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A filling station (also known as a gas station (US) or petrol station (UK)) is a facility that sells fuel and engine lubricants for motor vehicles. The most common fuels sold in the 2010s were gasoline (or petrol) and diesel fuel. Gasoline pumps are used to pump gasoline, diesel, compressed natural gas, CGH2, HCNG, LPG, liquid hydrogen, kerosene, alcohol fuel (like methanol, ethanol, butanol, propanol), biofuels (like straight vegetable oil, biodiesel), or other types of fuel into the tanks within vehicles and calculate the financial cost of the fuel transferred to the vehicle. Besides gasoline pumps, one other significant device which is also found in filling stations and can refuel certain (compressed-air) vehicles is an air compressor, although generally these are just used to inflate car tires. Many filling stations provide convenience stores, which may sell confections, alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, lottery tickets, soft drinks, snacks, coffee, newspapers, magazines, and, in some cases, a small selection of grocery items, such as milk. Some also sell propane or butane and have added shops to their primary business. Conversely, some chain stores, such as supermarkets, discount stores, warehouse clubs, or traditional convenience stores, have provided fuel pumps on the premises. Terminology In North America the fuel is known as "gasoline" or "gas" for short, and "gas station" and "service station" are used in the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean. In some regions of Canada, the term "gas bar" (or "gasbar") is used. In the rest of the English-speaking world the fuel is known as "petrol", and the term "petrol station" or "petrol pump" is used. In the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand and South Africa "garage" and "forecourt" is still commonly used. Similarly, in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Ireland, the term "service station" describes any petrol station; Australians also call it a "servo". In India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, it is called a "petrol pump" or a "petrol bunk". In Japanese, a commonly used term is gasoline stand[Note 1] although the abbreviation SS (for service station) is also used. History The world's first "filling station", the City Pharmacy in Wiesloch, Germany The first known filling station was the city pharmacy in Wiesloch, Germany, where Bertha Benz refilled the tank of the first automobile on its maiden trip from Mannheim to Pforzheim back in 1888. Shortly thereafter other pharmacies sold gasoline as a side business. Since 2008 the Bertha Benz Memorial Route commemorates this event.[1][2] Brazil The first "posto de gasolina" of South America was opened in Santos, São Paulo, Brazil, in 1920. It was located on Ana Costa Avenue, in front of the beach, in a corner that is located by the Hotel Atlântico, which occupies its area nowadays. It was owned by Esso and brought by Antonio Duarte Moreira, a taxi entrepreneur.[3] Russia Modern gas station column. Russia In Russia, the first filling stations appeared in 1911, when the Imperial Automobile Society signed an agreement with the partnership "Br. Nobel". By 1914 about 440 stations functioned in major cities across the country. In the mid-1960s in Moscow there were about 250 stations. A significant boost in retail network development occurred with the mass launch of the car "Zhiguli" at the Volga Automobile Plant, which was built in Tolyatti in 1970. Gasoline for other than non-private cars was sold for ration cards only. This type of payment system stopped in the midst of perestroika in the early 1990s. Since the saturation of automobile filling stations in Russia is insufficient and lags behind the leading countries of the world, there is a need to accommodate new stations in the cities and along the roads of different levels.[4] United States The increase in automobile ownership after Henry Ford started to sell automobiles that the middle class could afford resulted in an increased demand for filling stations. The world's first purpose-built gas station was constructed in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1905 at 420 South Theresa Avenue. The second station was constructed in 1907 by Standard Oil of California (now Chevron) in Seattle, Washington, at what is now Pier 32. Reighard's Gas Station in Altoona, Pennsylvania claims that it dates from 1909 and is the oldest existing filling station in the United States.[5] Early on, they were known to motorists as "filling stations". These filling stations were known to wash your windows for free. The first "drive-in" filling station, Gulf Refining Company, opened to the motoring public in Pittsburgh on December 1, 1913, at Baum Boulevard and St Clair's Street.[6] Prior to this, automobile drivers pulled into almost any general or hardware store, or even blacksmith shops in order to fill up their tanks. On its first day, the station sold 30 US gallons (110 L) of gasoline at 27 cents per gallon (7 cents per litre). This was also the first architect-designed station and the first to distribute free road maps.[7] The first alternative fuel station was opened in San Diego, California, by Pearson Fuels in 2003.[8] Maryland officials said that on September 26, 2019, RS Automotive in Takoma Park, Maryland became the first filling station in the country to convert to an EV charging station.[9] Design and function This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (September 2019) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) A Shell station near Lost Hills, California, US An IndianOil filling station near Dera Bassi in Punjab, India The majority of filling stations are built in a similar manner, with most of the fueling installation underground, pump machines in the forecourt and a point of service inside a building. Single or multiple fuel tanks are usually deployed underground. Local regulations and environmental concerns may require a different method, with some stations storing their fuel in container tanks, entrenched surface tanks or unprotected fuel tanks deployed on the surface. Fuel is usually offloaded from a tanker truck into each tank by gravity through a separate capped opening located on the station's perimeter. Fuel from the tanks travels to the dispenser pumps through underground pipes. For every fuel tank, direct access must be available at all times. Most tanks can be accessed through a service canal directly from the forecourt. Older stations tend to use a separate pipe for