Bring EV Charging to Buc-ee's (Texas)

[kbedrich]

If you're in Texas, you know that Buc-ee’s is more than just a gas station. It’s Texas’ rest stop. Between the pristine potties, the mouth-watering pecans, the wall of jerky, and all the shopping, you’re easily there for half an hour.

So why not add fast chargers for electric vehicles? We can zip in, do some shopping and be on our way down the road to the next Buc-ee's and our next charge.

Buc-ee's has been promising EV charging since 2019. They're installing it at their newest location in Tennessee. But haven't given us as much as a beaver nugget of information on when they will do the same in their 38 Texas locations.

Our office started a Change.org petition last Friday afternoon as a joke (hey, it was 5 o'clock somewhere.) So it's out there and we also posted it on our site where we have information on EV charging. But don't really expect it to do anything!

Thoughts on how to get Buc-ee's corporate to pay attention to this?

 

[RTPEV]

How is Buc-ee's on social media?

I've tweeted out to Sheetz and Circle K in the past and gotten response both times. In Circle K's case, the response seemed positive, but I don't think anything actually became of it. Sheetz, on the other hand, has been quite responsive and while I can't say I've suggested sites to them that have resulted in opening a Supercharger, I have reported issues with at least one of their Supercharger sites that they seemed to address with the local manager. So they do listen.

 

[WarEagleGo]

Buc-ees is a private company and seems very tight lipped. They have only recently expanded outside Texas, so they are open to change, but also have had fights with local county planners and local opposition groups and cancelled planned stores over not generous enough tax incentives. They do have some EV charging in at least 1 announced location, so they are aware of the market.

Although I have never been to one (but plan to when the Buc-ees opens 30 minutes away from me opens), I do not think they value the marginal impact of an additional 'feature' which might bring a small number Tesla cars per hour (along a busy interstate) while they routinely service hundreds of cars per hour as-is.

Also, from their FAQ... which does not directly relate to EV charging but speaks to their mindset.

• Can I park my vehicle in your parking lot and rest there? No. In our efforts to maintain a safe and secure environment for all of our customers, we cannot accommodate vehicles for an extended amount of time in our lots.

Obviously, they know they can re-retro fit gas pedestals into EV pedestals in 2025 or something... but as of now are not aggressively rolling out EV chargers like WaWa, Sheetz, Meijer, and other similar businesses making those EV investments (which for super chargers, the investment seems limited to parking space and construction for a few weeks)

 

[Dirtman16]

They're installing some at the new Leeds,AL location with grant funding from the state.

 

[kavyboy]

It's been discussed here before. Buc-ee's seems like they should want to put in chargers, but they're not interested. They really want you in and out of there with as little loitering as possible. I don't think any of them even have any inside or outside seating on premises, for example (but I could be wrong). Having been at a few truck stops, I understand that policy.
I just don't think there are enough EV's right now for them to consider changing their policies and ways of doing business.

 

[RTPEV]

It's been discussed here before. Buc-ee's seems like they should want to put in chargers, but they're not interested. They really want you in and out of there with as little loitering as possible.

I suspect that eventually they will come around. There is a difference between loitering and patronizing the business. If they see the opportunity that having a captive customer present for 15-30 minutes, they may change their tune. So the effort should be directed towards educating their corporate management of the difference. Yeah, I know, definitely not easy, and some head honchos just don't want to listen. But at some point, as the number of EVs on the road increases (and maybe there simply aren't enough in that area yet), they are going to start to notice that other outlets that DO get it are getting more, and better quality, traffic. And if they still fail to see it then, then the market will create an opportunity for a competitor that will get it.

It may seem overwhelming and ineffective to try to push this boulder uphill, but if the OP is correct and there is sufficient demand for this, then persistent little shoves will eventually get the job done.

 

[kbedrich]

Buc-ees is a private company and seems very tight lipped. They have only recently expanded outside Texas, so they are open to change, but also have had fights with local county planners and local opposition groups and cancelled planned stores over not generous enough tax incentives. They do have some EV charging in at least 1 announced location, so they are aware of the market.

Although I have never been to one (but plan to when the Buc-ees opens 30 minutes away from me opens), I do not think they value the marginal impact of an additional 'feature' which might bring a small number Tesla cars per hour (along a busy interstate) while they routinely service hundreds of cars per hour as-is.

Also, from their FAQ... which does not directly relate to EV charging but speaks to their mindset.

• Can I park my vehicle in your parking lot and rest there? No. In our efforts to maintain a safe and secure environment for all of our customers, we cannot accommodate vehicles for an extended amount of time in our lots.

