Good Sam forces Pilot / FJ to quit TSD discount program

[Airboss68]

How does P/FJ know whether I am fueling an RV or 18 wheeler? I just checked the TSD app and the local prices at P/FJ are just a few cents higher than Loves, just like it was when I signed up.

Just went to the TSD website and it still says the card can be used at "all major truck stops"
Also looked at the app and still shows discounts at PFJs

I would also think TSD and PFJ have a contract, so if a contract is a contract they should honor the TSD discounts, how they deal with Good Sam is a problem for PFJ not TSD.

Queried them by e mail, we'll see.

[MRUSA14]

Originally Posted by IC2

I don't use enough diesel fuel towing our 5er now to have significant concerns but reading this it appears that you can use either card for a discount but just can't 'stack' them for a double discount. Correct?

Not correct. According to the Facebook posting, Pilot/FJ are ELIMINATING all RV discounts except the much smaller Good Sam discount. We no longer have a choice of discounts at Pilot/FJ. Only the smaller discount. I for one am done with Pilot/FJ as a result. And Good Sam will not be renewed.

[BobGed]

Originally Posted by Airboss68

Just went to the TSD website and it still says the card can be used at "all major truck stops"
Also looked at the app and still shows discounts at PFJs

I would also think TSD and PFJ have a contract, so if a contract is a contract they should honor the TSD discounts, how they deal with Good Sam is a problem for PFJ not TSD.

Queried them by e mail, we'll see.

Post #19 has a quote from TSD's website that Pilot will no longer be participating in the program. The statement is on their Daily Rates web page.

[aether_one]

Originally Posted by MRUSA14

Not correct. According to the Facebook posting, Pilot/FJ are ELIMINATING all RV discounts except the much smaller Good Sam discount. We no longer have a choice of discounts at Pilot/FJ. Only the smaller discount. I for one am done with Pilot/FJ as a result. And Good Sam will not be renewed.

How can they eliminate "RV" discounts without eliminating all TSD discounts? Does the TSD program differentiate between trucks and RVs?

[moleary]

I also wonder how PFJ knows if I’m fueling an RV or an 18-wheeler.
If, in fact, this move by PFJ and Good Sam eliminates the discount for all of TSD’s fleet, thats very unfortunate. TSD identified an untapped market when they began offering their fleet services fuel card to RV’ers. Good for them. By all accounts, this program is a win-win for RV’ers and TSD. I personally feel bad for TSD. It sounds as if they are losing a fueling option for their primary business, their trucking fleet, because of their RV program. I hope TSD doesn’t decide to abandon the RV program entirely because it becomes a drain on their trucking operations.

[BillJinOR]

It’s been awhile , but doesn’t the application specify you are a rv customer not commercial? I seem to remember they identified that on the application process. If so then it would be easy for TSD to identify you as a rv customer. I assume it is PFJ ( who probably doesn’t know ) That requested TriState to cease RV discounts.

[BobGed]

Originally Posted by moleary

I also wonder how PFJ knows if I’m fueling an RV or an 18-wheeler.
If, in fact, this move by PFJ and Good Sam eliminates the discount for all of TSD’s fleet, thats very unfortunate. TSD identified an untapped market when they began offering their fleet services fuel card to RV’ers. Good for them. By all accounts, this program is a win-win for RV’ers and TSD. I personally feel bad for TSD. It sounds as if they are losing a fueling option for their primary business, their trucking fleet, because of their RV program. I hope TSD doesn’t decide to abandon the RV program entirely because it becomes a drain on their trucking operations.

I doubt that it will have much of an affect on TSD. When the TSD program first started the discount at PFJ was only .05 per gallon at all locations which I assumed meant their fleet trucks were not using PFJ very much if at all.

The other thing that could be going on is that the RV cards might have a different numbering system than their fleet trucks which would allow PFJ to easily identify RV users.

[joet19711]

just filled out the application yesterday and there was nothing on the app
about RV, so unless the cards are marked somehow, how would they know?

