Good Sam forces Pilot / FJ to quit TSD discount program

[redbaron73]

Originally Posted by PJStough

I believe the end result will be that TSD will drop all its RV customers, so it then can get discounts at P/FJ.

Rubbish the thought

[BonS]

Consider that FMCA has their TCS program and Good Sam has their motorhome discount fuel program. The cats out of the bag. These programs will continue to proliferate. Hopefully TSD will remain part of it.

[richard5933]

Got my GS renewal form today. So I called to see what's up (hadn't seen the note from TSD advising against this before I called).

Apparently they've gotten plenty of calls about this already, as the phone rep had specific instructions on how to handle calls about the TSD discount situation. I was told that I'd get a return call from a supervisor within 48 hours.

My basic question to them is why should I continue to pay $30/yr for a discount of only 8 cents/gallon when there are better deals out there from TSD and from FMCA? The only reason I had the GS membership was the fuel discount, so I'm not sure it's worth renewing now.

[GS340]

i contacted TSD about the issue and apparently the agreement between TSD and Flying-J corp was a verbal one for the discount. Apparently the manager that made the agreement with TSD has left the company and Flying-J just recently found out TSD has a RV fuel program which legally violates an agreement with Good Sam. Flying-J has no choice but to cancel the agreement.


The TSD agreement has only been in place for 4 months. I really don't see how this is a big impact to anyone considering if you roll the clock back 4 months you are in the same boat as now.



it appears good sam had NO IDEA there was an issue until the internet exploded about it. Just a fyi.


I suggested to TSD to publicly release a statement outlining the facts.



I don't see this as a big deal. Fill at locations you filled up at 4 months ago. New folks just need to know the discount is limited to nothing at Flying-J owned stores.

[richard5933]

Originally Posted by GS340

... The TSD agreement has only been in place for 4 months. I really don't see how this is a big impact to anyone considering if you roll the clock back 4 months you are in the same boat as now. ...

The big deal is that TSD has shown us all that a much larger discount is possible than the 8 cents/gallon Good Sam was getting us. A MUCH larger discount.

I'm not faulting PFJ. But now that it's known that PFJ is willing to negotiate a discount larger than the 8 cents/gallon, we have every right to expect Good Sam to come up with something similar.

It's been suggested that Good Sam is getting something from their arrangement with PFJ, and I would agree that it looks that way. If they weren't getting some type of benefit from the discount program it shouldn't matter to them if anyone else offers a discount.

Looks like Good Sam is in some type of damage control now, as the phone reps in Marcus' office have been given instructions on how to respond to calls about this. Let's see if I get the return call I was promised.

[lwmcguire]

Originally Posted by kcdogger

Sounds more like this TSD company lost it's contract with Flying J and are trying to pin the responsibility onto Good Sam rather than themselves as a public relations move. Otherwise, they wouldn't have stopped offering the program across their entire membership, not just RV owners since Good Sam has nothing to do with trucking. Most likely Flying J just decided TSD wasn't a program that was worth continuing. Like any good company it appears Flying J is culling out programs, processes, procedures and product lines that aren't profitable.

Sounds more like it

[lwmcguire]

In this area the Truck Stops are typically 30 cents above the discount price

Any savings has to be calculated per the spread

Flying J is at 2.59 today

I get the advantages of using the truck stops on the interstate but the savings needs calculated on an inflated price

My cc price is 2.25 so that is what I need to beat to save here

[oatmeal]

Originally Posted by Electra 225

On a personal preference note, I'm tickled that Loves is the go to place now. Before these programs were available to us they were always higher priced.

That's actually one reason I don't want to buy at Love's, or any of the major-brand truck stops--they expected RV owners to pay the inflated price on their pumps, while offering substantial discounts to truckers.

Now RV owners can get those discounts via TSD, but that doesn't change the fact that the truck stops that RV owners are now flocking to are the same ones that were happy to gouge them before. On the one hand, getting the TSD discount is a way of getting back at them, but on the other hand, they're profiting from my business and that doesn't sit well with me.

Originally Posted by moleary

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.

But what about the truck stops? If not for the TSD discount, RVers would be paying the inflated price.

I, personally, have always avoided the major-name truck stops because I noticed that their prices are usually much higher than other stations in the area, and with a little research on my part, I can get a similar price without lining the major-name truck stops' pockets.

