Parenting Pointers: Travel Pain Points

Family road trip season is back in full swing, with 66% of Americans planning to travel this summer and an influx of families hitting the road for Labor Day weekend. But according to a new study (May 2017), the journey is hardly relaxing as a majority of parents (57%) feel “stressed” about choosing where to stop en route to their destination.

So what causes said stress? According to the study of more than 1,000 parents, it’s finding a stop with 1.) clean bathrooms and 2.) fresh food. The survey also found:

·         “Where to stop to eat” is the top source of stress and family arguments when on a road trip.

·         Millennial parents (65%) are particularly stressed out about finding travel centers (gas stations, restaurants, etc.) with fresh food options that will make everyone in the family happy, as compared to Generation X parents (51%) and baby boomer parents (42%).

• Three-quarters (74 percent) of parents have stopped during a road trip at a particular travel center, because of its reputation for having clean bathrooms.

Commissioned by Pilot Flying J, the largest operator of travel centers in North America set out on a mission to glean insight into the needs of traveling families through the study.Pilot Flying J is attempting to solve families’ biggest travel pain points by:

• Investing in Families - With more than 750 locations nationwide Pilot and Flying J Travel Centers recently invested $100 million to renovate bathrooms across its network of travel centers. They also now offer PJ Fresh Marketplace, deliveringguests quality fresh food options like salads, soups, home-style meals, mixed fruit cups and more.
• Moms Looking After Moms – As a mother herself, Whitney Haslam Johnson (daughter of CEO Jimmy Haslam), was named chief experience officer in May 2017. In her new role, Johnson's primary focus will be on elevating the overall guest experience where she will draw from her own experiences as a mother to enhance amenities for families.
• Summer Road Trip Deal – Pilot and Flying J Travel Centers have stepped up to provide healthier options to families (or any customer) by offering a FREE 20-ounce bottle of Aquafina water when purchasing a bag of Smartfood Popcorn up until August 31, 2017. Customers just have to display a coupon found herehttp://roadtrips.pilotflyingj.com/.