Pilot Flying J expands in West Texas oil fields

Pilot Flying J is expanding its footprint in the West Texas Permian Basin oil fields by adding three new stores and upgrading an existing location.

On April 14, Pilot Flying J opened a new Pilot Travel Center in Orla, Texas, becoming the first truck stop along US Highway 285 between Carlsbad, New Mexico and Pecos, Texas. The company will also open a Pilot Travel Center in Kermit, Texas Saturday, April 21, followed by its second location in Pecos in the coming weeks.

The Pilot Travel Center at 3752 US Hwy. 285 N. in Orla has:

• PJ Fresh
• Dunkin Donuts Express
• 50 truck parking spots
• six diesel lanes
• three showers
• CAT scale
• Western Union

The Pilot Travel Center at 127 W. State Hwy. 302 in Kermit includes:

• PJ Fresh
• Dunkin Donuts Express
• 25 truck parking spots
• six diesel lanes
• three showers
• CAT scale
• Western Union

The Pilot Travel Center at 2400 S. Bickley Ave. in Pecos will offer:

• PJ Fresh
• Dunkin Donuts Express
• nine truck parking spots
• five diesel lanes
• three showers
• Public laundry
• CAT scale
• Western Union

Unique to these openings is the fact that Pilot Flying J is providing permanent housing to 94 team members that relocated to the Pecos and Kermit areas from other regions of Texas, according to a statement from the company.

In addition to opening three new travel centers in the Permian Basin, Pilot Flying J said it is enhancing its existing location in Pecos, which opened in 1989. The Flying J Travel Center located at 100 E. Pinehurst will get new restrooms, enhancements to food and deli offerings, and additions to retail including a shop-in-shop display from Bass Pro Shops. The travel center has 200 truck parking spaces, 12 diesel fueling lanes and nine showers.

“Pilot Flying J is thrilled to serve the Reeves and Winkler County communities and contribute to the local economy with our new travel centers,” Pilot Flying J President Ken Parent said. “Our goal at Pilot Flying J is to connect people and places with comfort, care and a smile at every stop.”

Pilot Flying J now has 76 locations in Texas. To support this growth, Pilot Flying J said it will hire some 140 crude, fuel and DEF drivers in the state this year.

The Permian Basin reaches from just south of Lubbock, Texas to just south of Midland and Odessa, extending westward into the southeastern part of New Mexico.

PFJ now has more than 750 locations across North America.