illinois to the podcast this month. With a background in law and commercial real estate, Schwalb stumbled upon a foreclosed truckstop. Acknowledged as a top truckstop on Trucker Path, today Fred’s Fuel N Food boasts a sophisticated operation that offers friendly customer service, clean facilities and quality merchandise and diesel fuel.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content, NATSO and Darren Schulte, Vice President, Membership, NATSO
Each year the NATSO Foundation’s Bill and Carolyn Moon Scholarship Program distributes thousands of dollars to students to pursue their educational goals. In 2021, the foundation will award five, $5,000 scholarships to truckstop and travel plaza employees and/or their legal dependents.
The scholarship program is an amazing employee benefit, and truckstops and travel plaza operators should encourage all of their employees to submit an application by the May 14, 2021, deadline.
To help truckstops prepare, Afua Smith, NATSO’s senior manager of membership, joined the podcast to tell us about the scholarship. We also welcomed Tristen Griffith, president at Sacramento 49er, to share her tips for promoting the scholarship to staff.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, NATSO, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content
Google Pats Travel Center in La Porte, Texas and you'll find review after review lauding their friendly staff and facilities. Catering to fleets and travelers in central Texas since 1980, the location was recently remodeled to be bright and welcoming, offering more amenities for professional drivers and travelers. Sean Momin, vice president of operations at Pats Travel Center walked us through the renovations and what they do to cultivate that courteous company culture.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content, NATSO and Darren Schulte, Vice President, Membership, NATSO
Port Fuel Center is set to open this summer near the Port of Savannah. We welcomed Sean Register, president of Port Fuel Center, on to the podcast to tell us about this new state-of-the-art truckstop. The truckstop will offer parking for 80, ten diesel lanes, a CNG facility, a four-bay truck repair shop, a medical facility and a quick-serve food-service option. The truckstop will also be loaded with technology geared toward speed including augmented checkout counters, tablet food ordering from the parking lot and displays at the port that monitor traffic at the fuel lanes. Listen to hear about all the exciting plans.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content, NATSO and Darren Schulte, Vice President, Membership, NATSO
NATSO's President & CEO, Lisa Mullings, and David Fialkov, NATSO's vice president, government relations, legislative and regulatory counsel, are back to answer what the political landscape will look like for the industry now that the election results are in. Listen to hear from Mullings and Fialkov what truckstops can expect from the Biden Administration and new Congress.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content, NATSO
Contactless and frictionless payment options have been growing in popularity as customers look to speed transactions and quickly get in and out of stores. At NATSO, we have encouraged our members to embrace technology geared toward speed-of-service for years. Now the COVID-19 pandemic has added to that as customers and retailers look to minimize contact as well as address labor stresses.
Jack Hogan, Director of Strategic Partnerships with Mashgin, joins the podcast to talk about technology in the augmented checkout space. Mashgin, a new NATSO allied member, is a leader in the touchless self checkout space. Their kiosks use computer vision to instantly ring up multiple items, speeding up transactions as much as 400%.
