FlyingJ/Pilot Newsletter

OntarioVanMan · Jun 7, 2011

TAKING CARE OF DRIVERS

At Pilot Flying J, our goal is to ensure that professional drivers receive the best products and services at every one of our locations. We have been listening to drivers over the last several months and decided to make many upgrades to the shower experience at Pilot Flying J. Over the next 3 years, we will renovate over 4,000 showers in our locations. In May, we rolled out new, hotel-quality shower heads and larger, thicker, softer towels to our facilities. Your feedback has been instrumental in these upgrades, and we are continuing to research other improvements such as new soap, shower hooks, and shower mats. There are two new programs we are implementing to ensure high standards in all of our showers: the "Own A Shower" program and the "Best Shower on the Interstate" Contest.
OWN A SHOWER PROGRAM

To ensure that our showers always meet high standards, we have introduced the "Own A Shower" program to our employees. Each shower has been assigned to a store team member and manager who are responsible for ensuring high cleanliness standards of their shower.
BEST SHOWER ON THE INTERSTATE CONTEST

From Memorial Day to Labor Day we are holding a contest where drivers with a Frequent Fueler Advantage or Driver Payback card may vote for their favorite shower. Here is how you vote:

When you take a shower, note the store # and shower # provided for you on the mirror in the shower room.
After showering, visit a driver kiosk in the store and click on the “Best Shower on the Interstate” button.
Put in the shower information you retrieved from the shower room to vote for that shower. You may vote once every 3 days.
After voting, you have the opportunity to also rate your shower experience on cleanliness, water temperature & pressure, and amenities (towels, soap, etc.).
Each vote enters your name in a random drawing for “Free Coffee for a Year” which will be awarded to 10 drivers at the end of the contest.
But that’s not all! Even after the contest ends, you will still have the opportunity to rate every shower that you take through our “Rate Your Shower” program. We are relying on your feedback to help us continually improve the shower experience at our locations.

Thank you to all of the professional drivers who have given us feedback on how we can improve your experience at our locations. We encourage you to take advantage of the “Best Shower on the Interstate” Contest and the “Rate Your Shower” program to help us continually improve. Thank you for all you do!

chefdennis · Jun 7, 2011

from the article:

In May, we rolled out new, hotel-quality shower heads

Hmmm while the program is only a month along..I have used 3 different showers at 3 different locations in the past week...1 had what appeared to be a new "water-pic" shower head that was nice...the other 2 got the "change the shower head while using it" program....

Hopefully they will get to ALL the locations in the net month....those TA Ultra program showers are beginning to be missed....sure wish TA took OUR (Load 1) Fleet One fuel program or just took the card and gave the regular shower deal...

OntarioVanMan · Jun 7, 2011

chefdennis said:
from the article:

Hmmm while the program is only a month along..I have used 3 different showers at 3 different locations in the past week...1 had what appeared to be a new "water-pic" shower head that was nice...the other 2 got the "change the shower head while using it" program....

Hopefully they will get to ALL the locations in the net month....those TA Ultra program showers are beginning to be missed....sure wish TA took OUR (Load 1) Fleet One fuel program or just took the card and gave the regular shower deal...

I thought Turtle beat that out of ya...

Jason2 · Jun 11, 2011

i know it's better than nothing, but coffee for a year....

Tennesseahawk · Jun 11, 2011

Wow! Talk about a cheapskate! A prize that's really no cost to them.

cheri1122 · Jun 11, 2011

Tennesseahawk said:
Wow! Talk about a cheapskate! A prize that's really no cost to them.

After their Facebook deal [free drink if you 'like' them], who's surprised that they aren't splurging on the prize?
On the other hand, I give them credit for asking for the feedback, cause that's what matters. [If they pay attention and follow through, that is.]

skyraider · Jun 11, 2011

Hmmm, guess voting for ur best or worse shower is ok, Im just not interested, sorry. OK,,I will attend sensitivity training on this at their next meeting.

Fr8 Shaker · Jun 12, 2011

One thing they forgot to mention in their " Taking care of drivers " newsletter is that they also changed their shower program which, I found out the hard way. When I noticed I had 1 less shower on my card then I thought I had. I talked with a store manager and he told me that some showers only stay on the card for 3 days now, some 5 and some 7 depending on how much fuel you purchase and how often. I guess Pilot already forgot how much money they were losing when they took showers away from expeditors. I really don't see why they needed to change it from the normal 7 days it used to be. If they give you a shower because you earned it by being a loyal customer then why not leave it on your card long enough to use it.

Turtle · Jun 12, 2011

PilotFlyingJ - Shower Credit Metrix
Earn 1 shower credit per 50 gallons
1/2 credit for 14-49 gallons

Shower credits stay on the card for 5 days from the date and time the shower was earned. If you bought 14 gallons of fuel to earn a half-shower credit at 9:00 AM on Monday, that half-credit expires at 9:00 AM on Saturday. If you purchase 500 gallons or more in any calendar month, you qualify for Reward Level 2. That means the following month all shower credits you earn will have a 7 day expiration and you will receive special Reward Level 2 offers throughout the month. If you purchase over 1,000 gallons in any calendar month, you will qualify for Reward Level 3. That means the following month all shower credits you earn will have a 10 day expiration and you will receive special Reward Level 3 offers throughout the month.

