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                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.2

                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
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         EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT dated as of January 1, 2000, by and among TA
Operating Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), TravelCenters of
America, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Holdings") and _________________ (the
"Employee").

         In consideration of the parties' desire to assure the Company and
Holdings of the services of the Employee, and the mutual covenants herein
contained, the parties agree as follows:

         1. EMPLOYMENT.

                  1.1 EMPLOYMENT, ACCEPTANCE AND TERM. Subject to Section 5
hereof, the Company and Holdings hereby agree to employ the Employee, and the
Employee agrees to serve the Company and Holdings, during the term of this
Agreement (the "Term") which shall commence January 1, 2000 (the "Effective
Date") and end on December 31, 2001 (the "Initial Term"), and shall be renewed
automatically for successive one calendar year periods thereafter through
December 31 of the calendar year in which the Employee reaches age sixty-five
(65), unless the Company gives the Employee or the Employee gives the Company
written notice of its or his intent not to renew this Agreement, which notice
must be given not later than December 31, 2000 if this Agreement is to expire at
the end of the Initial Term or December 31 of the year last preceding the final
calendar year of the Term if this Agreement is to expire after the Initial Term;
provided, however, that no such notice given by either the Company or the
Employee after a "Change of Control" as defined in Section 1.2 hereof shall have
the effect of terminating this Agreement prior to the December 31 coinciding
with or next following the second anniversary of the date on which such Change
of Control occurs. The Employee acknowledges that neither the Company nor
Holdings shall have any obligation to extend the Term beyond the

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Initial Term or to renew the Agreement after any extension, or to enter into a
new employment agreement upon the expiration of the Term. Unless otherwise
agreed between the parties in writing, any continuation of the Employee's
employment beyond the expiration of the Term shall constitute an employment at
will and shall not extend the terms of this Agreement.

                  1.2 CHANGE OF CONTROL. Any of the following events shall
constitute a "Change of Control":

                  (i) any "person," as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and
         14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange
         Act"), becomes the beneficial owner (as defined in Rule 13d-3
         promulgated under the Exchange Act) of fifty-one percent (51%) or more
         of the voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities of
         Holdings; provided, however, that the foregoing does not apply to any
         such acquisition that is made by (i) the Company or any Affiliate or
         (ii) any employee benefit plan maintained either by the Company or any
         Affiliate; or

                  (ii) Holdings merges into itself, or is merged or consolidated
         with, another corporation and as a result of such merger or
         consolidation less than fifty-one (51%) of the voting power of the
         then-outstanding voting securities of the surviving or resulting
         corporation immediately after such transaction are owned in the
         aggregate by the former shareholders of Holdings immediately prior to
         such transaction;

                  (iii) all or substantially all the assets accounted for on the
         consolidated balance sheet of the Company and the Affiliates, in the
         aggregate, are sold or transferred to one or more corporations or
         persons, and as a result of such sale or transfer less than fifty-one
         percent (51%) of the voting power of the then-outstanding voting
         securities of such corporation or person immediately after such sale or
         transfer is

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         held in the aggregate by the former shareholders of Holdings
         immediately prior to such transaction or series of transactions;

                  (iv) fifty-one percent (51%) or more of the assets accounted
         for in the consolidated balance sheet of Company and its Affiliates, in
         the aggregate, are sold or transferred to one or more corporations or
         persons, whether such sale or transfer is accomplished by the sale or
         transfer of assets directly, the sale or transfer of stock of the
         Company or one or more Affiliates or otherwise with, in any case, an
         aggregate value of fifty-one percent (51%) or more of the aggregate
         value of the Company and its Affiliates, or any combination of methods
         by which fifty-one percent (51%) or more of the aggregate value of the
         Company and its Affiliates are sold or transferred, if, immediately
         after such sale or transfer, the purchaser or transferee is less than
         fifty-one percent (51%) owned, in the aggregate, by the persons who are
         the shareholders of Holdings immediately prior to such sale or
         transfer; or

                  (v) during any period of two (2) consecutive years, including,
         without limitation, the year 1999, individuals who at the beginning of
         any such period constitute the Board of Directors of Holdings cease,
         for any reason, to constitute at least a majority thereof, unless the
         election or nomination for election of each Director first elected
         during such period was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the
         members of the Board of Directors of Holdings who were members of the
         Board of Directors of Holdings on the date of the beginning of any such
         period.

         Without otherwise limiting the generality of the foregoing, an initial
public offering of the Common Stock of Holdings shall not be deemed a "Change of
Control" for purposes of this Agreement.

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         2. DUTIES AND AUTHORITY.

                  2.1 OFFICE. Subject to Section 5 hereof, during the Term the
Employee will serve as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company
and Holdings, in accordance with the Certificates of Incorporation and By-Laws
of the Company and Holdings, respectively, and subject to the direction of, and
in accordance with the authority delegated to the Employee by, the Boards of
Directors of the Company and Holdings.

                  2.2 DUTIES. Subject to Section 5 hereof, during the Term the
Employee shall devote all of his full working time and energies to the business
and affairs of the Company and, in connection therewith, shall perform such
duties, functions and responsibilities as are commensurate with and appropriate
to the position of an officer of the Company. Throughout the Term, the Employee
will use his best efforts, skills and abilities to promote the interests of the
Company and its Affiliates. For purposes of this Agreement, the term
"Affiliates" shall mean, collectively, Holdings, National Auto/Truckstops, Inc.,
a Delaware corporation ("National"), TA Franchise Systems, Inc., a Delaware
corporation ("TAFSI"), TA Licensing, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Licensing"),
and all subsidiaries and affiliates of the Company, Holdings, National, TAFSI,
and Licensing.

