Pilot Co. Partners to Tackle Skimming at the Pump

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Pilot Co. partnered with fintech company Relay Payments to launch a digitized diesel payment platform across its network of more than 800 travel centers.

Relay Payments will now be accepted at Pilot, Flying J, and One9 Fuel Network locations, enabling millions of truck drivers to use secure, cardless technology to pay for commercial diesel.

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"We take fraud protection seriously and are always looking for innovative solutions to support the needs of our fleet customers," said David Hughes, senior vice president of sales for Pilot Co. "Digital payment technologies like Relay provide fleets with enhanced anti-fraud capabilities and improve the ease of commercial diesel transactions. We are excited to offer Relay Payments across our extensive travel center network and to bring cutting-edge technologies to the trucking industry."  

Fleets of all sizes will be able to continue leveraging their existing savings and direct billing arrangements with Pilot on the Relay platform. Carriers can also benefit from Relay's fraud mitigation measures, contactless technology, transparent fees and access to 24/7 U.S.-based customer support, according to the company.

"Fuel fraud and outdated payment technologies hurt the entire supply chain, costing fleets, merchants, and drivers hundreds of millions of dollars each year," said Relay co-founder and president Spencer Barkoff. "By offering our services at Pilot Co. locations, we are able to provide reliability, security, and flexibility for carriers and drivers, all while reducing fraud."

Relay first introduced its fast, secure digital payment solution in order to eliminate long delays that forced drivers to wait hours for payment approvals and authorizations. Fleets that have adopted the system have benefitted from instant payment transactions and more time maximizing hours of service, especially as the network has continued to expand, allowing fleets nationwide to make fast and secure over-the-road payments.

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Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Atlanta, Relay Payments concentrates on building digital payment networks in the transportation, logistics and supply chain industries. 

The Pilot and Flying J travel center network — a majority owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway — includes more than 750 locations in 44 states and six Canadian provinces with more than 790 restaurants, 77,000 truck parking spaces, 5,500 deluxe showers, 6,300 diesel lanes and truck maintenance and tire service with Southern Tire Mart at Pilot Flying J.