Having a third truck stop at Exit 11 on Interstate 35 will be good for business in Albert Lea. In fact, the Flying J likely to be built within the year should increase traffic for the other two truck stops &8212; Trail&8217;s Travel Center and Love&8217;s.

The reason is truckers plan their stops. It&8217;s one thing to have a single truck stop, a place you can stop when you must. It&8217;s another thing to be a destination stop, the kind of place known to cater to truckers. That&8217;s the kind of place you plan to stop.

People who have stopped at the Walcott, Iowa, exit on Interstate 80 know what we mean. There are semis all over that place.

Three choices means more competition, which favors consumers. It means competition over prices, customer service, food and facilities. That draws the drivers in, which in turn means more profits for all three truck stops.

In addition, Albert Lea benefits. The more people who stop in Albert Lea, the more people learn about the city and the more people who might just find their way into the city.

We welcome Flying J to Albert Lea, meanwhile thanking Trail&8217;s and Love&8217;s for building in Albert Lea. By next year, the three will have put I-35&8217;s Exit 11 on the map.