Pilot, Flying J to merge travel center operations

There are currently in excess of 300 Pilot Travel Centers throughout the U.S. and Canada. (The Trucker file photo)

The Trucker News Services

7/13/2009
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. and OGDEN, Utah — Pilot Travel Centers and Flying J have reached a merger agreement to merge the two company's travel centers into a single operation, The Trucker learned late Monday.
Details of the agreement are scheduled to be announced this morning, sources told The Trucker.
Only Flying J truck stop locations are part of the merger. Other Flying J entities are not involved, sources have told The Trucker.
The merger would seemingly free up cash that could be used to help Flying J in its effort to reorganize certain aspects of its company under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.
Flying J announced in December that Flying J Inc. and its Big West refining and Longhorn Pipeline subsidiaries filed voluntary petitions to reorganize under Chapter 11.

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Methinks Pilot bought Flying J, which means the hook may start taking comdata. They have already closed several of the restaurants.

Now the two worst parking truck stops of america coming together.. Now we just need for Love's to come around and we have ourselves a party!!

Can you just imagine the name of those together.. Flying Pilots Love's J of America...

Crap, and I thought it was bad when T/A bought Petro (and not the other way around). Oh well, just another (among many) reasons for me to fly past the Flyin' Hooks.

FWIW, I was at the J at Hebron, IN (I-65, Exit 240) a couple weeks ago and they had a sign out saying that they were now accepting Comdata.

Our warehouse is right beside a flyin hook. (Lubbock)
One of my supervisors told me a couple of weeks ago that they were closing the hook in Lubbock.

I wonder which ones will close, and which ones will go in cahoots with Pilot..

Well this means 3 things, Flying J will be taking Comdata,There will now be about another 150 locations to eat at subway because that is all drivers like to eat, and Flying J will now be cursed with idle air. Great for all of the truckers,everyone will be losing even more spaces. I assume this will happen since Pilto was planning on putting it in all of their own locations. I am sure this deal will really work out great for the truck drivers. More Mcdonalds and Subways yeah!!!!! And oy yeah, i forgot....Pilot seems to really hate anything that even remotely resembles a drivers lounge....wonder if those will disapear like they do at almost all locations that pilot buys out. Seems like Drivers lounges/tv rooms at pilot locations always turn into storage or office space. I am sure Flying J will retain it's name but I will be surprised if the change goes as un noticeable as the TA/Petro deal did. Pilot does not know how to leave well enough alone ya know.

I hope this means I can get Pilot coffee at a Flying Pilot.