TravelCenters Aims to Lure Motorists, Truckers With New Design

The opening of a new prototype truck stop just outside Denver is allowing TravelCenters of America to reposition itself in the marketplace.

TravelCenters of America

The TravelCenters of America prototype in Commerce City, Colo., is part of a $250 million capital improvement program.

The station in Commerce City, Colo., was recently unveiled with the expectation of increasing the company’s customer base without making truckers any less welcome. It is intended to help the largest operator of full-service travel centers in the nation to paint a new image by luring motorists and recreational vehicle operators.

TA plans to spend as much as $250 million to refurbish and build truck stops, said its president, Ed Kuhn. The company, based in Westlake, Ohio, is privately held and runs 162 truck stops in 40 states.

He notes the business has grown over the past 30 years through several mergers and acquisitions, but none of the numerous building styles had a distinct “TA” look.

Fuel margins continue to shrink, so the company needed to expand its place in the interstate marketplace beyond the trucker segment, Kuhn said. Market research shows that truck drivers, fleet managers and motorists all want clean showers, clean rest rooms, safe parking, full-service restaurants as well as quality truck repair facilities and service.

TA hopes to make the most of its investment by getting motorists and truckers to share common facilities while recognizing the differences between the two market segments. Truckers and four-wheel customers are not segregated, but are not forced to mingle as they conduct their business.

For the full story, see the July 12 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.