Town Pump travel centers in Montana have once again been recognized for their exceptional service, receiving multiple prestigious Diamond Dealer Awards from Pilot Flying J. The Town Pump/Flying J Travel Plaza in Rocker recently earned its fourth consecutive Diamond Dealer Award, highlighting its consistent commitment to excellence. Adding to the accolades, the Town Pump/Pilot Travel Plaza in Lolo, Montana, received the Diamond Dealer Award for the first time.
Further demonstrating their dedication to improvement, the Town Pump/Pilot Travel Plazas in Bonner and Superior were also honored with awards for “most improved.” This combined achievement marks the highest number of awards received by any Pilot Flying J operator, underscoring Town Pump’s leadership in the pilot dealer–town pump travel center network.
Pete Barthelmess, Director of Travel Plaza Operations, emphasized the importance of customer service in this achievement. “When professional drivers have many options for fuel, we constantly strive to go the extra mile to enhance their experience,” Barthelmess stated. “The drivers choose the award winners and judge us on more than just fuel; it’s service and attention to detail that make our teams the award winners they are.”
The Diamond Dealer Award is determined by feedback from professional drivers who frequent pilot dealer–town pump travel centers. Pilot Flying J sends out email surveys to drivers after their visits, soliciting feedback on various aspects of the location. These aspects include overall cleanliness, pump island services, the condition and quality of shower facilities, food offerings, travel plaza amenities, and their overall experience. The scores from these surveys are tallied, and dealers are ranked based on this direct professional driver feedback.
Channie Garrison, Town Pump District Manager, highlighted the team effort at the Rocker location. “The Rocker Town Pump Flying J has won this award four times because of the non-stop effort of the entire team,” Garrison said. “Receiving this award four times means a great deal to our team because it comes from surveys of professional drivers who are stopping at travel plazas every day.”
Teresa Panko, Town Pump District Manager, praised the leadership at the Lolo location. “Lolo manager Patty Tottenhoff has been part of our Lolo Town Pump Pilot team for over twenty years, working her way up to manager,” Panko noted. “She has a great core crew who understand great customer service. They know most all of their customers and professional drivers by name.”
These awards underscore Town Pump’s commitment to providing top-tier service within the pilot dealer network, ensuring professional drivers have a positive and efficient experience at their town pump travel center locations across Montana. The recognition directly from drivers solidifies Town Pump’s position as a leader in customer satisfaction within the Pilot Flying J network.
