Can Petro Stopping Center require me to participate in Core Programs?
Petro_Stopping_Center Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
You must participate in the Core Programs we develop from time to time, as set forth in the Manuals or otherwise communicated by us in writing.
Failure to comply with any Core Program shall be a material default of this Agreement and grounds for termination of the Agreement pursuant to the provisions of Section 18.2(d).
- 7.18 TA Truck Service Emergency Roadside Assistance Program.
You must participate in the TA Truck Service Emergency Roadside Assistance Program, pursuant to the requirements of the program and Petro System Standards.
As part of the TA Truck Service Emergency Roadside Assistance Program, we (or our designee) maintain a call center through which service calls are routed.
We (or our designee) reserve the right, in our sole discretion, to
dispatch a TA Truck Service Emergency Roadside Assistance truck from any travel center or truck repair facility (which may include TA Centers, TA Express Centers, Petro Centers, TA Truck Service Shops, travel centers or facilities operated or franchised by us or our Affiliates, including TA Operating LLC and TA Franchise Systems LLC) for a service call originating in your Protected Area (if any) without providing you any compensation.
- 7.19 TA Truck Service Mobile Maintenance. We reserve the right to designate the TA Truck Service Mobile Maintenance Program as a Core Program and require you to participate in it. If you choose to participate in the TA Truck Service Mobile Maintenance Program (to the extent it is not designated as a Core Program) and we approve your participation or if we subsequently require you to participate in the TA Truck Service Mobile Maintenance Program as a Core Program, then you must do so in compliance with the program requirements and Petro System Standards. Prior to providing any Services to a customer in connection with the TA Truck Service Mobile Maintenance Program, you must (a) obtain our written consent with respect to such customer; and (b) enter into an agreement with such customer on a form of TA Truck Service Mobile Maintenance Agreement approved by us. We and our Affiliates, including TA Operating LLC and TA Franchise Systems LLC, reserve the right to provide or grant others (including our or TA Franchise Systems LLC's other franchisees) the right to provide Services in connection with the TA Truck Service Mobile Maintenance Program to customers within your Protected Area (if any) without providing you any compensation.
- 7.20 Parking Programs. You must participate in reserved parking and other parking programs that we designate from time to time (the "Parking Programs"). If you plan to enclose your parking lot, charge for parking, or otherwise establish parking polices (the "Franchisee Parking Plan"), such Franchisee Parking Plan may not conflict with our Parking Programs and will be subject to our prior approval. We reserve the right to require you to modify or terminate the Franchisee Parking Plan at any time.
Source: Item 14 — Other investments (FDD pages 131–208)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Petro Stopping Center's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees must participate in Core Programs. Petro Stopping Center develops these programs and communicates them in the manuals or in writing. Failure to comply with any Core Program constitutes a material breach of the Franchise Agreement and can lead to termination.
One specific Core Program mentioned in the FDD is the TA Truck Service Emergency Roadside Assistance Program, in which franchisees must participate according to program requirements and Petro System Standards. Petro Stopping Center (or its designee) operates a call center to route service calls. However, Petro Stopping Center reserves the right to dispatch a TA Truck Service Emergency Roadside Assistance truck from any affiliated travel center or truck repair facility, even within a franchisee's protected area, without providing compensation to the franchisee.
Additionally, Petro Stopping Center reserves the right to designate the TA Truck Service Mobile Maintenance Program as a Core Program, requiring franchisee participation. Franchisees must also participate in reserved parking and other parking programs that Petro Stopping Center designates. Franchisees who plan to establish their own parking policies must ensure they do not conflict with Petro Stopping Center's programs and must obtain prior approval, which Petro Stopping Center can modify or terminate at any time.
These requirements mean that franchisees must be prepared to invest in and adhere to the Core Programs mandated by Petro Stopping Center. They also face the risk of potential revenue loss if Petro Stopping Center dispatches services from other locations within their protected area. Prospective franchisees should carefully evaluate the costs and benefits of these programs and understand the potential impact on their business operations and profitability.