KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Pilot Flying J Inc. is devoting extra employees to greet customers at the diesel pumps and take time to personally thank the men and women who keep America moving: professional drivers. During National Driver Appreciation Week, September 17-22, Pilot Flying J stores will have additional staff on site to meet drivers and gather feedback for the company.
"This week is dedicated to professional drivers, and we're excited to have this opportunity to celebrate them, thank them and get to know them better," said Jimmy Haslam, CEO of Pilot Flying J. "Our priority is to make each driver's day the best it can be, so we're always eager to hear from drivers about life on the road. We are committed to knowing our customers better – not just during one week but every day of the year--so we can best serve them."
Haslam will be joining store employees as they meet and greet with customers. To kick things off, the CEO will be out at the fuel pumps at a Knoxville, Tenn., Flying J Travel Plaza the morning of September 17.
Haslam just announced on Wednesday that he is stepping down as Pilot Flying J's CEO and stepping up to the role of chairman. PepsiCo Inc. president John Compton has joined the company as CEO (see Related Content below for CSP Daily News coverage).
All Pilot Flying J employees will be wearing colorful t-shirts made especially for Driver Appreciation Week so that drivers can easily identify them. The shirts share four sentiments that exemplify the spirit behind Pilot Flying J's renewed mission to make life better for America's drivers:
- We love drivers.
- We thank drivers.
- We respect drivers.
- We appreciate drivers.
At each store, staff will be greeting drivers and thanking them for their hard work, but the company is also encouraging drivers to seek out staff with any feedback, suggestions or ideas.
"Professional drivers keep this country moving; without them, Americans couldn't live the lives we enjoy today," Haslam said. "We're looking forward to getting to know these men and women on a more personal level. They are hardworking, talented and inspiring. We're appreciative of the opportunity to thank them for all that they do and listen to their feedback. We want to hear what we can do to make a driver's day better."
In addition to National Driver Appreciation Week, the Pilot Flying J team is recognizing the month of September as Driver Appreciation Month by offering double points on professional drivers' MyRewards cards from August 28 to October 2..
Based in Knoxville, Tenn., Pilot Flying J has more than 600 retail locations and is the largest operator of travel centers and travel plazas in North America. The Pilot Flying J network provides customers with access to more than 60,000 parking spaces for trucks, more than 4,400 showers and more than 4,000 diesel lanes, of which more than 2,200 offer diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) at the pump.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.