         3. COMPENSATION.

         3.1 BASE SALARY. As compensation for services to be rendered during the
Term pursuant to this Agreement, the Company shall pay the Employee a base
salary at the rate of __________________________________ per annum (the "Base
Salary"), which amount shall be reviewed not less frequently than annually and
which may be increased but not decreased by action of the Board of Directors of
the Company or the Compensation Committee (as defined in Section 3.2 hereof) in
a manner consistent with the treatment of other employees

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of the Company as approved by the Compensation Committee and payable currently
in equal biweekly installments or otherwise in accordance with the payroll
policies of the Company as from time to time in effect.

         3.2 ANNUAL BONUS. For each fiscal year of the Company during the Term
(a "Fiscal Year"), commencing with the Fiscal Year ending December 31, 2000, the
Company shall pay to the Employee an annual bonus (the "Annual Bonus"). The
amount of each Annual Bonus shall be determined by the Compensation Committee of
the Board of Directors of the Company (the "Compensation Committee"), based
fifty percent (50%) upon corporate performance (EBITDA goals) and fifty percent
(50%) upon the Employee's individual performance (MBO targets), and shall range
from zero (0) to seventy-five percent (75%) of the Base Salary in effect as of
the first day of the Fiscal Year (seventy-five percent (75%) of such Base Salary
being the "Target Bonus"). The MBO targets for the following Fiscal Year shall
be presented to and approved by the Board of Directors or Compensation Committee
of the Company in December of each year in a manner consistent with past
practice. The Annual Bonus shall be paid within thirty (30) days after the
completion of the audit by the Company's independent auditors of the financial
statements of the Company and its Affiliates for the Fiscal Year to which the
Annual Bonus applies.

         4. ADDITIONAL BENEFITS.

                  4.1 BENEFIT PLANS. The Employee shall be entitled during the
Term, if and to the extent eligible, to participate in all employee benefit
plans of the Company or Holdings which the Company or Holdings provides to its
executive employees or officers generally, including, without limitation, a
health and medical insurance plan, basic life insurance, supplemental life
insurance, basic disability benefit plan, supplemental disability benefit plan,

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relocation, retirement or pension plan or similar benefit plans, whether now in
existence or hereafter adopted; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that neither the Company nor
Holdings shall be obligated to adopt, maintain or contribute to any such benefit
plans which, in their discretion, the Company and Holdings believe would be
imprudently expensive or otherwise inappropriate. Any new benefit plan which the
Company or Holdings provides to its executive employees, and any change to a
benefit plan which the Company or Holdings provides to its executive employees,
shall be applied consistently to all such executive employees.

                  4.2 DIRECTOR'S AND OFFICER'S INSURANCE. Holdings has purchased
and Holdings or the Company will use reasonable efforts to maintain during the
Term, at Holdings' or the Company's expense, Director's and Officer's liability
insurance in a reasonable amount covering all insurable acts of the Employee
pursuant to this Agreement provided that the Employee's coverage will not be
less extensive than that provided by Holdings or the Company to any other
director or officer of Holdings, the Company or any Affiliate.

                  4.3 FRINGE BENEFITS. The Employee shall be entitled during the
Term to the following additional benefits: (i) a company-owned automobile of a
make and model approved by the Compensation Committee as appropriate for an
officer of the position of the Employee; (ii) company-owned club membership (or
to the extent the club does not permit company membership, reimbursement for
individual membership) for fees, dues and fixed expenses only, paid by the
Company and/or the Employee, which shall not exceed Ten Thousand Dollars
($10,000.00) per year; (iii) paid vacation days in accordance with standard
Company policy for similarly situated officers; and (iv) participation in a
nonqualified unfunded elective salary deferral plan adopted or to be adopted by
the Compensation Committee having such terms as the Compensation Committee
determines in its sole discretion are appropriate for the purpose

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of providing certain benefits in excess of the benefits otherwise available
under the Company's employee benefit plan established pursuant to Code sections
401(a) and 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"),
which nonqualified plan provides or is expected to provide tax-deferred savings
opportunities through elective salary deferrals in excess of certain of the
limits set forth in Subchapter D of Chapter I of Subtitle A of the Code.

                  5. TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT. The Employee's employment with
the Company shall terminate upon the death of the Employee, and the Company
shall have the right, at any time during the Term, by delivery of written notice
to the Employee, to terminate the Employee's employment as a result of the
Employee's Permanent Disability (as such term is defined in Section 5.1 hereof),
for Cause (as such term is defined in Section 5.3 hereof) or for any other
reason, and the Employee shall have the right to resign, the consequences of any
such termination or resignation being as specified in this Section 5:

                  5.1 DEATH; DISABILITY. If the Employee's employment with the
Company is terminated by reason of the Employee's death or Permanent Disability
during the Term, the obligations of the Company and Holdings under this
Agreement shall be satisfied by providing the benefits set forth in the
Company's life insurance or disability benefit plan or plans, as the case may
be. The Employee shall not be entitled to any other payments or compensation
under this Agreement except for (i) Base Salary accrued and unpaid to the date
of death or Permanent Disability, (ii) any vested benefits as of the date of
death or termination for Permanent Disability under any awards to the Employee
pursuant to the National Auto/Truckstops Holdings Corporation 1993 Stock
Incentive Plan, the TravelCenters of America, Inc. 1997 Stock Incentive Plan,
and any other such plan or individual agreement adopted after the date of this
Agreement (collectively, the "Stock Incentive Plans"), or any

