The Truck Stops Here

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 NexChapter. 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