TA/Petro Kiosk Survey

Ok here's a good one. Am I the only one that takes the survey when using the TA/Petro Kiosk? I am a true believer in the saying, "You can't expect any change if you don't ask or notify a business or person."

With that being said, here's what happened recently after taking a survey at one of the kiosks. We have designated fuel stops that we can fill up at TA's and Petro's. One of them is the TA south of Jacksonville Fl on I-95. Running back and forth from PA to Florida on a weekly basis I make it to Kenly NC and fill up. From there I top off at the TA in Jacksonville the next day in order to finish my trip and run around to reload. In between these 2 fuel stops I can put 50 gallons in at the Petro in Kingsland GA if I want to miss the J'ville TA. I usually do that just so I don't have to stop at that rat hole.

One of the first truck stops I ever stopped at was the Union 76 T/S now known as the TA in Jacksonville. That was in 1982. In the 27+ years I have been driving that truck stop has never had any capitol improvements done. I'm not talking about paint and new signage, I'm talking about a new fuel Island, new parking lot and new restaurant. I am somewhat knowledgeable about finances and spending money to make money, but even during the economic boom a few years ago the only thing this property saw was a new coat of paint when TA took over the 76 chain.

I find it very appalling to get out of my truck and slip and fall at the fuel island in order to pump my fuel from pumps that are 25 years old. It's also very disturbing to park your truck in that lot and just about break an axle in one of the holes there. So after numerous times fueling there I finally filled out one of the surveys at one of the Kiosks asking me about my experience there. Well I threw them under a bus. And guess what? I got a phone call today from the GM from that facility asking me what exactly was I dissatisfied with. I did everything I could in order not to laugh in his face. But I did tell him that as a driver that needs to fuel there every week, and using that facility long before he became the GM, It bothers me that his truck stop hasn't seen change since 1982 when I started stopping there. I went on to tell him that a coat of paint and new signs don't do anything for driver comforts and safety. I did thank him for calling me and we did have a very good conversation, but at the end of the conversation he told me that because of the economic condition of the country, TA is not planning on doing anything to the property. I mentioned to him that I understand their point, but the economic condition of the country hasn't been like this for the last 27 years. When he told me that I explained to him that I, along with 5 other drivers that live in Florida will be making other fueling arrangements in order to avoid his location, I was told that he's sorry about that and there's nothing he could do. I thanked him for his time and ended the conversation.

Me deciding to avoid that fuel stop probably won't mean a thing to him, but to me I did my part and will spend the companies money somewhere else.