[andy29847]

Pilot/Flying J jacks up their prices so high that the Good Sam discount isn't worth anything. In Graniteville, SC, I-20, exit 11, there are 2 truck stops. Diesel at the Pilot is $2.59. Diesel across the bridge at the Circle K truck Stop is $2.29. Before TSD, I only stopped at the Pilot Truck Stops to eat at Denny's.
If Pilot want to play this game, screw them.

[geordi]

Originally Posted by tfryman

How can they eliminate "RV" discounts without eliminating all TSD discounts? Does the TSD program differentiate between trucks and RVs?

Pilot is removing ALL discounts from TSD, so yes, this affects their commercial drivers too.


TSD does not differentiate in their own system between RV and Commercial drivers, this change is bad for everyone.

Pilot and Good Sam have the contract, but this is GOOD SAM forcing the issue. At no point did the discounts ever stack, so if you got the 3 cents from using the pilot card, that went away if you used the Good Sam card (8 cents) and the GS 8 cents didn't apply if you used the TSD card. You only get one discount.

Applying pressure to Good Sam is the only way to unscrew this mess - Just because "well they have a contract" might be true, they can also choose to rescind that contract if they realize that it will start affecting their bottom line. CALL MARCUS LEMONIS' OFFICE AND TELL THEM YOUR THOUGHTS. (866) 232-8990 is his answering service number.

TSD negotiates with truck stop chains based on the volume of fuel purchased by their fleet - Pilot had only increased their discount back in November b/c of this negotiation, so this is NOT because of TSD having RV customers as part of their fleet, nor will that be an issue for Loves b/c Loves doesn't do anything currently for RVs like the Good Sam credit card thing with Pilot.

There is likely some financial benefit for Good Sam (Maybe the same we-buy-as-a-fleet-you-give-us-better-rates deal) like with TSD, but instead of TSD's passing ALL the savings to the customer, Good Sam is keeping 90% of the discount for themselves as a per-gallon kickback? This is complete speculation, yes, but it might help to explain why they care. Companies don't do ANYTHING unless there is a profit for them in it somewhere.

Companies also don't do anything unless it means a loss of profit somewhere else - so if they start hearing from customers that we will be dropping memberships in GS (loss of money) and not visiting PFJ locations (loss of money) and being annoyed with GS's actions here (telling other people which means MORE loss of money)... They might start paying attention pretty fast.

[richard5933]

If TSD was able to negotiate a large discount with Pilot/Flying J, then Good Sam should be also.

I'd like to see just what the arrangements are between GS and PFJ. My guess is that there is much more in play here than the 8 cent discount. There would be no reason for GS to have an exclusive contract unless they were getting something out of it.

If everyone with a TSD card calls GS and raises Cain, perhaps something will change. Choosing between the two discounts, there isn't much of a reason to maintain a GS membership unless they can do better.

GS may have an exclusive contract with PFJ, but not with us. We are all free to send back our cards to GS and let them know what we think.

Meanwhile, I will be buying fuel at Loves, and I will contact PFJ to let them know that their exclusive contract has cost them a customer. Won't mean much if it's just me, but it will if many other people do the same.

[SteveJ.]

Just some "light" reading on what kind of business entity you are dealing with when you buy from Pilot.

Google up "pilot fraud".

For one:

https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/...od/1860423002/

[Dutchstar53]

Originally Posted by geordi

I doubt that would be the deal - if it was, that is absolutely a reason to never use GS again. Kickbacks like that tend to be illegal. More likely the GS deal just limits the overall discount unless you are using their GS credit card which they can then charge interest on. With the limited discount on fuel, it would just mean more profit on fuel for PFJ.

Not true. We used Good Sam Pilot/Flying Rewards card until TSD came along. It gave 8 cents off cash price. You don’t use a credit card because it is automatically billed monthly from the checking account you supply.

Here’s hoping Pilot/Flying J ups their discount with Good Sam to be more like the TSD they offered. Otherwise, we will be doing Love’s only from now on.

[Dutchstar53]

Just emailed Marcus Lemonis explaining issue and telling him unless Good Sam negotiates a similar discount as TSD Logistics we will be using Love’s exclusively. Also told him to visit this forum to see the reactions from the RV’ing community.