KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Pilot Flying J is investing $49 million to remodel and upgrade all of the showers at its Pilot Travel Centers and Flying J Travel Plazas.

According to the locally headquartered company, more than 4,400 showers in the network will be upgraded, with 75 percent of the showers rebuilt, by December 2013. During the remodeling efforts, showers will remain open at each location so customers can continue to use the facilities without disruption.

"Our fleet customers want drivers to have a great experience in the facilities where they are asked to purchase fuel," said Mark Hazelwood, executive vice president of sales for Pilot Flying J. "We are doing whatever it takes to make a driver's day the best it can be, and one of those things is to provide the most comfortable and relaxing shower experience possible. We have, by far, the largest network of showers in North America, and we want to make certain it's the best."

As part of the chainwide upgrade, Pilot Flying J plans to install specially designed porcelain tile and new mold-resistant grout to improve maintenance and cleanliness of the showers.

The shower upgrades include many other improvements designed with the driver's experience in mind, including more hooks to hang and store personal items; new shower gel; better ventilation; iPod listening stations to allow drivers to play their own music; custom-designed benches for seating or to place personal belongings; softer, thicker, larger towels; new cloth bathmats; and high-end, "spa-style" shower heads that provide ideal water pressure for a great shower experience.

"We want professional drivers to feel more at home when they visit our locations," said Jimmy Haslam, CEO of Pilot Flying J. "We know that drivers just want a clean place to rest, relax, and refresh before they have to get back out on the road. We listened to what features they wanted to see in our showers and are making these changes in order to provide the best shower facilities available to them while on the road."

The Pilot Flying J network consists of more than 600 retail locations across North America. Combined, these locations offer more than 60,000 parking spaces, more than 4,400 showers and more than 4,000 diesel lanes.