Pilot Company

On Thursday, self-driving trucking company Kodiak Robotics and Pilot Co. opened their first truckport for autonomous vehicles at the Pilot Travel Center in Villa Rica, Georgia. According to the news release, the truckport will be used by Kodiak to launch and land its autonomous trucks and serve as a hub for drivers to pick and drop off loads for first- and last-mile deliveries.

From one store he and his wife opened in 1964, Tom Love oversaw the growth of Love’s Travel Stops to 600 locations.

The long-planned acquisition of a bigger stake in Pilot by Berkshire Hathaway has been completed, and new data is expected to emerge as a result.

Pilot Co. and Volvo Group move to keep public charging on pace with electric vehicle adoption as Prologis adds charging installations.

Kodiak Robotics snagged a strategic investment and is developing an autonomous truck service project with Pilot Co.

This week: Pilot donates $100,000 to Hire Heroes USA; Scrubblade becomes a sponsor of the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund; and TravelCenters of America starts taking nominations for its trucker awards.

Fuel supplier Pilot Company raised $1 million for Save the Children’s efforts in Ukraine through round-up donations at travel centers and restaurants.

This week: Pilot announces details of its three-year remodeling plans; the Women Automotive Network releases diversity survey data; and Fayetteville State University honors successful supply chain interns.

This week: FreightWaves reviews five top Log Book stories from the past year, from National Truck Driver Appreciation Week activities to the gifting of a Peterbilt.

Federal prosecutors filed a motion Tuesday requesting the court dismiss all charges against ex-Pilot President Mark Hazelwood and two former sales team executives, Scott Wombold and Heather Jones. In October, a federal appellate court overturned Hazelwood’s conviction.

This week: Pilot gifts throwback Peterbilt to driver with sterling record of safe driving, AIT Worldwide Logistics stays committed to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and J.B. Hunt gives additional $5 million to Arkansas Children’s health care initiatives.

Ex-Pilot president alleges reverse racism as he seeks different judge, location for second fuel fraud trial. Long-Haul Crime Log investigates the claims.

Truck Talk is a weekly newsletter from FreightWaves that adds perspective and context to happenings in the trucking industry.

OOIDA testifies on vaccine and truck parking concerns before the House transportation committee.

Love’s Travel Stops is offering $75 to each of 28,000 employees across its businesses who voluntarily get the COVID vaccine.

Prosecutors are asking the 6th Circuit Court to reconsider its Pilot fraud case ruling that tossed out the convictions of Mark Hazelwood and two staffers.

Shameek Konar is about take an unprecedented step at Pilot Company as he assumes the role of CEO in January.

Professional drivers have always worked hard to get goods from point A to point B regardless of the circumstances.

Shameek Konar will succeed Jimmy Haslam as Pilot Co. CEO in January, after growing its energy services business. He is the first outsider to run the family-owned Pilot in its 62 years.

Travel plaza leader Pilot Co. rounds up spare change to help vets while easing coin shortage caused by coronavirus pandemic.

By not nickel-and-diming through hidden fees, the Axle Fuel Card allows trucking companies to keep more hard-earned money in their pockets.

The gradual restart of the economy includes dine-in restaurants at the travel plazas dotting American highways. Truckers will find socially distanced seating and fewer menu offerings — if they leave their trucks to investigate. Some say they won’t bother.

Donations to the St. Christopher’s Driver Development and Relief Fund continues to pour in as recognition of the driver’s role in delivering critical supplies during COVID-19 pandemic attracts new donors.

TravelCenters of America is focusing on franchise growth to close the gap in travel center locations with its larger competitors Pilot Co. and Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores.

TravelCenters of America is laying off more than 3,000 employees because its full-service restaurants are idle and stay-home orders keep most motorists off the highways.

Growing awareness of a 12-year-old relief fund for semi-truck drivers is attracting more and bigger donations as the coronavirus pandemic highlights health risks to truckers hauling critical freight.

Travel plazas are balancing social distancing to prevent the possible spread of coronavirus with providing food and services to truckers, whose dining options in some cases are limited to drive thru and carryout.

Small companies jittery about investing in biodiesel blending with the federal tax credit in limbo are moving in now that the tax incentive on the cleaner-burning fuel is set through 2022.

Seeing expansion of the truck stop business as finite, Pilot Flying J is rapidly expanding its energy business. Reflecting that is a name change to the Pilot Company, an homage to the single gas station founder Jim Haslam purchased in 1958.