Pilot Flying J has deployed more than 130 Truck Care roadside repair trucks in the last 18 months. The company plans to have 150 brick and mortar stores in place adjacent to Pilot stores by the end of 2019.Since the launch of its Truck Care program last March, Pilot Flying J has deployed 130 roadside repair trucks and opened 17 shops adjacent to existing truck stops — an accelerated expansion that Dave Latimer, Pilot’s VP of shops and operations, says positions the company to better serve its fleet and owner-operator customers.
“We want to provide a totality of service,” he says. “We don’t want our customers or our guests to have to go somewhere else to fill their needs.” Pilot plans to finish another 150 brick and mortar shops by the end of next year, Latimer said.
Coming in an update to the MyPilot early next year will be a shower reservation and notification system.Truck Care is available 24/7 and costs a flat hourly rate of $99. The dispatch number and location information are readily available company’s MyPilot app. Latimer says Truck Care’s primary focus is minor repairs and tires, and it honors operators’ existing accounts for Bridgestone, Michelin, Continental, Yokohama and Goodyear.
Pilot also gives customers one MyPilot Rewards point for every dollar spent on Truck Care service.
Pilot Flying J also early next year plans to rollout a revamped version of its MyPilot app, focusing on trip planning and locating Pilot and Flying J stops, finding parking and redeeming awards like discounts and MyPilot points within the app, says Ginny Holmes, Pilot’s digital product manager. The app will also streamline mobile fueling, allowing drivers to do the bulk of the work and payment steps from their cab.
Also, as of Tuesday, the MyPilot app allows drivers to reserve a shower spot and remain in their trucks until the app notifies them that their shower is ready. Before, drivers could reserve a shower, but they had to be in the store to hear their name called.
Pilot Flying J in September is offering month-long rewards via the app and its rewards program, Holmes said. In addition to free mid-trip inspections during September (in part due to National Truck Driver Appreciation Week and the week-long Brake Safety Week inspection blitz), the company is providing free and discounted items daily via the MyPilot app. It’s also giving away a total of 100 million rewards points during the month to 60,000 users.