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amount payable under any other benefit plan of the Company or any Affiliate, in
accordance with the terms of any such plan, (iii) an amount equal to the product
of (x) the Annual Bonus, if any, determined by the Compensation Committee for
the year in which the termination occurs, MULTIPLIED BY (y) the fraction, the
numerator of which equals the number of days the Employee was employed by the
Company during the Fiscal Year in which such termination occurs and the
denominator of which is three hundred sixty-five (365), and (iv) if the Employee
and/or his spouse and dependents properly elect continued medical coverage
("COBRA") in accordance with Code section 4980B, the Company will pay the entire
cost of the premiums for such continued medical coverage for the maximum
required period of coverage under Code section 4980B(f). "Permanent Disability,"
as used in this Section 5.1, shall mean the physical or mental inability of the
Employee to perform, consistent with past practice, the essential functions of
such Employee's duties as specified in Section 2.1 hereof, with reasonable
accommodation to the extent required by the applicable requirements of the
Americans with Disabilities Act, for at least twelve (12) consecutive months.
Determination of Permanent Disability shall be made initially by the Board of
Directors of the Company. If there is a disagreement between the Employee and
the Company as to the existence of such a Permanent Disability, such
disagreement shall be resolved by the determination of two physicians, one
selected by the Employee and one selected by the Company. If such physicians
shall disagree, the decision shall be made by a third physician selected by the
first two physicians. The fees and expenses of all of the physicians shall be
paid by the Company.

                  5.2 RESIGNATION. If the Employee's employment with the Company
is terminated during the Term by reason of the Employee's resignation (other
than for "Good Reason" as defined in Section 5.5 hereof), all obligations of the
Company and Holdings,

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including, without limitation, the obligation to pay salary or other amounts
payable under this Agreement to or for the benefit of the Employee, shall
terminate upon the effective date of such resignation, and the Employee shall
not be entitled to any compensation under this Agreement except for Base Salary
accrued and unpaid through, and any vested benefits under any awards to the
Employee pursuant to the Stock Incentive Plans, or any amount payable under any
other benefit plan of the Company or any Affiliate in accordance with the terms
of such plan, as of the effective date of such resignation. The Employee agrees
to give the Company one hundred twenty (120) days notice of his resignation
(other than for Good Reason).

                  5.3 COMPANY'S RIGHT TO TERMINATE FOR CAUSE. If the Employee
shall be discharged for "Cause" (as defined below) during the Term, all
obligations of the Company and Holdings, including, without limitation, the
obligation to pay salary or other amounts payable under this Agreement to or for
the benefit of the Employee, shall terminate upon the effective date of such
discharge, and the Employee shall not be entitled to any compensation under this
Agreement except for Base Salary accrued and unpaid through, and vested benefits
under any awards to the Employee pursuant to the Stock Incentive Plans, or any
amount payable under any other benefit plan of the Company or any Affiliate in
accordance with the terms of such plan, as of the effective date of such
discharge. As used in this Agreement, "Cause" shall mean a discharge in one or
more of the following events:

                  (i) the Employee's misappropriation of money or other assets
         or property, breach of fiduciary duty, tortious conduct or other act of
         dishonesty with respect to the Company or any Affiliate; the Employee's
         conviction of, or plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, any act of
         fraud, embezzlement, tortious conduct or any crime for

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         an offense that constitutes a felony, or the Employee's indictment for
         any crime involving dishonesty or moral turpitude;

                  (ii) the Employee's continuing, repeated willful failure or
         refusal to follow written directions of the Board of Directors of the
         Company or Holdings which failure or refusal continues following the
         Employee's receipt of written notice from such Board of Directors
         advising him of the acts or omissions that constitute the failure to
         perform his duties as an officer of the Company or Holdings, if such
         failure continues after the Employee shall have had a reasonable
         opportunity to correct the act or omissions so complained of;

                  (iii) the Employee's violation of the Company's drug abuse or
         alcohol abuse policy; or

                  (iv) the Employee's breach of any covenant set forth in
         Section 6 hereof.

                  5.4 TERMINATION FOR ANY OTHER REASON OR RESIGNATION FOR A GOOD
REASON. If (a) the Employee is discharged by the Company during the Term for any
reason (other than for "Cause" (as defined in Section 5.3 hereof) or by reason
of the Employee's death or "Permanent Disability" (as defined in Section 5.1
hereof)) or (b) the Employee's employment with the Company is terminated by
reason of the Employee's resignation for a "Good Reason" (as defined in Section
5.5 hereof) occurring during the Term, then all obligations of the Company and
Holdings hereunder shall cease except that the Employee shall be entitled to the
following from the Company:

                  (i) any Base Salary accrued and unpaid to the date of such
         discharge or resignation, which shall be payable within thirty (30)
         days of such discharge

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         or resignation, plus an amount equal to the product of (A) multiplied
         by (B), where (A) equals his Annual Bonus, if any, determined by the
         Compensation Committee for the year in which his discharge or
         resignation occurred and where (B) equals a fraction, the numerator of
         which equals the number of days in the calendar year during which the
         Employee was employed by the Company, and the denominator of which
         equals three hundred sixty-five (365), which amount shall be payable on
         the same date that active officers are paid similar Annual Bonuses;

                  (ii) during the twenty-four (24) month period following the
         date of his discharge or termination, a monthly amount equal to the
         greater of (i) his monthly rate of Base Salary in effect as of the date
         immediately preceding any Change of Control or (ii) his monthly rate of
         Base Salary in effect as of the date of his discharge or termination,
         which shall be payable in such manner and at such times as active
         employees of the Company are paid base salaries;

