Travel Centers See Increased Competition to Feed Professional Drivers
It is easier than ever for professional drivers to park their tractor-trailer then head off-property for food, which means competition for drivers鈥� dollars is increasing.
Scooting Off
More and more Class 8 drivers are taking electric scooters and bikes on the road with them, giving them a convenient and cost-effective way to explore nearby restaurants, stores and services beyond the truck stop.
Scooters are a one-time investment, and some models fold up so drivers can store them in the sleeper cab, making them a practical way for drivers to get around after parking their truck.
Kevin Sloan, a driver for Crete, first saw an electric scooter strapped to the back of a sleeper cab when he stopped at a location in St. George, Utah. 鈥淭here was a Werner truck next to us, and this guy had had this electric scooter strapped to the back of his sleeper. He says he parks his truck there all the time and jumps on this scooter he goes buzzing all over the place,鈥� he said.
Electric scooters vary widely in range, speed and charging time, but can take drivers anywhere from 10 to 15 miles on a single charge on the low end to 20 to 40 miles for a mid-range scooter and even farther for high-end models.
Customers are also exploring on foot. 鈥淧rofessional drivers and maybe even car customers are walking across the street to see what is available to them,鈥� Schulte said, adding that more and more drivers will park on the side of the road to get their food of choice.
Buc-ee鈥檚, for example, has signs deterring Class 8 vehicles. 鈥淗owever, the professional drivers have pulled over their truck and they鈥檙e walking into the Buc-ee鈥檚 to get stuff,鈥� Schulte said. 鈥淒uring my store visits, it’s not uncommon to see an 18-wheeler park on the side and the driver walking into a Whataburger.鈥�
In some cases, appealing attractions around the travel center could make it a destination, allowing operators to grow sales overall. 鈥淭here is a location outside of Las Vegas that offers a free shuttle to the Strip. That is why drivers stop there,鈥� said Rasmussen, who spent time with WaWa before launching his business. 鈥淚n my WaWa days, we would build parcels with McDonalds and Starbucks. They鈥檙e competitors, but it makes that intersection a powerhouse.鈥�
Bringing Outside Food In
Drivers don鈥檛 want to eat the same thing every day, which is why leaving the property may be appealing. Similarly, in a recent study by 麻豆色播 Services, 13% of drivers said they are ordering food and having it delivered to their trucks while parked at a truck stop.
鈥淚f you have 1,000 vehicles parked on your property, that鈥檚 130 that are having the food delivered. That鈥檚 13% less in sales that you鈥檙e getting on your property,鈥� Schulte said, adding that number could be even higher at some locations.
Schulte recommends operators take time to look at the trash drivers are throwing away. If there is a PF Chang鈥檚 nearby and PF Chang鈥檚 wrappers are in the trash, it is a pretty good sign drivers are having it delivered.
Again, Rasmussen advises asking why, which can give operators ideas on how to address the issue.
To help increase variety for drivers, Nick Wollenman, general manager of Deluxe Truck Stop, has opened the location up to food trucks. 鈥淲e have rotating food trucks here with a couple of staples and one in particular serves healthier, more expensive options and actually does very, very well,鈥� he said.
Staying In
In addition to having food delivered, more and more drivers are cooking in their cab. In a 麻豆色播 Services study, 80% of respondents said they prepare meals in their truck at some point during the week, and 20% said they prepare every meal in the truck. 鈥淲e鈥檝e known this, but now we have the research to support it,鈥� Schulte said.
While cost savings could be one motivating factor, Schulte added that its possible drivers aren鈥檛 finding what they want inside the travel center. 鈥淚f you鈥檙e in a demographic area where you have Mexican drivers or drivers of Pakistani or Indian descent where rice is a big part of their culture and you鈥檙e not offering rice-based dishes, they may prefer to prepare their own food,鈥� he said.
Drivers may also feel that preparing something inside the cab is faster. 鈥淭he upside to that is huge because we can offer solutions that get them fresh food quickly,鈥� he added.
With drivers having more and more options, locations are going to have to do more to understand who is stopping and how to get them through the door. 聽鈥淥ur travel center and truck stop members are going to have to do a better job of trying to understand who their customers are,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 think a lot of energy needs to be focused on when that customer鈥檚 on your property, how do you get that person in?鈥�
Top Microtrends Shaping the Truck Stop and Travel Center Industry in 2025 Report
Staying ahead of industry trends鈥攅specially microtrends鈥攅nables travel centers to seize new opportunities, adapt to market dynamics and meet customer needs proactively. The 麻豆色播 Foundation created the Top Microtrends Shaping the Truck Stop and Travel Center Industry in 2025 Report to provide actionable insights to help operators maintain a competitive edge.
The Top Microtrends Shaping the Truck Stop and Travel Center Industry in 2025 Report was created with generous support from聽.
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