So nozzles that attendants use have clips that allow the gas to flow even if they leave the car. "An attendant is less likely to spill than a person filling up their car who just wants to get in and get out," says the former DCA inspector. There's a reason gas attendants can walk away while pumping and you can't.Ī spill can cause gasoline to seep into ground water or cause a fire if there's a spark. "Drivers don't want to make left-hand turns, and they want to get past the light before they fuel."Ħ. In general though, "If there is a 4-way intersection, you want the corner on the right after the light ," says Lenard. There's a science behind gas station locations.įor starters, the size of the lot, traffic and the kind of people that live in the area. The rest of them are "owned and operated by independent business people who set their own price," says Elizabeth Hudson, Shell Oil Products U.S. 4% of the gas stations in the country are owned by one of the five major oil companies, according to the NACS. While most people are familiar with the big brands, like Shell, ExxonMobil and BP, only. Most gas stations are owned independently. If you suspect it's been ripped off, you might be getting ripped off, too, according to a former inspector for the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA).Ĥ. In many states, you can also see a sticker with the inspection month and year right on the pump. Since years can pass between inspections in some states, make sure the screen says $0.00 before you start pumping, so you don't get charged extra. There are over 127,000 convenience stores selling gas in the country, and each state's Bureau of Weights and Measures is responsible for checking you're getting what you pay for. In fact, Jeff Lenard, Vice President of Strategic Industry Initiatives for NACS, says items such as sunglasses, snacks and medicine account for more than 60% of total earnings.
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As the National Association of Convenience Stores ( NACS), explains, "Fuel retailers typically see profitability decrease as prices rise, and increase when prices fall." Instead, most of their profit come from convenience items sold in the stores. In fact, gas station owners hate high gas prices just as much as you do.
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They get only pennies per gallon after taxes and operating costs. Gas stations don't make that much money off gas.