Hogan brings his expertise to walk listeners through the trends in this technology, store layout needs, speed-of-service advances and ideas for redeploying labor that traditionally had to remain stationed at the checkout.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Darren Schulte, Vice President, Membership, NATSO
In-Convenience Podcast hosts Frank Beard and Al Hebert joined NATSO's podcast to talk about what they think is working and not working for c-stores, retailers and truckstops during the pandemic. They offered their insight on food service, the future of fuel and convenience retailing and more in this special episode.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content, NATSO and Darren Schulte, Vice President, Membership, NATSO
Blending biodiesel can provide economic benefits for truckstop and travel plazas, and many factors help determine the market dynamics. In this episode of The Truck Stops Here Ginger Laidlaw, vice president with NATSO's Alternative Fuels Council, answered the frequently asked questions NATSO receives on biodiesel. She provides critical information on incentives, fuel quality, equipment and much more.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content, NATSO and Darren Schulte, Vice President, Membership, NATSO
Earlier this year, NATSO's President and CEO Lisa Mullings joined the podcast to share on trucking trends impacting the industry. The evolutions the trucking industry experiences have a significant impact on the nation’s truckstops and travel centers and Mullings always has her eye on what the changes mean for NATSO members. From growth in box trucks to the impact of ELDs, Mullings walks listeners through several trucking industry trends and shares what they could mean for operators.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, NATSO's Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content and Darren Schulte, NATSO's Vice President, Membership
To be a successful travel center, what products do you need to offer? How often should your inventory turn? Can you have a success travel center if you just have the standard c-store items? Darren Schulte, NATSO's vice president, membership, has nearly three decades of experience in truckstop and travel plaza operations and merchandising. In this episode of NATSO's podcast, he uses that deep well of experience to answer these product selection questions and more.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content, NATSO
With each new build, Enid, Oklahoma based Jiffy Trip, continues to knock innovative retail out of the park. From self-check to drive thru's to beer caves, they are prepared for all the trends hitting retail this year. Alex Williams, Chief Operating Officer, Jiffy Trip came on the podcast to break down these thoughtful elements for listeners. He offers advice for what to sell in your drive thru's, the scoop on building an H20 cave and shares what is next for Jiffy Trip.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, NATSO's Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content and Darren Schulte, NATSO's Vice President, Membership
Election nights are always overwhelming affairs for those who live and breathe politics and public policy. NATSO's President & CEO, Lisa Mullings, and David Fialkov, NATSO's vice president, government relations, legislative and regulatory counsel, have you covered. How will the results of the 2020 elections alter the policy landscape within which NATSO member operate for many years to come? Listen for a guide to what they are keeping their eyes on as the election returns come in.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, NATSO's Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content
Diesel lanes are, of course, an extremely important component of the truckstop and travel center business. At NATSO, we frequently receive inquires about adding commercial fuel lanes to existing stores and new stores.
In this episode of the podcast, Darren Schulte, NATSO's vice president, membership, offers his advice on canopy width, signage, striping and lighting. Schulte offers guidance on meeting the diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) needs of box trucks. We also explore innovative diesel lane offerings and how to plan for future fuels.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content, NATSO and Darren Schulte, Vice President, Membership, NATSO
This fall Liberty Travel Plazas unveiled a new name and brand identity for the company and will be known as Onvo. The rebrand includes a new name and logo, a fully redesigned website, refreshed loyalty program and an updated store design. One of the key elements of the rebrand is the company’s new mascot: a bird, also named Onvo, which represents the company's commitment to providing guests with a friendly, memorable experience every time.
NATSO's podcast was lucky enough to sit down with members of the Onvo leadership and their design firm to learn more about the big rebrand.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content, NATSO and Darren Schulte, Vice President, Membership, NATSO
As concerns about COVID-19 continue to reshape life as we know it, many truckstop and travel plaza owners are adapting so that they can continue to serve their customers and generate revenue by adding online and mobile ordering. Many believe this expectation of the ability to order online will become the norm after the pandemic passes.
On this episode of the podcast, we welcome Smooth Commerce CEO Brian Deck to explain what is app-based ordering, what are the trends in online ordering and more. Smooth Commerce is a leading branded mobile app and web ordering provider that gives truckstop and travel center operators a customizable platform that allows customers to order ahead for pick-up and delivery, pay, earn loyalty and more.
Truckstop and travel center customers want to order ahead for pick-up and delivery at your location. This episode with Smooth Commerce will help you better understand why and how to offer it.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content, NATSO and Darren Schulte, Vice President, Membership, NATSO
Don Quinn, NATSO Service’s vice president, and Darren Schulte, NATSO's vice president, membership, frequently consult for travel centers and truckstops. They help travel centers grow their business. Oftentimes, that means coming out and spending a few days onsite doing a complete evaluation, but it also means answering a lot of critical operational questions to help those expanding their travel center business or entering the market.
In this episode, they explore some of the frequently asked questions they receive as they help those new to the industry.
First, they explore staffing looking at travel center pay, the difference between staffing at a convenience store versa a travel center and how to staff for speed. They also talk about tools to retain employees that are unique to travel centers. Then, they explore operational questions on adding diesel fuel. They offer advice on about feasibility studies, ideal width for fuel islands and diesel pump maintenance. They finish with a discussion on typical product turns for a traditional truckstop.