If they have changed the expiration date for regular shower credits to three days, they have yet to note that on their Website.

Incidentally, TA and Petro showers are good for 10 days.

Fr8 Shaker · Jun 12, 2011

Just telling you what the Mgr. at the Pilot in Piedmont S.C. told me. After I told him I lost a shower he put a 1/2 shower on my card. ( what a guy )

Turtle · Jun 12, 2011

Doesn't surprise me that a manager here and there doesn't have all the details right. Just the other day I had one tell me that you can use the Frequent Fueler card at all of the restaurants, including Denny's. Newp.

purgoose10 · Jun 12, 2011

By God I'll show them, I just won't take a shower.

bcordell70 · Jun 12, 2011

Some of the Flying J's also will try and charge you 2 shower credits for a team shower..Have never had this issue with the TA's or Petro's

Tennesseahawk · Jun 12, 2011

Turtle said:
PilotFlyingJ - Shower Credit Metrix
Earn 1 shower credit per 50 gallons
1/2 credit for 14-49 gallons

Shower credits stay on the card for 5 days from the date and time the shower was earned. If you bought 14 gallons of fuel to earn a half-shower credit at 9:00 AM on Monday, that half-credit expires at 9:00 AM on Saturday. If you purchase 500 gallons or more in any calendar month, you qualify for Reward Level 2. That means the following month all shower credits you earn will have a 7 day expiration and you will receive special Reward Level 2 offers throughout the month. If you purchase over 1,000 gallons in any calendar month, you will qualify for Reward Level 3. That means the following month all shower credits you earn will have a 10 day expiration and you will receive special Reward Level 3 offers throughout the month.

If they have changed the expiration date for regular shower credits to three days, they have yet to note that on their Website.

Incidentally, TA and Petro showers are good for 10 days.

They have this all backwards. If you're filling the tanks to the tune of 1000 gallons a month, you won't need all the showers that gets you, for 10 days.

As far as Petro/TA giving you 10 days to take a shower... that's because they get it back by charging .10-.20 more than anyone else in fuel. Only reason I go to TA anymore is Popeyes.

Turtle · Jun 13, 2011

Tennesseahawk said:
They have this all backwards. If you're filling the tanks to the tune of 1000 gallons a month, you won't need all the showers that gets you, for 10 days.

My thoughts exactly. 500, 1000 gallons a month, you're accumulating showers faster than you can use them, so what do they do? They make them last longer. If you're in a van, you don't accrue many showers at all, and often they'll expire before you can use them up. As a result, I tend to buy just enough fuel at PilotFlyingJ to keep a shower in reserve in case I'm not near a TA or Petro. Otherwise, I'll get fuel at the latter.

As far as Petro/TA giving you 10 days to take a shower... that's because they get it back by charging .10-.20 more than anyone else in fuel. Only reason I go to TA anymore is Popeyes.

Well, you should keep in mind that TA fuel tends to be 50 cetane at most locations, which is more expensive, and will give you better fuel mileage than the cheaper 42-44 cetane at most PilotFlyingJ locations (California CARB diesel is all 50 cetane). I don't think I've ever seen a TA or a Petro charge 20 cents more for fuel than nearby fuel stops. Usually I see about a 5 cent difference. The increase in MPG more than makes up for even a 10 cent difference. And, of course, if you have a carrier discount, it's even better.

Tennesseahawk · Jun 13, 2011

Well, C&M doesn't have a fuel discount anywhere. As far as difference goes, I've seen it. Also saw it with Pilot/J. Last week I was in SC on 26. Fuel at a mom-n-pop was 3.66. 20 miles down the road, 3.89. I'm going to start giving mom-n-pops serious consideration if it's going to be that way.

Remember the TA in Columbia, NJ I told you about a few months ago? I took the wrong exit, turned around at a mom-n-pop to buy at the TA for 4.11. Mom-n-pop was 3.79.

Turtle · Jun 13, 2011

Oh, I was only considering other truck stops. Yeah, I've seen those kinds of differences, too, with mom & pops and just regular gas stations a mile or so off the Interstate. One that really ticked me off was just after I filled up at the J in Coeur d'Alene, ID, I then went into town to get something to eat. Right in town, at three different gas stations, diesel was 33 cents cheaper.

Still, though, do not too easily dismiss the cost savings benefits of 50 cetane. When you factor that in, and take out the cost per gallon of a free shower, it's actually much cheaper than you think.

OntarioVanMan · Jun 13, 2011

Turtle said

Well, you should keep in mind that TA fuel tends to be 50 cetane at most locations,

Now how in blazes do we know which ones?...it is not like they advertize...they should be made to say it on the pumps like they do with gas...that and the bio level as well....

jelliott · Jun 13, 2011

Mom and pop's are often cheaper or more expensive it just depends. They may buy diesel fuel once every week or two and then sell it at that price until they need to refill. That price may be below market till they sell out or above market depending on what the market does daily. The chains are buying and selling in qty everyday so they tend to better reflect the market more "real time".