                  (iii) an amount equal to two hundred percent (200%) of the
         greater of the Employee's Target Bonus as set forth in Section 3.2
         hereof for the Fiscal Year ended December 31, 2000 or the Employee's
         Target Bonus as set forth in Section 3.2 hereof for the Fiscal Year in
         which his Termination of Employment occurs, which amount shall be
         payable in two separate payments each equal to one-half of such amount
         (i.e., each payment equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the Target
         Bonus amount). The first such payment shall be payable at such time and
         in such manner as active officers of the Company customarily are paid
         similar bonuses for the Fiscal Year next following the Fiscal Year in
         which his discharge or resignation occurs (or in accordance with past
         practice if such bonuses are not being paid to such active officers),
         and the

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         second such payment shall be payable at such time and in such manner as
         active officers of the Company customarily are paid similar bonuses for
         the second Fiscal Year following the Fiscal Year in which his discharge
         or resignation occurs (or in accordance with past practice if such
         bonuses are not being paid to such active officers), provided that the
         second payment shall be made not later than the date of the last
         scheduled payment payable pursuant to Section 5.4(ii) hereof;

                  (iv) any vested benefits as of the date of such resignation or
         discharge under any awards to the Employee pursuant to the Stock
         Incentive Plans, or any amount payable under any other benefit plan of
         the Company or any Affiliate in accordance with the terms of such
         plan; and

                  (v) if the Employee (and/or his spouse and/or dependents)
         properly elect continued COBRA medical coverage, the Company and the
         Employee (and/or his spouse and/or dependents) each shall pay their
         same portions of the premiums for such medical coverage as if the
         Employee had remained in the employ of the Company until the
         Participant shall elect to discontinue such coverage, provided that the
         obligation of the Company under this Section 5.4(v) shall cease upon
         the expiration of the later of (A) the maximum required period of
         coverage under Code Section 4980B(f), or (B) twenty-four (24) months
         after the date of such discharge or resignation; PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
         that, in each case in clauses (i) through (v) above in this Section
         5.4, if at any time during which the Company is obligated to make
         payments thereunder the Employee engages in any activity violative of
         Section 6 hereof, then, as of the date the Employee commences engaging
         in such activity, all of the Company's obligations to pay compensation
         or other amounts under this Agreement to or for the benefit of the

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         Employee shall terminate except for (i) Base Salary then accrued and
         unpaid, (ii) any vested benefits under any awards to the Employee
         pursuant to the Stock Incentive Plans, and (iii) any amount payable
         under any other benefit plan of the Company or any Affiliate in
         accordance with the terms of such plan.

         5.5 RESIGNATION FOR GOOD REASON. As used in this Agreement, "Good
Reason" shall mean a resignation by the Employee as a result of one or more of
the following events occurring during the Term:

                  (i) a material reduction in the Employee's compensation
         (including the additional benefits described in Section 4 hereof) in
         the aggregate or his duties or title with respect to the Company or any
         of its Affiliates (other than nonsubstantive, titular or nominal
         changes);

                  (ii) the Company requires the Employee to change his principal
         location of work to any location which is outside of the Cleveland,
         Ohio, metropolitan area, without his prior written consent; or

                  (iii) a material breach of this Agreement by the Company or
         any of its Affiliates unless such breach is substantially cured within
         a reasonable period of time (hereby defined as thirty (30) days) after
         written notice advising the Company of the acts or omissions
         constituting such breach is actually received by the Company in
         accordance with Section 11.5 hereof.

         If the Employee claims the existence of a Good Reason, he must notify
the Company in writing of the event constituting Good Reason not later than
sixty (60) days following the later to occur of the occurrence of the event
(e.g., the actual reduction in compensation, the scheduled date of relocation or
the date of the breach) constituting Good

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Reason or his actual knowledge thereof. If the event which the Employee claims
to be a Good Reason is not cured within thirty (30) days following the date of
such notice, the Employee must resign within ten (10) days following the thirty
(30) day cure period in order to invoke his right to resign for Good Reason. If
no such timely resignation occurs or no such timely written notices are given,
the Employee's right to resign for Good Reason with respect to such event shall
be permanently waived.

         5.6 EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS. In addition to such payments and benefits
as may be provided to the Employee upon his termination of employment during the
Term as set forth herein, the Employee (or his estate, legal representative or
employee benefit plan beneficiary, as the case may be) shall be entitled to
receive such other benefits as are expressly so provided under the terms of any
employee benefit plan or other contractual arrangement maintained by the Company
or any Affiliate; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Compensation Committee may reduce
benefits under any such other plan or arrangement, if permissible thereunder, or
may reduce benefits hereunder, to the extent it both (i) determines in good
faith that such benefits are clearly duplicative or unintended (e.g.,
duplicative severance benefits or more than one company car), and (ii) permits
full payment of the better (in the case of two duplicative benefits) or the best
(in the case of more than two duplicative benefits) of the benefits. This
Section 5.6 shall not be deemed to permit any reduction in any amount otherwise
payable to the Employee under any nonqualified deferred compensation plan of the
Company or any Affiliate.