These two have so much experience in the industry. Listen for their insight on these travel center fundamentals.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, NATSO's Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content and Darren Schulte, NATSO's Vice President, Membership
Retailers across the country are changing their layouts and display strategies to allow customers to quickly and safely shop while following social distancing guidelines. Should your truckstops make some of these changes? Darren Schulte, NATSO's vice president, membership contends that good truckstops and travel centers should use this time to re-evaluate their merchandising strategy. What should you do with your aisles to make it faster to shop long-term? What can you get rid of that you don't sell a lot of? He suggests that you have vendors come in more frequently, take a critical eye to the clutter on your transaction counter and more. Make thoughtful changes now and emerge from the pandemic ready to be even more profitable.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, NATSO's Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content and Darren Schulte, NATSO's Vice President, Membership
BT Mack Technology Group technology experts Larry Welch and Mason Powers joined the podcast to talk about technology infrastructure for truckstops. They cover the truckstop technology fundamentals from ideas for a strong wifi network to how to beef up your cyber security to camera systems best practices. We also talked about some next-gen technology such as sophisticated artificial intelligences that could detect an individual installing skimmers and technology that alerts you when you need to open more registers.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content, NATSO and Darren Schulte, Vice President, Membership, NATSO
Ryan Arnold, Vice President of Marketing for Road Ranger, came on the podcast to share about Road Ranger's recently opened 40th location in Brinkley, Ark. "Everything about this site in Brinkley is new. This is what the future of Road Ranger will look like," said Arnold. The new location is friendly, well-lit with an open and inviting layout. It offers a variety of food offerings including a Tejas Tacos, Dan’s Big Slice Pizza, Ben’s Pretzels, Road Ranger Kitchen and a Wendy’s restaurant. It also has 16 gas positions, eight diesel lanes, parking for 80 cars, and 81 trucks.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content, NATSO and Darren Schulte, Vice President, Membership, NATSO
NATSO Chairman's Circle member Coca Cola is always watching and learning to synthesize shopper trends. While the COVID-19 pandemic has turned the world upside down and retailers right along with it, Coca Cola has identified five shoppers trends that are going to stick around post pandemic. From a focus on health to a yearning for comfort, The Coca Cola Company's Stephanie McMahan, senior manager shopper insights - convenience retail, and Don Densmore, account executive II, share not only what the trends are but also what they will mean for the truckstop and travel center industry.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content, NATSO and Pamela Hayes, Vice President, Business Development, NATSO
Do you ever wonder why your travel center’s retail/food conversion rates from the diesel fueling lanes are so low, even though a very large percentage of professional divers come into your store to either get a receipt or to use the restrooms? According to host Darren Schulte, vice president, membership at NATSO, it is because there is nothing welcoming on the back of your building. In this episode of The Truck Stops Here, he shares ideas to make sure you make the professional driver as welcomed to enter the building and spend money as you do the automobile customer. Listen and gather his ideas to help you gain additional sales by communicating to this very important customer.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content, NATSO and Darren Schulte, Vice President, Membership, NATSO
Operational changes brought on by Covid-19 are changing the way companies do business, today as well as in the future. Many of those changes can be found in the way locations utilize their parking lot. NATSO’s podcast, The Truck Stops Here, sat down with Darren Schulte, NATSO’s vice president of membership, to learn more about how truckstop and travel center operators can make the most of their space.
