Pilot Co.

In early 2020, Pilot Flying J, owner and operator of the Pilot and Flying J travel center networks, changed its name to Pilot Co. on the corporate level. While the separate retail brands will remain, the company intends the new name to serve as an umbrella for the total portfolio of brands as it continues to expand its retail and energy operations.

The move follows the 2017 acquisition by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. of a growing equity stake that will make it the majority shareholder by 2023.

In 2019, Pilot Flying J opened 26 units, six in West Texas alone, and it is planning to open 20 to 25 units in 2020, targeting California, Texas, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington. The company also launched the One9 Fuel Network, a nationwide fueling network for smaller fleets, in 2019. The company expects the One9 network to include 250 locations by the end of 2020.

Also in 2019, Pilot Flying J added six-week, paid, gender-neutral parental leave to its benefit package for full-time and part-time employees who have at least one year of service and have worked at least 1,250 hours in the past 12 months.

And in late 2019, the company partnered with drugstore chain CVS on health and wellness kiosks in 50 travel centers.

For benchmarking purposes, store counts are year-end 2019.