         6. COVENANTS OF THE EMPLOYEE.

                  6.1 COVENANTS AGAINST COMPETITION. The Employee acknowledges
that (a) the Company and its Affiliates are engaged in the business of operating
a truckstop

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network, with facilities that provide motor fuel pumping along with one or more
of the following services: truck care and repair services, a fast food
restaurant, a full-service restaurant, a convenience store, showers, laundry
facilities, telephones, recreation rooms, truck weighing scales and other
compatible business services approved by the Company (the "Business"); (b) the
Employee is one of the limited number of persons who developed the Business; (c)
such Business is conducted nationally; (d) the Employee's work for the Business
has given him, and will continue to give him, trade secrets of, and confidential
information concerning, the Business; (e) the Employee acknowledges that the
Employee's knowledge of such trade secrets and of, and confidential information
concerning, the Business would be of significant assistance and value to any "TA
Truck-Stop Competitor," which for purposes of this Section 6 shall mean Petro,
Flying J, AMBEST, PTP, Sapp Bros., Giant, All American, Rip Griffin,
Bosselman's, Dixie Trucker's Home, Texaco/Equilon, Pilot, Love's, Speedway
(Emro), Little America, Total, Mapco, Coastal, Fuel Mart and any other chain or
network of national or regional "truck stops" as such term is generally
understood in the trucking industry, including any affiliates or successors to
any of the foregoing; and (f) the agreements and covenants contained in this
Section 6.1 are essential to protect the Business and the goodwill associated
with it. Accordingly, the Employee covenants and agrees as follows:

                  6.1.1 NON-COMPETE. From the date hereof through the later of
(A) the last day of the Term and (B) the last date through which the Employee is
entitled to receive any payment pursuant to Section 5.4(ii) hereof, the Employee
shall not, in the United States of America, directly or indirectly, (x) enter
the employ of or render any services to any TA Truck-Stop Competitor, or (y)
have an interest in any TA Truck-Stop Competitor, whether such interest is
direct or indirect, and including any interest as a partner, shareholder,
trustee, consultant,

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officer or similarly situated person; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in any case, the
Employee may own, solely as an investment, securities of any TA Truck-Stop
Competitor that are publicly traded if the Employee (a) is not a controlling
person and (b) does not, directly or indirectly, own five percent (5%) or more
of any class of securities of such person. After the date which is the later of
(A) and (B) in the preceding sentence, the Employee shall be free to engage in
any lawful business activities, including activities for or related to a TA
Truck-Stop Competitor. The covenant contained in this Section 6.1.1 shall
survive the termination of this Agreement.

                  6.1.2 CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION. The Employee agrees that
neither during the Term nor at any time thereafter shall he (i) disclose to any
person not employed by the Company or an Affiliate, or not engaged to render
services to the Company or an Affiliate or (ii) use for the benefit of himself
or others, any confidential information of the Company, any of the Company's
Affiliates or of the Business obtained by him, including, without limitation,
"know-how," trade secrets, details of customers', suppliers', manufacturers' or
distributors' contracts with the Company or any of the Company's Affiliates,
pricing policies, financial data, operational methods, marketing and sales
information, marketing plans or strategies, product development techniques or
plans, plans to enter into any contract with any person or any strategies
relating thereto, technical processes, designs and design projects, and other
proprietary information of the Company, the Company's Affiliates or of the
Business or the business of any of the Company's Affiliates; PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
that this provision shall not preclude the Employee from (a) making any
disclosure required by law or court order or (b) using or disclosing information
(i) known generally to the public (other than information known generally to the
public as a result of a violation of this Section 6.1.2 by the Employee), (ii)
acquired by the Employee outside of his affiliation with the Company or any of
the Company's Affiliates, or (iii)

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of a general nature (that is, not related specifically to the Business) that
ordinarily would be learned, developed or obtained by individuals similarly
active and/or employed in similar capacities by other companies in the same
Business as the Company or any of the Company's Affiliates. The Employee agrees
that all confidential information of the Company or any of the Company's
Affiliates shall remain the Company's or the Company's Affiliates', as the case
may be, property and shall be delivered to the Company or to the Company's
Affiliates, as the case may be, promptly upon the termination of the Employee's
employment with the Company or at any other time on request. The covenant
contained in this Section 6.1.2 shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

                  6.1.3 NONSOLICITATION BY RESTRICTED PERSONS. From the date
hereof through the later of (A) the last day of the Term and (B) the last date
through which the Employee is entitled to receive any payment pursuant to
Section 5.4(ii) hereof, the Employee shall not, directly or indirectly, (a)
solicit any employee to leave the employment of the Company or the employment of
any of the Company's Affiliates or (b) hire any employee who has left the employ
of the Company or the employ of any of the Company's Affiliates within six (6)
months after termination of such employee's employment with the Company or such
employee's employment with any of the Company's Affiliates, as the case may be
(unless such employee was discharged by the Company without Cause and excepting
clerical and similar employees). The covenant contained in this Section 6.1.3
shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

         7. RIGHTS AND REMEDIES UPON BREACH OF COVENANTS. If the Employee
breaches, or threatens to commit a breach of, any of the provisions of Section 6
hereof (the "Restrictive Covenants"), the Company shall have the following
rights and remedies, each of

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which rights and remedies shall be independent of the others and severally
enforceable, and all of which rights and remedies shall be in addition to, and
not in lieu of, any other rights and remedies available to the Company at law or
in equity:

                  7.1 SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE. The right and remedy to have the
Restrictive Covenants specifically enforced by any court having equity
jurisdiction, it being acknowledged and agreed that any such breach or
threatened breach will cause irreparable injury to the Company and that money
damages will not provide an adequate remedy to the Company.

