Author by : Kevin Stith

A retail establishment that sells fuels like petrol and diesel and lubricants for road motor vehicles is called a gas station. Sometimes, vehicles can be not only refueled there, but also serviced and repaired. The increase in the number of automobiles in United States led to the need of the first gas station, which was built in 1907, by Standard Oil of California.

The United States has two types of filling stations: the ones selling premium-branded gas and those selling discount-branded gas. Premium-brand gas includes international brands, like Esso, Mobil, and BP, and non-international brands like Pemex and Petro-Canada. Premium-brand filling stations accept credit cards and have their own company cards, but charge higher prices. The discount-brand stations are smaller regional chains or independent stations that offer cheaper gas. These stations usually accept cash, with only a few accepting credit cards. Gas stations in rural areas allow customers to pump gas first and pay later; however due to the high incidence of crime in urban areas, customers there have to pay first and pump gas after.

Most of the gas stations in the United States offer a choice between full-service and self-service gas stations. In full-service gas stations, an attendant operates the pump, checks the vehicle’s oil, wipes your car’s windshield, and then collects payment and a small tip. In self-service gas stations, the customer has to pump the gas himself. Until the 1970s, full service was the norm, but nowadays, not all stations offer full service and those that do, charge more for the full-service fueling. Using an open flame in a gas station is strictly forbidden because of the risk of igniting gasoline vapors.

Gas stations usually have toilets; the cleanliness and standards vary with the type of gas station. Many gas stations have convenience stores selling food, beverages, lottery tickets, motor oil, and sometimes auto parts. However, prices here are higher than those in a supermarket or discount store. Depending on state laws, some gas stations also sell wine, beer, and liquor and sometimes even allow the operation of slot and video poker machines. Some gas stations have free or discount-priced car washes, while others have small fast food outlets like McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, or Wendy’s, with limited seating and menus.

[tags]Gas, Gas Stations, Gas Prices, Gas Scooters[/tags]

Related Posts

• No Related Post

Author by : Damian Sofsian

No other type of infrastructure was more influenced by the influx of automobiles than the gas station (also called the service station). Prior to 1910, there was little need for gas stations because ownership of cars was limited to rich hobbyists. During that time, the motorist was required to visit the local kerosene refinery found in the outskirts of the city in order to get some gasoline.

When Henry Ford perfected the mass production of cars and lowered its prices in 1908, more people started owning cars. The local hardware store or carriage maker then added gas pumps to their busy central locations in the city. This arrangement did not prove beneficial, because when cars lined up to refuel, they ended up blocking major thoroughfares.

The first gasoline station building was created to serve Kentucky’s ever growing motorists. Between 1920 and 1960, designs for these gasoline stations evolved reflecting the type of economy, the consumer’s influence and the expansion of the auto repair and service industry.

Now, gas stations are strategically located everywhere – even in the farthest deserts and along the longest highways. The United States gasoline industry is booming, now more than ever, especially because almost all households in the country use at least one car.

The term “gas station” is mostly used in the United States and Canada. In other English speaking countries, the term “petrol station” or the old fashioned term “petrol garage” is still used. In the United Kingdom, the term ‘garage’ is also still commonly used (even if the gas station being referred to has no service or maintenance facilities). In Australia, the term ‘service station’ describes any petrol station.

In some regions in America, filling stations normally have a mechanic on duty, although this is not common in other parts of the world.

[tags]Gas Stations, Cheap Gas Stations, Vintage Gas Stations, Gas Stations For Sale[/tags]

Related Posts

• No Related Post