Obviously, they know they can re-retro fit gas pedestals into EV pedestals in 2025 or something... but as of now are not aggressively rolling out EV chargers like WaWa, Sheetz, Meijer, and other similar businesses making those EV investments (which for super chargers, the investment seems limited to parking space and construction for a few weeks)

Interesting point... they sure don't need the business. At some point EVs will be common enough in Texas that they will realize they're missing the market.

 

[kbedrich]

They're installing some at the new Leeds,AL location with grant funding from the state.

But... But... Texas!!!

 

[kbedrich]

It's been discussed here before. Buc-ee's seems like they should want to put in chargers, but they're not interested. They really want you in and out of there with as little loitering as possible. I don't think any of them even have any inside or outside seating on premises, for example (but I could be wrong). Having been at a few truck stops, I understand that policy.
I just don't think there are enough EV's right now for them to consider changing their policies and ways of doing business.

Heck, I don't need to sit down to eat my BBQ sandwich, roasted pecans and drink my massive diet coke. Agree, once we get to EVs being more common, they'll come around.

 

[kavyboy]

Heck, I don't need to sit down to eat my BBQ sandwich, roasted pecans and drink my massive diet coke. Agree, once we get to EVs being more common, they'll come around.

Jerky and fudge with free samples is where it's at for me. Then they have things like pickled habanero hard-boiled eggs. That is literally the worst idea for road-trip food I can imagine.
To keep things on-topic, I'd love to see Buc-ee's and others offer some kind of membership, $X per year per vehicle, that gave access to a nice lounge to use while charging at that location. It could even be connected to the main part of the store to buy stuff using an EV ID card to re-gain access, again, while charging only. Rent comfy loungers for quick naps, etc. They have an actual captive audience to sell things to. Heck, you could even have a Buc-ee's app that would route you from store to store and suggest products to buy at the next stop. There's an initial cost, but it seems like leaving money on the table.

 

[WarEagleGo]

Jerky and fudge with free samples is where it's at for me. Then they have things like pickled habanero hard-boiled eggs. That is literally the worst idea for road-trip food I can imagine.
To keep things on-topic, I'd love to see Buc-ee's and others offer some kind of membership, $X per year per vehicle, that gave access to a nice lounge to use while charging at that location. It could even be connected to the main part of the store to buy stuff using an EV ID card to re-gain access, again, while charging only. Rent comfy loungers for quick naps, etc. They have an actual captive audience to sell things to. Heck, you could even have a Buc-ee's app that would route you from store to store and suggest products to buy at the next stop. There's an initial cost, but it seems like leaving money on the table.

Great ideas, but retailers use metrics like sales per square foot of floor space. A nice lounge is the opposite of what most retailers want (which is high turnover). Remember, if a store is already supporting gas and inside-sales to 200+ cars and hour, dedicating almost any amount of inside floor space to a sub-set does not help the business. Besides, they probably think they already have a captive audience just walking around their store (to see anything or everything) or waiting in line to pay.

Airlines have fancy lounges for frequent flyer miles (and they are successful perks), but I cannot see any mass market gas retailer (Buc-ees, WaWa, Sheets, etc) actually install a private lounge.

Also, I think I will fall in love with Buc-ees, but they do not even have a break-room for their employees (which sounds wrong, but allowed in most places). No place for an employee to sit down at all during an 8-10 hour shift, seems odd to me.

 

[kavyboy]

Great ideas, but retailers use metrics like sales per square foot of floor space. A nice lounge is the opposite of what most retailers want (which is high turnover). Remember, if a store is already supporting gas and inside-sales to 200+ cars and hour, dedicating almost any amount of inside floor space to a sub-set does not help the business. Besides, they probably think they already have a captive audience just walking around their store (to see anything or everything) or waiting in line to pay.

Airlines have fancy lounges for frequent flyer miles (and they are successful perks), but I cannot see any mass market gas retailer (Buc-ees, WaWa, Sheets, etc) actually install a private lounge.

Also, I think I will fall in love with Buc-ees, but they do not even have a break-room for their employees (which sounds wrong, but allowed in most places). No place for an employee to sit down at all during an 8-10 hour shift, seems odd to me.

Oh, I know. I just want to dream.

 

[kbedrich]

Heck, you could even have a Buc-ee's app that would route you from store to store and suggest products to buy at the next stop.

Brilliant!

 

[kbedrich]

No place for an employee to sit down at all during an 8-10 hour shift, seems odd to me.

Didn't know that... but I do know their rates or pay are way above average. I think they start at $15 for cashiers.

 

[WarEagleGo]

Didn't know that... but I do know their rates or pay are way above average. I think they start at $15 for cashiers.

Here is a pro-Buc-ees article, from Texas Monthly, which has 1 sentence on "no sitting on the job".