                  7.2 SEVERABILITY OF COVENANTS. The Employee acknowledges and
agrees that the Restrictive Covenants are reasonable and valid in geographical
and temporal scope and in all other respects. If any court determines that any
of the Restrictive Covenants, or any part thereof, is invalid or unenforceable,
the remainder of the Restrictive Covenants shall not thereby be affected and
shall be given full effect to the greatest extent possible, without regard to
the invalid portions.

                  7.3 BLUE PENCILING. If any court construes any of the
Restrictive Covenants, or any part thereof, to be unenforceable because of the
duration of such provision or the area covered thereby, such court shall have
the power to reduce the duration or area of such provision and, in its reduced
form, such provision shall be enforceable and shall be enforced to the greatest
extent possible.

                  7.4 ENFORCEABILITY IN JURISDICTIONS. The parties intend to and
hereby do limit jurisdiction to enforce the Restrictive Covenants upon the
courts of the jurisdiction of the Employee's last principal place of business
under this Agreement and the sites of the alleged breach of the Restrictive
Covenants.

                                       18
<PAGE>   19

                  7.5 SURVIVAL. The provisions of this Section 7 shall survive
the termination of this Agreement.

         8. REPRESENTATIONS OF EMPLOYEE. The Employee hereby represents and
warrants to the Company (a) that there are no restrictions, agreements or
understandings whatsoever to which the Employee is a party which would prevent
or make unlawful the execution or performance of this Agreement or his
employment hereunder and (b) that the execution of this Agreement and the
Employee's employment hereunder shall not constitute a breach of any contract,
agreement or understanding to which he is a party or by which he is bound.

         9. SENIOR MANAGEMENT INCENTIVE PROGRAM. The Employee shall be a
participant in the Company's Senior Management Incentive Program. Under the
Program, the Employee may become entitled to an Incentive Bonus as hereinafter
described:

                  9.1 FULL INCENTIVE BONUS. Subject to Section 9.3 hereof, in
the event of a Change of Control on or before December 31, 2000, the Employee
shall receive as an Incentive Bonus a single sum cash payment at the closing of
the Change of Control transaction in the amount hereinafter described:

                           (i) if the "Enterprise Value," as hereinafter
                  defined, shall be less than or equal to Eight Hundred Million
                  Dollars ($800,000,000.00), the Incentive Bonus shall be equal
                  to the sum of one year's Base Salary plus one year's Target
                  Bonus;

                           (ii) if the Enterprise Value shall be in excess of
                  Eight Hundred Million Dollars ($800,000,000.00), but less than
                  One Billion Dollars ($1,000,000,000.00), the Incentive Bonus
                  shall increase linearly from the sum of one year's Base Salary
                  plus one year's Target Bonus at the Eight Hundred Million
                  Dollar

                                       19
<PAGE>   20

                  ($800,000,000.00) level to four (4) times the sum of one
                  year's Base Salary plus one year's Target Bonus at the One
                  Billion Dollar ($1,000,000,000.00) level; and

                           (iii) if the Enterprise Value shall be in excess of
                  One Billion Dollars ($1,000,000,000.00), the Incentive Bonus
                  shall be equal to the sum of (A) plus (B) below, where:

                           (A) equals four (4) times the sum of one year's Base
                  Salary plus one year's Target Bonus; and

                           (B) equals an amount equal to the portion of the
                  Enterprise Value in excess of One Billion Dollars
                  ($1,000,000,000.00) times a fraction, the numerator of which
                  is the amount determined under Section 9.1(iii)(A) above and
                  the denominator of which is One Billion Dollars
                  ($1,000,000,000.00).

For purposes of calculating the amount of the Incentive Bonus, the Enterprise
Value shall be deemed to be equal to the "Enterprise Value" of the Company and
the Affiliates, in the aggregate, as the words "Enterprise Value" are used to
determine the payments to be made to the Company's financial advisors.

         9.2 PARTIAL INCENTIVE BONUS. In the event that, prior to a Change of
Control, but on or before December 31, 2000, a person or group of persons who
are not shareholders of Holdings on December 31, 1999 acquires ten percent (10%)
or more of the equity of Holdings on a fully diluted basis (a "Ten Percent Or
Greater Acquisition"), then for each such Ten Percent Or Greater Acquisition the
Employee shall receive as an Incentive Bonus a single cash payment at the
closing of the Ten Percent Or Greater Acquisition transaction in an amount equal
to (i) multiplied by (ii) below, where:

                                       20
<PAGE>   21

                  (i) equals the amount of the Incentive Bonus which would have
         been payable to the Employee under Section 9.1 hereof if the Ten
         Percent Or Greater Acquisition had been a Change of Control based on
         the Enterprise Value implicit in the transaction; and

                  (ii) equals the percentage of equity ownership which is
         replaced by new outside equity ownership in the Ten Percent Or Greater
         Acquisition transaction. Such "new outside equity ownership" shall not
         be deemed to include any increase in equity ownership by any person who
         was an equity owner of Holdings on December 31, 1999.

         9.3 LIMITATIONS AND QUALIFICATIONS. Notwithstanding any provision of
this Section 9 to the contrary, the following limitations and qualifications
shall apply to Incentive Bonuses and Partial Incentive Bonuses:

                  (i) Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control, the Employee
         shall have no right to an Incentive Bonus for any subsequent Change of
         Control transaction or to a Partial Incentive Bonus for any subsequent
         Ten Percent Or Greater Acquisition.

                  (ii) If, on or before December 31, 2000, there shall occur
         more than one Ten Percent Or Greater Acquisition prior to a Change of
         Control, the Employee shall be entitled to a Partial Incentive Bonus
         payment for each such Ten Percent Or Greater Acquisition; PROVIDED,
         HOWEVER, that the aggregate amount of such Partial Incentive Bonus
         payments shall not exceed an amount equal to the Incentive Bonus that
         would have been payable if the Ten Percent Or Greater Acquisition
         having the highest Enterprise Value had been a Change of Control
         transaction.

