Travel Center Transformation

Innovation abounds in the travel center and truck stop industry from both new and existing players

By Renée M. Covino

THE NATION’S TRAVEL CENTERS and truck stops are on the move, with new players joining the industry and existing players expanding and innovating at speeds that rival the highway traffic they cater to.

“The industry is currently evolving to meet demand for new fueling technologies, such as electric vehicle charging stations, as well as in-store technologies that enhance speed of service,” said Tiffany Wlazlowski Neuman, vice president of public affairs for NATSO, the national association representing the travel plaza and truck stop industry.

The fact that truck stops and travel plazas never closed during the COVID-19 pandemic has also played a role in the high-speed growth of the channel, she noted.

“In the early days of COVID-19, we were among those businesses deemed essential to ensure that truck drivers had access to food and fuel and could continue to deliver critical supplies, such as groceries and medicine,” Neuman said. “The pandemic brought to light the critical role that travel centers and truck stops play in the nation’s supply chain. While the industry was already experiencing change prior to the pandemic, the pandemic elevated the importance of our industry — which, in turn, brought planned changes to the forefront for many companies and locations.”

Gary Hall, an industry consultant based in Medford, Ore., also pointed out that the just-in-time (JIT) inventory method for large retail stores that has now escalated to overnight shipping is further driving the segment’s growth.

The Great Overhaul

The largest travel center chain in the United States, Knoxville, Tenn.-based Pilot Co., recently embarked on a three-year, $1 billion initiative to overhaul hundreds of its travel centers across the country. The “New Horizons” project will include full remodels of more than 400 Pilot and Flying J locations, as well as upgrades at many other locations.

The retailer, which operates more than 750 locations in 44 states and six Canadian provinces, has stated that this will be its largest investment in store modernization yet, and will “improve the Pilot experience for customers and employees alike.”

In June, Pilot welcomed customers to its first four newly upgraded travel centers. Among the enhancements made were an updated interior, remodeled restrooms, expanded seating area, a new hot deli and soup bar, and the addition of self-checkout.

“Completing the first locations of our New Horizons project is exciting, and we look forward to offering our

guests the best experiences on the road,” Allison Cornish, the company’s vice president of store modernization, said at the time. “This is just the beginning of our plans for the future as we continue to listen to our guests and strive to make their travel easier and more enjoyable.”

A couple months later, in early August, the retailer debuted a new Tex-Mex deli concept, Burrito Junction, at its latest remodeled Pilot travel center in Corbin, Ky. According to Pilot, its chef and food innovation team spent two years testing and finetuning the "make it your way” Burrito Junction menu before its launch.

The new food concept is open 24/7 and features everything from customizable breakfast burritos in the morning to a full menu of burritos, tacos, bowls and quesadillas, which can be personalized with house-made guacamole, queso, salsa and an array of toppings.

Another major travel center chain, TravelCenters of America Inc. (TA), debuted a new store design and announced a nationwide site refresh plan in October 2021. The Westlake, Ohio-based company, which operates 276-plus locations in 44 states and Canada, set out to execute more than 100 site refreshes.

Refresh components include updates to driver lounges, repaved parking lots, renovated restrooms and showers, new lighting fixtures, new flooring and paint, and the addition of self-checkout. Refreshed sites also feature improved signage and a new store flow.

The October reopening of the TA location in Seymour, Ind., marked the debut of its new store design. At the same time, the retailer announced the launch of The Kitchen, a new fast-casual dining experience to be rolled out to select locations nationwide.

Should You Explore the Travel Center Business?

Operating a traditional convenience store and operating a truck stop or travel center are not one in the same. There is added complexity in running the latter, which consists of multiple profit centers and requires a significant number of employees.

The needs of the professional truck driver are also not the same as a four-wheel customer. Truck stops need to manage amenities that professional long-haul drivers need, such as showers, truck washes, repair facilities, and overnight parking. Managing diesel fuel and negotiating fuel contracts with fleets can be complex as well.

Segment experts recommend traditional c-store operators go through the following best-practice checklist when embarking on a travel center/truck stop enterprise:

• Assemble an internal team of stakeholders that is focused on the trucker/travel stop experience. • Find a good site in an underserved submarket — consider using site feasibility experts who will run the numbers and conduct a study on the location. • Remember the basics: speed of service, robust food programs, ease of entry and exit for commercial vehicles, free Wi-Fi, safety (with more employees), adequate and crime-free truck parking, and clean restrooms. • Consider the “extras” for professional drivers, such as tools, hardware, apparel and electronics. • Collect continual feedback to find out what you’re doing right and wrong, and be prepared to adjust accordingly.

TravelCenters of America plans to execute more than 100 site refreshes, which include improved signage and a new store flow.

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Forty new Love’s locations are slated to open this year, along with networkwide enhancements.

At The Kitchen, guests can receive freshly prepared food for sit-down dining in a fast-casual environment, as well as packaged meals and snacks for grab and go. TA said it is focusing on providing variety with well-balanced and healthy options, regional inspiration, and trending flavors that appeal to both professional drivers and motorists.