"Buc-ee’s pays its employees well above market rate; cashiers start at $14 per hour in most locations and get three weeks’ paid vacation and a 401(k) plan, in an industry where it’s common for cashiers to make minimum wage, about half as much. Aplin expects smiles and attentive service in exchange. There’s no sitting on the job and no using cellphones. Like cast members in an elaborate theatrical production, employees also must adhere to certain wardrobe and grooming standards. They are not allowed to display visible tattoos or body piercings. Men are prohibited from having long hair; nobody can have unnaturally colored hair. There are no open-toed shoes, no torn or faded clothing." Buc-ee’s: The Path to World Domination​

Reviews from employees (and admittedly lots of former employees) are all over reddit and glassdoor. They all discuss the same themes. No seating ever, no breaks for an 8 hour shift (just a "moment" which is a 5 minute standing break).

Here is a similar article from the Alabama collective newspaper organization, al.com

Buc-ee's has a strict employee dress code: no visible body piercings or tattoos, "unnatural" dyed hair, open-toed shoes or torn or faded clothing. Employees say they're expected to arrive not even a minute late (with three strikes, you're fired); to keep their phones in lockers and only take one break during their shift for a "moment," which is less than 10 minutes to eat lunch and use the restroom. There isn't any seating inside Buc-ee's, which may keep customers cycling through quickly but can be difficult for employees who stand for as many as 10 hours straight.​

Full-time employees qualify for health and dental insurance, a 401(k) retirement plan and three weeks of vacation. At the Loxley location, Buc-ee's advertised the starting entry-level salary at $14 an hour - almost twice the state's minimum wage.​

A current cashier, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for job security, has worked at a Buc-ee's store in northeast Texas for a few months but is already looking for a different job. She works full time and says the $13-an-hour pay is higher than most jobs where she lives.​

She understood the expectations when she sat for the job interview, she said, but she didn't realize how strenuous the job would be without being allowed to take a break. "Until you get in there and experience [it], it just blows your brain," she said. "You just don't expect it to be quite so hard-line. You expect some kind of human compassion, I guess." She said in-store cameras are used to monitor employees. Signs that read, "Don't forget who pays you," are posted behind the register. Managers encourage employees to report one another for infractions. It feels as though they are constantly being watched, she said.​

​

How Buc-ee’s took America by storm

Buc-ee's is in the midst of a multistate expansion. It recently broke ground in Alabama and soon will have stops in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas.

www.al.com

 

[drdumont]

I wrote Buc-EEs twice. Never heard as much as a "thanks for your inquiry". So, I have basically written them out of my travel plans.
However, comma, "Texas' Best BBQ" (It's OK, but really not), Collin County Bakery, and at any other Supercharger location, I make a
point of going in and buying something. Even the overpriced sodas at the Holiday Inn in Alexandria, La. Especially if I use their
Gentlemen's Rest Facility.

An owner of a recently opened Supercharger told me that he makes his money off gasoline sales. Anything else is just ancillary. There were a couple of petroleum fuel manufacturers who would not affiliate with him if he put in Superchargers., and would pull out if he put them in later.

Texaco, however, did not have issues.

And a tip of the ol' DuMont Engineer's cap to Sheetz, WAWA, Collin County Bakery, the Flying J Truck Stops, hotels with Destination Chargers (or even the
other pay to charge systems when they work) and the rest of the businesses who think ahead. I'll see you soon and spend some money with you.

 

[RTPEV]

An owner of a recently opened Supercharger told me that he makes his money off gasoline sales. Anything else is just ancillary.

Very interesting, and the complete opposite of what is the common story that convenience stores make only pennies on the gas, and the real money is the stuff they sell in the store. I guess it all depends on the business model. Clearly nobody is going to make money from the Superchargers themselves (even Tesla). But if you can do a good job in providing a compelling place for drivers to hang out and spend money for 15-30 minutes, you could make some money.

I think the difficulty with EV chargers is throughput. While a busy gas station with 16 pumps can service 150+ cars per hour, a 16-stall Supercharger site might only be able to service 35, and that's generous, assuming drivers are going to put up with a site is nearly (or over) full most of the time. So the eventual model will not be "let's put in some chargers and see if we can attract those users into our venue", but rather "let's provide a compelling service that will draw in customers whether or not they need to charge, but for those that do, we can provide that service as well".

 

[firsttruck]

I wrote Buc-EEs twice. Never heard as much as a "thanks for your inquiry". So, I have basically written them out of my travel plans.

Maybe they finally read you letter

Tesla & Buc-ee’s Plans For Superchargers Span 26 Stores In 7 States
By Johnna Crider
Published 2021 Nov 18
https://cleantechnica.com/2021/11/1...for-superchargers-span-26-stores-in-7-states/