                                       21
<PAGE>   22

                  (iii) If a Change of Control shall occur on or before December
         31, 2000 but after one or more Ten Percent Or Greater Acquisitions, the
         Incentive Bonus payment payable to the Employee pursuant to Section 9.1
         hereof in connection with such Change of Control shall be reduced, but
         not below zero, by any Partial Incentive Bonus payments payable to the
         Employee pursuant to this Section 9.

         10. ROLLOVER OF INVESTMENT. The Employee and the Company agree to the
following concerning the rollover of investment in the event of a Change of
Control:

                  10.1 ROLLOVER AT BUYER'S REQUEST. If the buyer in the Change
of Control transaction (the "Buyer") shall request that the Employee roll over
his issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company into an equity
investment in the entity resulting from the Change of Control transaction (the
"Successor") so that the Change of Control transaction will qualify for
recapitalization accounting, the Employee agrees to such a rollover, but to no
greater extent than his PRO RATA portion of the total amount of issued and
outstanding shares (immediately prior to the closing of the Change of Control
transaction and calculated giving effect to Preferred Stock as if it had been
converted to Common Stock but excluding compensatory options and stock
appreciation rights) of Common Stock which the Buyer requests to be rolled over,
and agrees to take any and all such action as may be required to effect such a
rollover.

                  If such a rollover is to be made, the Company agrees to make
such rollover, to the extent reasonably possible, on a basis which is tax
favored to the Employee. The issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock
referred to in this Section 10.1 are only those actually owned by the Employee
immediately prior to the closing of the Change of Control transaction. The words
"issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock" shall not be deemed

                                       22
<PAGE>   23

to include any outstanding compensatory options or stock appreciation rights,
nor any shares of Common Stock received or receivable due to the exercise of any
compensatory options or stock appreciation rights, of the Employee or any other
officer or employee of the Company or any Affiliate.

         11. OTHER PROVISIONS.

                  11.1 CONFLICT. To the extent any provisions of this Agreement
conflict with the terms of any existing plan, policy or arrangement affecting
the compensation or benefits of the Employee, the provisions of this Agreement
will control.

                  11.2 WITHHOLDING. The Company may withhold from any amounts
payable under this Agreement such federal, state or local taxes or other amounts
as shall be required to be withheld pursuant to any applicable law or
regulation.

                  11.3 CODE SECTION 280G. The Employee's right to receive any
payment or benefit hereunder in connection with his termination of employment or
otherwise which may be characterized as a "parachute payment" (within the
meaning of Code section 280G), or deemed to constitute a payment made in
connection with or contingent upon a change of control of the Company or
Holdings for purposes of Code section 280G, is contingent upon and subject to
the approval of holders of record of stock of the Company or Holdings, as
applicable, representing more than seventy-five percent (75%) of the voting
power of all outstanding stock of the Company or Holdings, as the case may be,
immediately prior to such change of control (determined without regard to any
stock actually or constructively owned by the Employee and by certain other
persons as determined by the Company).

                  The Company and Holdings covenant that they will present this
Agreement in a timely manner to the shareholders of the Company or Holdings or
both, as

                                       23
<PAGE>   24

appropriate, with a unanimous recommendation of the Boards of Directors of the
Company and Holdings that it be approved by such shareholders.

                  11.4 SUBSIDIARIES AND AFFILIATES. Notwithstanding any contrary
provision of this Agreement, to the extent it does not adversely affect the
Employee, the Company and Holdings may provide the compensation and benefits to
which the Employee is entitled hereunder through one or more subsidiaries or
affiliates, including, without limitation, Holdings.

                  11.5 NOTICES. Any notice or other communication required or
which may be given hereunder shall be in writing and shall be delivered
personally, sent by facsimile transmission or overnight courier or sent by
registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, and
shall be deemed given when so delivered personally or sent by facsimile
transmission or overnight courier, or if mailed, four days after the date of
mailing, as follows:

                           (i)      if to the Company or Holdings, to it at:

                                    TravelCenters of America, Inc.
                                    24601 Center Ridge Road, Suite 200
                                    Westlake, Ohio 44145-5634
                                    Attention: General Counsel
                                    Telecopy No: (440) 808-3301

                                    and a copy to:

                                    Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP
                                    1400 McDonald Investment Center
                                    800 Superior Avenue
                                    Cleveland, Ohio  44114-2688
                                    Attention:  Philip M. Dawson, Esq.
                                    Telecopy No. (216) 241-0816

                                       24
<PAGE>   25

                                    and, if prior to a Change of Control, a copy
                                    to:

                                    The Clipper Group, L.P.
                                    650 Madison Avenue, 9th Floor
                                    New York, New York 10022
                                    Attention: Rolf H. Towe
                                    Telecopy No.: (212) 940-6055

                                    or at such other address as such person may
                                    hereafter designate to the Employee by
                                    notice as provided herein; and

                           (ii)     if to the Employee, to him at the address
                                    set forth below or at such other address as
                                    the Employee may hereafter designate to each
                                    of the persons listed in clause (i) above by
                                    notice as provided herein.

