Fitness Chain Targets Truckers

Snap Fitness is reaching out to a new demographic — America’s truckers.

Snap Fitness, founded in 2003, will open up to 100 new locations at truck stops throughout the country over the next year starting this fall. Most of the fitness chain’s current locations are housed in strip malls in suburban areas.

Peter Taunton, the CEO of Snap Fitness, said the privately held company sees an opportunity to grow by helping truckers slim down.

Snap Fitness plans to launch the new locations at truck stops owned by Pilot Travel Centers LLC of Knoxville, Tenn. Snap Fitness has also partnered with Rolling Strong, a provider of health and wellness services for the transportation industry, on this initiative. Rolling Strong of Las Vegas will create exercise programs tailored specifically to the weight-loss needs of truckers.

“The reason our companies came together on this initiative was because Rolling Strong possessed the understanding of professional drivers and their needs, while we were able to bring our expertise in health fitness to the table,” said Patrick Strait, the communications manager for Snap Fitness. “Together, we’ve created a solution that helps drivers improve their wellness and get a high-quality workout experience.”

The cost of starting a traditional Snap Fitness franchise is approximately $200,000 and these gyms span 3,000 to 4,000 square feet on average.

The new gyms will cost a little less, Taunton said, since they’ll be housed in mobile units that are about 1,000 square feet. The first few to open up will be corporate-owned, but prospective franchisees can apply to purchase locations at Pilot truck stops going forward, he added.

“Our goal as an organization is to provide people with the tools and support they need to get healthy,” said Taunton. “Professional drivers often struggle with their health, due to their lack of accessible health clubs. By creating Snap Fitness Rolling Strong, we saw the opportunity to bring a fitness solution to a segment of potential members who were being underserved.”

Information was provided by Wall Street Journal