“All of these investments and improvements are designed around improving our guest experience based on a more examined understanding of their needs, and intended to drive efficiency and financial performance,” said CEO Jonathan Pertchik.

Meanwhile, Oklahoma City-based Love's Travel Stops, which operates more than 580 locations in 41 states, kicked off 2022 with an ambitious growth plan. Forty new locations are slated to open this year, along with networkwide enhancements.

Love’s outlined goals for 2022 include: increasing fueling options across the U.S.; expanding the Love's branded product line; introducing fresh and hot food offerings; opening more than 20 Love's Truck Care and Speedco locations as part of the nation's largest oil change and preventive maintenance network; and continuing to enhance the Love's Connect mobile app with new features.

“This year, we will continue to improve the amenities and services our customers have come to love and expect when they stop at our locations; new features will also be added that we think will wow them,” Love’s President Shane Wharton said in January. “Our customers and team members made last year a great one, and we expect the same for this year, as we continue to get customers back on the road quickly and safely.”

Beyond announcements from the top trio, Buc-ee’s — which holds the title of having the nation’s largest travel center — is in the midst of a multistate expansion that began in 2019. Since then, the Lake Jackson, Texas-based retailer has opened travel centers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Next up is Colorado and Missouri. In June, Buc-ee's began work on its first Colorado travel center in Johnstown. And as of press time, the chain was

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getting ready to break ground on its first travel center in Missouri.

“Springfield is the birthplace of Route 66,” said Stan Beard, Buc-ee's director of real estate. “It's perfectly natural that Buc-ee's, the ultimate road-trip destination, is coming to this gorgeous stretch of Americana history. We are delighted to be a part of this community and excited to make Springfield our first stop in Missouri.”

Making the Jump From C-stores

More players from the traditional convenience store universe are deciding to join the travel center and truck stop industry and realizing the benefits of this side of the business.

Because the truck stop industry never slowed, but rather increased during the pandemic, many c-store operators that offer truck diesel fuel saw this as a way to augment petroleum sales that slowed due to the lockdowns, Hall explained.

C-store operators recognize there is an opportunity to expand into additional businesses, such as truck stops and travel centers, to serve their customers, NATSO’s Neuman said.

“There has been a resurgence in road-tripping and recreational vehicle drivers during the pandemic. At the same time, diesel fuel is projected to remain in the fuel supply for many years to come, positioning professional truck drivers as important customers for them,” she noted. “The traditional convenience store is also responding to increasing numbers of customers driving short-haul delivery vehicles. Their diesel gallons have increased as first-mile and last-mile deliveries have increased. All these factors are combining to make it more lucrative to be a travel center.”

Tulsa, Okla.-based QuikTrip Corp. has been in the travel center business since the early 1990s and currently has 71 such locations. Of those, 15 are part of its new Remote Store Network initiative. These locations are created “specifically for highly traveled areas of the country that are also within a reasonable proximity to a QT Distribution Center for access for fresh food,” according to Aisha Jefferson-Smith, corporate communications manager for QuikTrip. “We look at traffic patterns, area growth and several other factors to ensure we will be a great fit in the community.”

QuikTrip currently has 10 travel centers and 11 Remote Travel Centers under construction. By the end of 2022, the retailer expects to have eight additional Remote Travel Center locations up and running.

Traditional c-store operator RaceTrac Inc. is another company making the jump. Based in Atlanta, RaceTrac’s travel center prototype is roughly 2,500 square feet larger than its standard c-store, providing ample room for “impactful offer expansion,” including hot food,

Newly upgraded Pilot travel centers include an updated interior and the addition of self-checkout.

trucker merchandise, larger pack sizes, indoor seating, expanded restrooms, truck scales, truck parking, and high-flow diesel.

RaceTrac executives told Convenience Store News that the retailer plans to lean heavily into the travel center channel and has ambitious goals to build sites across the Southeast and beyond, “extending its values to the professional truck-driving population.”

Driving Change

Innovation in the segment is also coming in the form of technology adoption.

A solar-powered truck stop for heavy-duty electric trucks, believed to be the first of its kind in California, is expected to be open by late October in Bakersfield. When complete, this truck stop will reportedly be able to charge up to 200 trucks per day.

The truck stop is being built by WattEV Inc. with the help of a $5 million grant from the California Energy Commission. The company cited the grant as an important milestone in its effort to deploy 12,000 electric heavy-duty trucks on the road by 2030.

No doubt, technological advancements are contributing to the changes being seen in the modern-day travel center/truck stop, and the best players will showcase them.

“The best operators are adopting technologies that improve customer speed of service or allow them to redeploy labor in a more efficient manner,” Neuman said, citing self-checkout, scan-and-go programs and digital shelf labels as among the technologies she sees on the rise in the industry.

“We will also continue to see more automated retail in travel center stores, along with equipment that allows travel centers to redeploy — not eliminate — labor,” she added. “For example, truck stops will continue to explore technology that allows staff to work the floor and engage with customers, rather than stand behind a counter. Future store designs will also continue to evolve as age-restricted products become automated.” CSN