The Truck Stops Here

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 the 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 center world.

With special guest:

Darren Schulte, Vice President, Membership, NATSO

Hosted by:

Amy Toner, Executive Director, NATSO Foundation