KNOXVILLE, Tenn. —Pilot Flying J has installed CVS Health kiosks in 50 U.S. travel centers. The company has partnered with CVS to help drive its mission of improving the lives of professional truck drivers, Brian Ferguson, chief merchant for the Knoxville, Tenn.-based chain, told CSP Daily News.
The kiosks feature a range of CVS-branded health products, including over-the-counter medications, vitamins, personal care products, hand and ankle braces, muscle relief cream, sleep aids, smoking cessation products, blood pressure monitoring and diabetic supplies.
While Pilot Flying J stores already have health and wellness products, having a recognizable name like CVS helps cause a “surprise and delight” moment for customers who didn’t know the two companies worked together, Ferguson said. It also expands the breadth of Pilot Flying J’s health and wellness products, he said.
“It definitely brings newness and innovation to our assortments, and that’s what our guests are always asking for, and [the guests are] really pleased when we deliver on that promise,” Ferguson said.
The kiosks—which are 5 feet tall, 3 inches wide and 30 inches long—are placed in stores where there are sight lines to the kiosk from store entrances. Products range from $2.99 for pain relief medicine to up to nearly $60 for some of the smoking cessation products, Ferguson said.
The kiosks were installed in November in select Pilot Flying J stores in 19 states: North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Texas, New Mexico, Missouri, Nevada, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Nebraska and West Virginia.
The stores see a range of traffic, Ferguson said, and some are near CVS stores, but some are not. So far, Ferguson said he’s been pleased with the results and that the kiosks are a “highly productive use of space.”
“We’re making money on the sale, and [CVS is] making money on the cost of goods,” he said.
Ferguson plans to expand the program and adjust the products to cater to the ailments drivers and travelers face at each time of year (including flu season and allergy season). “[Truck drivers] have a very difficult job, and it’s really, really stressful and taxing,” he said. “So we’re committed to maintaining their well-being, helping them any way we can.”
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