Travelers In Virginia Can Expect Better Foods And Other Supplies At Their Rest-stops And Welcome Centers From Vending Machines:
Have you ever stopped at a rest-stops or welcome center and wished they would have toothbrushes, aspirins, yogurts, or a quick snack? In the near future, travelers in Virginia will be able to purchase these items right from a vending machine along the commonwealth’s highways.
There will be new and better vending machines installed, and more of them, they will also offer assorted sandwiches and possibly lottery tickets. According to Mr. Craig Pierce, regional manager for CRH Catering Inc., The Pennsylvania based firm received a three-year contract from the Virginia Department of Transportation to expand the travelers services at the state’s 42 rest-stops and visitors centers.
Pierce also indicated, it is waiting for more technology before it will be able to offer the lottery tickets. He also indicated the company has had some dialog and conversations with the Virginia Lottery and they’re working on some software improvements…where a person can swipe their drivers license in front of an automated lottery machine, and the machine will be able to determine the age of the person who has swiped their driver’s license.
Gov. Bob McDonnell stated on Tuesday of this week, the program will generate additional revenue for the department to offset the costs of running the rest-stops. According to a news release from the governor’s office, the contract requires CRH pay VDOT an annual guaranteed rights fee of roughly $2 million, an increase from the 1.7 million the department currently receives from vending and advertising sales.
The annual fees generated from the initial three-year contract will provide nearly 1 million to offset the costs of running the rest-stops. Virginia rest-stops and Welcome Centers visitors, will in the future, have access to ATMs and kiosks, they will have interactive screens providing Virginia’s top tourist attractions and travel destinations.
According to the news release, rest areas and Welcome Centers serve 90,000 visitors daily and approximately 33 million visitors annually. This program will be implemented at no cost to VDOT.
Reference:
News and Messenger Serving Prince William, Manassas & Manassas Park, Virginia, writer Keith Walker