Pilot Co.

Pilot Co. is one of the largest networks of travel centers in the country, with more than 870 Pilot, Flying J and One9 locations in 44 states and six Canadian provinces, serving an average of 1.3 million customers per day. Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, Pilot is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway and employs approximately 30,000 team members.

In recent years, Pilot began a financial transition culminating with the investment-holding giant Berkshire Hathaway, Omaha, Nebraska, gaining total ownership of Pilot earlier in 2024. The investment firm bought a 38.6% stake in Pilot Flying J in October 2017 for $2.76 billion, then grew its ownership stake to 80% in 2023, buying more of what had then become Pilot Co. Finally, in January 2024, Berkshire Hathaway acquired Pilot's remaining 20% interest.

Last year, the company opened 10 new travel centers and welcomed more than 20 dealer locations to its network. The new stores were located along major routes in key markets, including Yucca and Ash Fork, Arizona; Colton and Rialto, California; Gallup, New Mexico; McCarran, Nevada; Edon, Ohio; Holladay, Tennessee; Odessa, Texas; and Wamsutter, Wyoming. In late 2023, Pilot celebrated more than 100 completed remodels under its $1 billion "New Horizons" initiative, adding another 75 locations to the original plan for a total of nearly 200 completed remodels since launching the program in 2022. Major enhancements included curb-to-counter makeovers with refreshed restrooms and showers, new kitchens, expanded food and beverage options and updated technology.

The company's 2024 growth plan includes building 10 new travel centers to increase the company's presence in several states, bringing additional services, amenities and more than 500 truck parking spaces to the nation's roadways.

For benchmarking purposes, store counts are as of Jan. 1, 2024.