                                    Name:
                                          -----------------------------------
                                    Address:
                                            ---------------------------------
                                    City, State, Zip:
                                                     -------------------------

                  Either party may give any notice or other communication
hereunder using any other means (including ordinary mail or electronic mail),
but no such notice or other communication shall be deemed to have been duly
given unless and until it actually is received by the individual for whom it is
intended. Either party may change the address to which notices and other
communications hereunder are to be delivered by giving the other party notice in
the manner herein set forth.

                  11.6 ENTIRE AGREEMENT. This Agreement contains the entire
agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and
supersedes all prior agreements, written or oral, with respect thereto,
including, without limitation, the employment agreement by and between the
Company and the Employee dated as of November 30, 1997. The Employee
acknowledges that, as of the date this Agreement is executed, he has received
all amounts accrued or due under any prior agreements, and that he is not
entitled to receive additional amounts pursuant to any such agreements.

                                       25
<PAGE>   26

                  11.7 WAIVERS AND AMENDMENTS. This Agreement may be amended,
modified, superseded, canceled, renewed or extended, and the terms and
conditions hereof may be waived, only by a written instrument signed by the
parties or, in the case of a waiver, by the party waiving compliance. No delay
on the part of any party in exercising any right, power or a privilege hereunder
shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any waiver on the part of any party
of any right, power or privilege hereunder, nor any single or partial exercise
of any right, power or privilege hereunder, preclude any other or further
exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege
hereunder. The rights and remedies herein provided are cumulative and are not
exclusive of any rights or remedies which any party may otherwise have at law or
in equity.

                  11.8 GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Ohio applicable to
agreements made and to be performed entirely within such State.

                  11.9 ASSIGNMENT; BINDING EFFECT. This Agreement is being
executed with the expectation that a Change of Control will occur on or before
December 31, 2000 and with the further expectation that this Agreement will be
assumed, expressly or by operation of law, by the Successor in the Change of
Control transaction. This Agreement, and the Employee's rights and obligations
hereunder, may not be assigned by the Employee. The Company and Holdings,
jointly but not severally, may assign this Agreement and their rights, together
with their obligations, hereunder to any entity that controls the Company or
Holdings, is controlled by the Company or Holdings, or is under common control
with the Company or Holdings, or in connection with any sale, transfer or other
disposition of all or substantially all of the assets or business of the Company
and Holdings, whether by merger, consolidation or

                                       26
<PAGE>   27

otherwise. The Company and Holdings, or any direct or indirect Successor to the
Company or Holdings, shall use its reasonable efforts to cause its successor in
interest to assume explicitly the obligations of the Company and Holdings or
such direct or indirect Successor to the Company or Holdings, as the case may
be, hereunder.

                  11.10 COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original but all of which
together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

                  11.11 HEADINGS. The headings in this Agreement are for
reference purposes only and shall not in any way affect the meaning or
interpretation of this Agreement.

                  11.12 ARBITRATION. If requested by the Employee or the
Company, any claim or controversy arising out of or relating to the
interpretation, construction and performance of this Agreement, or any alleged
breach hereof, shall be finally resolved by arbitration conducted in accordance
with such rules as may be agreed upon by the parties within thirty (30) days
following written notice by either party to the other identifying the issue in
dispute and the position of the party giving notice, or failing to achieve such
agreement, in accordance with the National Rules for the Resolution of
Employment Disputes of the American Arbitration Association. Any award rendered
in connection with the foregoing arbitration shall be in writing and shall be
final and binding upon the parties, and judgment upon any such award may be
entered and enforced in any court of competent jurisdiction. The forum for such
arbitration shall be in Cleveland, Ohio and the governing law shall be the laws
of the State of Ohio without giving effect to conflict of laws provisions.
Notwithstanding any provision in this Section 11.12 to the contrary, the Company
shall have the right and power to seek and obtain equitable relief in accordance
with Section 7.1 hereof.

                                       27
<PAGE>   28

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Employment Agreement
as of the date first above written.

                                     TRAVELCENTERS OF AMERICA, INC.
                                     ("Holdings")

                                     By:______________________________________
                                     Name:____________________________________
                                     Title:_____________________________________

                                     TA OPERATING CORPORATION
                                     ("Company")

                                     By: _____________________________________
                                     Name:___________________________________
                                     Title: ____________________________________

                                              ____________________________
                                                    ("Employee")

                                       28<PAGE>   1
                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.3

               SCHEDULE OF OMITTED EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENTS

         The following documents have been omitted as Exhibits to the
Registration Statement because they are on substantially identical terms as
Exhibit 10.2 in all material respects other than with respect to the amounts
payable to the executives under the agreements.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                    Agreement                                          Base Salary
       --------------------------------------------------------------------    ----------------------------
<S>                                                                             <C>
       1. Executive Employment Agreement, dated as of January 1, 2000, by
            and among TA Operating Corporation, a Delaware corporation,
            TravelCenters of America, Inc., a Delaware corporation and
            Edwin P. Kuhn                                                               $ 450,000

       2. Executive Employment Agreement, dated as of January 1, 2000, by
            and among TA Operating Corporation, a Delaware corporation,
            TravelCenters of America, Inc., a Delaware corporation and
            James W. George                                                             $ 270,000

       3. Executive Employment Agreement, dated as of January 1, 2000, by
            and among TA Operating Corporation, a Delaware corporation,
            TravelCenters of America, Inc., a Delaware corporation and
            Michael H. Hinderliter                                                      $ 270,000

       4. Executive Employment Agreement, dated as of January 1, 2000, by
            and among TA Operating Corporation, a Delaware corporation,
            TravelCenters of America, Inc., a Delaware corporation and
            Timothy L. Doane                                                            $ 270,000
</TABLE>

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