Hosted by:
Darren Schulte, Vice President of Membership, NATSO and Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content, NATSO
Among all the chaos and the work of just trying to make it through each day, we hope that many truckstops and travel centers are planning for the day that the world reopens. COVID-19 has brought many changes to our communities and our customers, and many of them will continue as the world adjusts to a new normal. Hosts Amy Toner and Darren Schulte examine what might become the new norm, looking at staffing, kiosks, hot products and more.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content, NATSO and Darren Schulte, Vice President, Membership, NATSO
On April 30, NATSO's podcast The Truck Stops Here sat down with David Fialkov, NATSO’s Vice President, Government Relations, Legislative and Regulatory Counsel to walk through the small business relief available at the federal level right now. David has been working tirelessly to make sure truckstops and travel centers are adequately represented on Capitol Hill during this pandemic. From what truckstops and travel centers need to know about the payment protection program to disaster relief loan assistance, he walks listeners through the key points of the legislation for the industry.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content, NATSO and Darren Schulte, Vice President, Membership, NATSO
In pre-coronavirus pandemic times, the Truck Stops Here sat down with Michael Lawshe to talk about design trends in the truckstop and travel center industry. Michael is the president and CEO of Paragon Solutions, a c-store and retail industry design and consulting firm based in Ft. Worth, Texas. Paragon Solutions is a NATSO Chairman’s Circle member and a big supporter of NATSO and the industry.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content, NATSO and Darren Schulte, Vice President, Membership, NATSO
At NATSO, we are always scanning for the trends impacting the truckstop industry and as someone with a deep history in the industry who visits hundreds of truckstops a year, podcast guest Darren Schulte is certainly an expert. In this episode, Schulte takes listeners on a deep dive into trucking trends and food trends impacting the industry. From the impact of ELDS to the length of haul, Schulte walks listeners through not only the trucking trends but also what they mean for truckstops and travel centers. Then he shares today's food trends, looking at fast casual, healthy food and some food offerings that he's seen that are really working well.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content, NATSO and Tiffany Wlazlowski Neuman, Vice President, Public Affairs, NATSO
At NATSO, we are always scanning for the trends impacting the industry. To take a look at how the industry marketplace is changing, we interviewed NATSO's own Darren Schulte. With not only a deep history in the industry, but also the knowledge gathered from visiting hundreds of truckstops a year, Schulte is the industry expert in marketplace changes.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content, NATSO and Tiffany Wlazlowski Neuman, Vice President, Public Affairs, NATSO
Credit cards are now being issued with a small chip (called the EMV chip), and business owners across the country have had to update their point-of-sale systems to accommodate chip cards. The first point-of-sale requirements took effect in 2015, but another deadline is on the horizon. Fuel retailers have until Oct. 1, 2020, to install EMV chip-card readers at automated fuel dispensers. Podcast guest Dan Witkemper, Director, North America Payment at Gilbarco Veeder-Root, tells us what truckstops and travel centers should know about EMV chip technology to ensure they're ready by the 2020 deadline.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content, NATSO and Darren Schulte, Vice President, Membership, NATSO
Fuel buying may sound simple given that those within the fueling industry only have two choices: branded or unbranded. Yet the reality is that there are layers of complexity within each of those two options, and truckstop and travel center operators need to understand the fundamentals to make the right decisions that can improve your bottom line by thousands of dollars monthly. NATSO's Don Quinn breaks down this complex topic for listeners.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content, NATSO and Darren Schulte, Vice President, Membership, NATSO
In this episode, retail industry expert and NATSO Connect speaker Patrik Jacob of Koru-Development digs into how those within the truckstop and travel center industry can benefit from the fundamental changes taking place in retail. We cover the major trends that will affect the truckstop industry long term, how to survive the decade of disruption in retail, and why the success factors of the past are losing relevance.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content, NATSO and Darren Schulte, Vice President, Membership, NATSO
The use of biodiesel is on the rise, but truckstop and travel center operators often wonder about how to introduce the fuel to drivers. NATSO sat down with Jeff Hove, vice president for Alternative Fuels Council, to get answers to frequently asked questions.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content, NATSO and Darren Schulte, Vice President, Membership, NATSO
One thing we are continuing to stress with NATSO members is that retail locations, truckstops included, need to be experiential. Oasis Travel Center, located in Robertsdale, Alabama, has experiential items in spades. In this episode of The Truck Stops Here, we have the distinct pleasure of interviewing Dale Elks, General Manager about their unique truckstop.
Hosted by:
Amy Toner, Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content, NATSO and Darren Schulte, Vice President, Membership, NATSO
Pull up, grab the fuel nozzle and get ready to fuel up on trends and strategies to grow your travel center business in The Truck Stops Here, brought to you by NATSO.