But from what I can tell, there are plenty of RV owners who paid the inflated prices at the major-name truck stops, whether because they didn't realize the prices are that much higher, or they're willing to pay for the easy access to the pumps, or it's not worth it to them to put any effort into finding an alternative place to fuel.

So there's inelastic demand on their part--they'll happily take the discount, but they were already buying at the higher price, so the truck stops are actually losing money by having these customers get a discount.

Then again, truck stops may be gaining new customers because of the discount, but there's no way for us (or maybe even them) to know how many new customers there are, or how much revenue they represent. The bottom line for me is that if the truck stops wanted to offer RVers a discount, they could, and they chose not to. TSD did an end-run around that, and some people say the truck stops are delighted to do it, but I'm not convinced.

Originally Posted by Shutterbug57

P/FJ responded to my comment to them that they had not agreed to the resale of their fuel. Whether that is a fair interpretation of events is another subject. I simply replied “Resale is better than no sale.” I hope this whole affair does nor blow up on us or TSD.

But resale and no sale aren't the only alternatives. As I said, there are RVers who have always patronized the major-name truck stops, even with the inflated prices. Any discount they get through a third party like TSD is money out of the truck stops' pockets.

[Sherpa Vern]

Good Sam continues to only be most capable of sucking the "happy" out of "Happy Campers", in every aspect of the RV and outdoor enterprises in which they come in contact.

For that reason, my further membership, association with Good Sam, or patronage with any part of that organization, will do nothing to enhance my RV experience.

Pilot/FJ seems to have been taken advantage of by Good Sam as well with their "exclusive" contract. By Good Sam forcing TSD Logistics to loose their Pilot/FJ discount, Pilot/FJ will loose the business of TSD Logistics trucks, in addition to the fuel purchases of thousands of newly found RV customers since beginning the TSD Fuel Program in June of 2019. Like me, many had never before paid Pilot/FJ inflated retail prices. I will no longer buy their fuel without the benefit of a discount much larger than $0.08 per gallon.

Pilot/FJ may or may not notice, but when the RV community and TSD Logistics trucks no longer buy fuel from them, that Good Sam and the affiliated companies never did buy fuel from them. Without TSD Logistics and the RVs that were drawn to Pilot/FJ by the TSD Logistics Fuel Program, the only thing left of the Good Sam - Pilot/FJ relationship may well only be a piece of paper that says "exclusive". Good Sam is clearly greedy and brings no added value to any part of their relationships with others.

Pilot/FJ and Good Sam will continue on, but without my participation in the predatory business practices of both.

[aether_one]

Originally Posted by dstrahm

I just scanned the TSD FB page and all I could find was a bunch of “hair on fire” posters spreading BS. Nothing posted by TFS in timeline or Announcements.

If anyone has some facts please post.

Still not reading other posts in this thread, are you?

[Little]

Leave this alone, stay away from GS and CW if you wish but don't make a bunch of waves here as you'll be killing the TSD program.
Personally I cant stand to do biz with these guys anyway. Flying J will figure it out. As for saying they don't like 'reselling' what agreement did they have with GS if it isn't reselling. Too bad for the GS park owners who may be caught in the crossfire. Just my opinion but Ive been in biz for 50+ yr.

[WatchMeRV]

In my opinion, this is a good opportunity for the other clubs, Passport America, FMCA, Escapees...etc. to offer an expanded 10% off campsites program. The camping program would be the only reason for me to keep the Good Sam club membership. TSD logistics program is still nice to have, and the more we support the program, the better it will get.

[WorldCat25]

We have over 40k miles on our rig in the last 2 years. I always searched out the lowest prices beyond the truck stops and believe I was able to buy fuel at reasonable prices. However, a few times I ended up getting stuck in some difficult situations.

I only started using my card last week and saved money using TA and Loves over the lowest GasBuddy price in the area. And the ease of getting in and out was a big plus.

I am sending an email to TSD thanking them for the opportunity to participate in their program.

[Sherpa Vern]

Originally Posted by WorldCat25

I am sending an email to TSD thanking them for the opportunity to participate in their program.

I'm sure that would be appreciated. Everyone who holds a TSD card should do the same, if they have not already done so.

As people head back North and take the opportunity to stop in Texarkana to visit the TSD office, I'm sure they will be impressed with the great people they will meet. I happened to be 20 miles from Texarkana, so I drove to their office last year to get my card. It was a memorable experience to see how enthusiastic everyone there was to get this program going.