On the road in Texas and need a bathroom? Buc-ee’s High-Tech Tooshlights Got You Covered
If you’ve ever driven along the North Freeway on the way to Fort Worth, you’ve probably stopped by Buc-ee’s, the famous roadside store with its quirky finds, tasty Beaver Bites, and world-renowned bathrooms. Now, the company is adding an even “smarter” upgrade: high-tech bathrooms with Tooshlights.
Jeff Nadalo, Buc-ee’s general counsel, announced that by next year, the company’s 33 stores across Texas will have a whole new system of high-tech bathrooms developed by Tooshlights, a Los Angeles startup. Providing relief for the tired traveler, Buc-ee’s bathrooms are known for their pristine cleanliness and spaciousness as well as its iconic Texas décor. Nadalo has emphasized that clean restrooms are truly “one of the most important pieces of our customer experience.”
With the new Tooshlights technology, Buc-ee’s will take the bathroom experience one step further. Tooshlights was founded in 2013 by Allen Klevens who came up with the idea while he was waiting for a bathroom stall at the Hollywood Bowl. Finding the wait time incredibly long and wearisome, Klevens came up with a system to manage bathroom traffic. Each stall in the Tooshlights system is equipped with a “smart latch” that connects to a colored light above each stall. These ceiling lights indicate whether a particular stall is occupied or vacant. Green indicates unlocked and empty while red signifies locked and in use. There is also a blue light for handicapped-accessible stalls. You don’t need to awkwardly knock on bathroom stalls anymore. Additionally, the Tooshlights software can monitor cleanliness of stalls and send notifications to staff about when it is time to clean a bathroom stall. It can also monitor when a stall has not been occupied in awhile and one that would require further attention.
Tooshlights’ ground-breaking approach to improving bathroom traffic makes it a perfect fit with Buc-ee’s reputation as a provider of extremely immaculate toilets. As one of Buc-ee’s billboards declares, “Your Throne Awaits. Fabulous Restrooms – 32 miles.” Who knows what new innovations are in store for Buc-ee’s next year?
Experimenting with high-tech ways to manage bathroom traffic like Tooshlights and Buc-ee’s? You could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and receive up to 14% back on your expenses. To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today.
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