The American Truck Stop – Unique and Evolving
For those who haven’t had the chance to load up the car and hit the open road, I strongly encourage you to do so as it’s one of the best ways to experience this great country of ours. When I think of all the places I’ve visited with my family, I also think of the places I have stopped to rest, get a coffee, perhaps some gas and find a restroom, and not surprisingly, many of them are truck stops. Now you might have a longheld view of truck stops as dingy, rough rider kinds of places but the history and evolution of the American truck stop is both fun and quite inspiring!
Interestingly, in a sense, the truck stop’s origins date back to the pony express and stagecoach era. Riders on horseback making deliveries across the west needed a place to rest, check their horses and coaches, and then get back on the road to their final destinations. Fast forward nearly a century, and the country saw the creation of the interstate highway system under President Eisenhower in the 1950’s. Not surprisingly, the expansion of the highway system created the opportunity for explosive growth in the trucking industry. And, with more trucks on the road, traversing the country, the need for truckers to find safe, dependable places to refuel, rest and refresh also exploded. Thus, the creation of the official truck stop or travel center as many know it came to be.
It is generally believed that the first true truck stop opened in 1948 in Nebraska. The location offered home cooked meals and a place for truckers to refuel their vehicles. Granted this was four years before the Eisenhower transportation infrastructure boom, but it “paved” the way for opportunity.
In 1972, the first truck stop chain was opened by Travel America and is now known as Travel Centers of America. What was once a company of just six locations has become a $6 billion dollar company with over 240 locations across 44 states across the country. And there are today many smaller, more regional chains dotting the landscape as well as a number of independently operated one and two truck stop locations as well. And, each truck stop – chain operated or not – tends to have its own unique personality.
Now, as I mentioned above, some people carry with them the old stereotype mental picture of what a truck stop must be like. Scary, dingy, impersonal, roughshod stops in the middle of nowhere. In fact, the reality – especially today – is quite different. Truck stops have become some of the coolest places in our country. Full-service, highly modernized locations that can actually be both fun and quite efficient. For example, the world’s largest truck stop is in Iowa and features a movie theater, barber, dentist, multiple restaurants, 24-hour service for transportation vehicles, chiropractor, and a laundromat — all on a 225 acre parcel. Some of the best food I’ve had is at truck stops and I have many friends who agree.
So, when next you find yourself motoring down the highway and it’s just about that time to make a needed stop, just take an extra moment and see if there might be a truck stop within range. Take the time go inside, explore all that it has to offer and get treated to a true slice of America. You’ll be glad you did.
Positive Profile of the Week: Vikram Mansharamani
This week we are delighted to profile a great friend and leader in New Hampshire and beyond — Vikram Mansharamani.
Many people in the Granite State first came to know Vikram – or ‘Vik’ – as he is often called, during our most recent political season when he ran a spirited and very impressive campaign as a candidate for the U.S. Senate. Offering himself as a ‘Businessman, Not A Politician.’
As the tagline suggests, and not surprisingly, Vikram’s range of accomplishments and influence go well beyond his recent efforts as a political candidate in the 2022 election cycle and are rooted in a highly successful career that spans multiple disciplines.
Vikram is a renowned economist, author, and global trend-watcher whose contributions to society are characterized by his knowledge-sharing, support for entrepreneurs, and guidance on job creation and growth. His lectures at such leading universities as Harvard and Yale, as well as other institutions, have inspired countless students to pursue careers in finance and economics and have a positive impact on the world.
In addition, his two books, “Think for Yourself: Restoring Common Sense in an Age of Experts and Artificial Intelligence,” and “Boombustology: Spotting Financial Bubbles Before They Burst,” are highly acclaimed and provide essential insights into complex financial issues. No two ways about it — they are both ‘must reads!’ His observations and advice on financial bubbles are particularly interesting – explaining both how to identify bubbles and how to prevent them from bursting. Vikram also has extensive experience as a consultant to a wide range of organizations, including endowments, foundations, sovereign wealth funds, and family offices.
Beyond lecturing, writing and his extensive experience as a consultant, Vikram has also served on numerous boards, including among others, Werner Enterprises and the Africa Opportunity Fund. His writings have been featured in such leading publications as Bloomberg, Fortune, and Forbes.
And, in keeping with the theme of this week’s Sunshine Report – ‘Trucking Across America,’ it’s important to note that Vikram actually has truck driving experience and credentials of his own. While Vikram is a graduate of Yale and MIT, importantly, he is also a graduate of Roadmaster Driving School. He earned his commercial license while sitting on the board of a trucking company. I love the spirit and insight as he later once explained “How can you understand the pressures on a trucking company if you don’t spend time with truckers?”
Vik is definitely an independent thinker – not afraid to ‘challenge conventional wisdom.’ He is also a very good listener – which is such a rare and admirable trait these days. He emphasizes the need to restore common sense in an era dominated by experts and artificial intelligence. He urges individuals to think critically and on their own, warning against the dangers of blindly following the advice of so-called ‘experts’ without considering the potential consequences.
Most important, in addition to these many accomplishments, Vikram is simply a good person. Vik is the kind of person we are so fortunate to have here in our state. A devoted husband and father, Vikram, along with his wife, Kristen and their two children, Tori and Kai, live in the beautiful community of Lincoln. We are grateful to the Mansharamani’s for their positive impact in so very many ways. Thank you, Vikram, Kristen, and family!
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