Pilot is installing B99 biodiesel, a lower-carbon fuel, for commercial fleets at its travel center in Decatur, Illinois. The convenience-store retailer also plans to add the fuel to its locations in Des Moines, Iowa, and Dallas.
Biodiesel is manufactured from vegetable oils, animal fats or recycled grease and can improve fuel efficiency and help reduce carbon emissions in commercial trucking.
Pilot Co. is No. 15 on CSP’s 2024 Top 202 ranking of U.S. convenience-store chains by store count.
The effort is in collaboration with PepsiCo, the operator of one of North America’s largest private fleets, and ADM, an agricultural supply chain manager and processor, highlighting the importance of partnerships to help drive sustainability goals in the trucking industry.
Optimus Technologies, a fleet sustainability company, also helped enable this rollout through its technology that upgrades diesel engines to operate on up to 100% biodiesel.
“We know how important sustainability is to our customers and strive to help meet these growing needs for more sustainable fuel options for commercial fleets,” said Eric Fobes, head of renewables at Pilot, Knoxville, Tennessee. “Introducing B99 at our travel centers is another way we support fleets committed to reducing carbon emissions. This collaboration with PepsiCo, ADM and Optimus Technologies exemplifies how partnerships can create impactful solutions.”
The three initial rollouts are:
- 4030 E. Boyd Road, Decatur, Illinois (currently available)
- 11957 Douglas Ave., Des Moines, Iowa (coming this spring)
- 8787 S. Lancaster Road, Dallas, Texas (coming this summer)
Pilot Co. is the largest operator of travel centers in North America, with more than 750 locations across 44 states and six Canadian provinces, selling about 14 billion gallons of fuel a year and about $3 billion in food and merchandise.
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