A Message from the Desk of Bob Ingham: There’s Reason to Celebrate this Holiday Season

Holidays spent over Zoom took a back seat to traditional gatherings as travel volumes increased dramatically during Thanksgiving and are projected to continue to rise in the coming months. That means more time spent with loved ones and a return to form for holiday travelers across the nation – something I’m happy to see!

According to an article published by AAA, travel numbers are projected to be within 5% of pre-pandemic numbers during the holidays. This trend is a good sign for all aspects of convenience retailing, as demand for fuel will increase alongside travel rates.

In addition, the passage of the recent infrastructure bill will hopefully mean not only the development of better roads, but also the additional jobs needed to build them, and by extension, more people driving to and from job sites.

With all these positive signs for the fuel retail industry, now is the perfect time to make sure your site is up-to-date on routine dispenser maintenance. This can help save on maintenance costs and minimize downtime as fuel sales increase.

Finally, the PetroClear and First Brands teams want to wish everyone a happy holiday season. Whether you’re traveling, hosting or anything in between, thank you for making 2021 a great year. I wish you and yours glad tidings for an outstanding 2022.