Transforming Mobile App Experience
The Pilot Flying J myRewards Plus™ app plays a critical role in customer retention and engagement by offering fuel rewards, parking reservations, and essential travel services. However, to increase customer acquisition, deepen brand loyalty, and drive higher digital transactions, the app must evolve beyond basic travel utilities.
Client
Pilot Flying J
Services
Visual Design
UI & UX Design
Industry
Travel & Retail
Date
February 2023
The Problem
The Pilot Flying J myRewards Plus™ app plays a critical role in customer retention and engagement by offering fuel rewards, parking reservations, and essential travel services. However, to increase customer acquisition, deepen brand loyalty, and drive higher digital transactions, the app must evolve beyond basic travel utilities.
Fragmented physical + digital journey
Under utilized digital features
Poor differentiation from competitors
Shallow brand engagement
Limited app stickiness
Lack of emotional connection
One size fits all experience
Objective of task
The objective was clear: boost truck driver visits while strengthening customer loyalty.
Increase truck driver visits
Improve customer loyalty
Boost non fuel sales revenues
Boost brand awareness & differentiation
Drive revenue via service & app promotions
Team & My role
Senior Product designer, I worked with 4 other designers, business analysts, a creative director, and tech leads. From the beginning, we focused on finding strategic ideas and building solutions to improve the overall experience for users of the Pilot Flying J app
Highlights
Pilot Flying J isn’t just a travel center—it's a trusted partner for millions of drivers on the road. With over 1 million daily customers, 800+ locations, and a growing footprint in EV charging and modernized travel centers, the brand is uniquely positioned as the leader of retail fuel and travel stop.
Existing app Flow
The myRewards Plus app helps drivers easily register, manage rewards, plan trips, and make secure payments on the go. From account setup to locating fuel stations and adding funds, the experience is designed to be fast, intuitive, and driver-friendly.
Stalking the Competitors
Love's Travel Stops is the primary competitor to Pilot Flying J in the travel center industry. Founded in 1964 by Tom and Judy Love in Watonga, Oklahoma, the company operates more than 650 truck stops and travel centers across 42 states.
Setting the Stage
To design better experiences, it’s important to first understand the competitive landscape, user expectations, and the challenges they face.
Who are the User's
Through desk research and conversations with drivers, we uncovered critical gaps: the inability to plan fuel stops efficiently, difficulty in tracking expenses, and a lack of real-time parking availability. These inefficiencies not only impacted drivers but also affected our business, as users turned to competitor apps for better solutions.
Commercial Drivers
Frequent
Commercial
Long Haul
Recreational Travellers
Seasonal
Leisure
Extended Stays
4 Wheeler's
Local
Frequent
Short stay
Stories from the Road
Mark - Long haul
I'm frustrated by the inconsistent parking availability, after 10+ hours on the road, not knowing if ill finf a spafe spoit sis stressfull
Alicia - Safety concerned
As a woman, I don’t always feel safe stopping late at night. I wish I could see reviews or safety ratings for each rest stop.
Raj Deep- Non native
“I struggle with understanding regulations and don’t always get clear info about weigh stations or tolls in the app.”
Mike- Health conscious
“I need healthy food options but most places just have fried stuff or vending machines. Planning my meals is a nightmare.”
Linda - Budget conscious
As someone who budgets every trip, I want to track how much I’ve saved using rewards and coupons, so I can manage expenses better.
Emotional Journey Mapping
This journey map illustrates a day in the life of a truck driver, highlighting his motivations, habits, and challenges on the road. It captures key touchpoints like fueling, rest stops, and communication with family, while mapping emotional highs and lows
Pain points, needs & possibility
Truck drivers, RV travelers, and everyday commuters each had distinct needs on the road—whether it was reliable fueling, rest stops, or family-friendly amenities. Pain points like long wait times, confusing navigation in busy travel centers, and lack of tailored digital support made their journeys stressful.
Mapping Ideas
Fueling
diesel prices, loyalty programs, pump availability
Parking
availability, safety, overnight parking
Offers & discounts
Get notified of active fuel promotions.
Payment
contactless, fleet cards,wallets
Community
Find nearby truckers or friends during the trip
Foods
Pre-order grab and go-meals for fast pickups
Loyalty Programs
discounts & points redemptions.
Realtime updates
Get alerts on delays,rest stop congestion or detours.
Manage bookings
Manage bookings , rewards & receipts in one app interface.
SCAMPER is a structured ideation method that uses seven lenses—Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to use, Eliminate, and Reverse—to find solution which might be more usefull rather than feature rich product.
Information Architecture
Where everything lives in the information architecture-features in the bottom nav (Home, Trip, Rewards), while pushing secondary settings into More.
Final Design
Over the span of one month, we immersed ourselves in the trucking culture and the Pilot Flying J ecosystem. We leveraged a wide range of AI-powered tools to accelerate idea generation, conduct secondary research, and simulate user scenarios. This allowed us to bridge knowledge gaps and create a foundation for user-centric design decisions.
Pilot Pay
A seamless way to manage your money on the go. Quickly access your available balance, add funds, or split bills with friends. Use your QR code for fast payments, and explore extra benefits like health insurance or gift cards—all in one convenient place.
Key Takeaways
Over the span of one month, we immersed ourselves in the trucking culture and the Pilot Flying J ecosystem. We leveraged a wide range of AI-powered tools to accelerate idea generation, conduct secondary research, and simulate user scenarios.
Documentating the process and creating structure
Importance of realworld interactions to gain insights
Contextual design matters
Omnichannel Experience