every kind of available fuel and for every dispenser. Newer stations may employ a single pipe for every dispenser. This pipe houses a number of smaller pipes for the individual fuel types. Fuel tanks, dispenser and nozzles used to fill car tanks employ vapor recovery systems, which prevents releases of vapor into the atmosphere with a system of pipes. The exhausts are placed as high as possible. A vapor recovery system may be employed at the exhaust pipe. This system collects the vapors, liquefies them and releases them back into the lowest grade fuel tank available. The forecourt is the part of a filling station where vehicles are refueled. Gasoline pumps are placed on concrete plinths, as a precautionary measure against collision by motor vehicles. Additional elements may be employed, including metal barriers. The area around the gasoline pumps must have a drainage system. Since fuel sometimes spills onto the pavement, as little of it as possible should remain. Any liquids present on the forecourt will flow into a channel drain before it enters a petrol interceptor which is designed to capture any hydrocarbon pollutants and filter these from rainwater which may then proceed to a sanitary sewer, stormwater drain, or to ground. If a filling station allows customers to pay at the dispenser, the data from the dispenser may be transmitted via RS-232, RS-485 or Ethernet to the point of sale, usually inside the filling station's building, and fed into the station's cash register operating system. The cash register system gives a limited control over the gasoline pump, and is usually limited to allowing the clerks to turn the pumps on and off. A separate system is used to monitor the fuel tank's status and quantities of fuel. With sensors directly in the fuel tank, the data is fed to a terminal in the back room, where it can be downloaded or printed out. Sometimes this method is bypassed, with the fuel tank data transmitted directly to an external database. Underground filling stations The underground modular filling station is a construction model for filling stations that was developed and patented by U-Cont Oy Ltd in Finland in 1993. Afterwards the same system was used in Florida, US. Above-ground modular stations were built in the 1980s in eastern Europe and especially in Soviet Union, but they were not built in other parts of Europe due to the stations' lack of safety in case of fire. The construction model for underground modular filling station makes the installation time shorter, designing easier and manufacturing less expensive. As a proof of the model's installation speed an unofficial world record of filling station installation was made by U-Cont Oy Ltd when a modular filling station was built in Helsinki, Finland in less than three days, including groundwork. The safety of modular filling stations has been tested in a filling station simulator, in Kuopio, Finland. These tests have included for instance burning cars and explosions in the station simulator.[10][11] Marketing North America In the United States and Canada, there are generally two marketing types of filling stations: premium brands and discount brands. Premium brands Hydrogen fueling nozzle Filling stations with premium brands sell well-recognized and often international brands of fuel, including Exxon/Mobil and its Esso brand, Phillips 66/Conoco/76, Chevron, Mobil, Shell, Husky Energy, Sunoco (US), BP, Valero and Texaco. Non-international premium brands include Petrobras, Petro-Canada (owned by Suncor Energy Canada), QuikTrip, Hess, Sinclair, and Pemex. Premium-brand stations accept credit cards, often issue their own company cards (fuel cards or fleet cards) and may charge higher prices. In some cases, fuel cards for customers with a lower fuel consumption are ordered not directly from an oil company, but from an intermediary. Many premium brands have fully automated pay-at-the-pump facilities. Premium stations tend to be highly visible from highway and freeway exits, utilizing tall signs to display their brand logos. Discount brands Discount brands are often smaller, regional chains or independent stations, offering lower prices on fuel. Most purchase wholesale commodity gasoline from independent suppliers or from the major petroleum companies. Lower-priced stations are also found at some supermarkets (Albertsons, Kroger, Big Y, Ingles, Lowes Foods, Giant, Weis Markets, Safeway, Hy-Vee, Vons, Meijer, Loblaws/Real Canadian Superstore, and Giant Eagle), convenience stores (7-Eleven, Circle K, Cumberland Farms, QuickChek, Road Ranger, Sheetz and Wawa), discount stores (Walmart, Canadian Tire) and warehouse clubs (Costco, Sam's Club, and BJ's Wholesale Club). At some stations (such as Vons, Costco, BJ's Wholesale Club, or Sam's Club), consumers are required to hold a special membership card in order to be eligible for the discounted price, or pay only with the chain's cash card, debt card or a credit card issuer exclusive to that chain. In some areas, such as New Jersey, this practice is illegal, and stations are required to sell to all at the same price. Some convenience stores, such as 7-Eleven and Circle K, have co-branded their stations with one of the premium brands. After the Gulf Oil company was sold to Chevron, northeastern retail units were sold off as a chain, with Cumberland Farms controlling the remaining Gulf Oil outlets in the United States. State-controlled stations Station on the road from the Thai border to Siem Reap, Cambodia Some countries have only one brand of filling station. In Mexico, where the oil industry is state-owned and prices are regulated, the country's main operator of filling stations is Pemex.[may be outdated] In Malaysia, Shell is the dominant player by number of stations, with government-owned Petronas coming in second. In Indonesia, the dominant player by number of stations is the government-owned Pertamina, although other companies such as TotalEnergies and Shell are increasingly found in big cities such as the capital Jakarta or Surabaya.[12] Global and local branding An ENEOS filling station near Mount Fuji in Japan Some companies, such as Shell, use their brand worldwide, however, Chevron uses its inherited brand Caltex in Asia Pacific, Australia and Africa, and its Texaco brand in Europe and Latin America. ExxonMobil uses its Exxon and Mobil brands but is still known as Esso (the forerunner company name, Standard Oil or S.O.) in many places, most noticeably in Canada. In Brazil, the main operators are Petrobras Distribuidora and Ipiranga, but Esso and Shell are also present. In the United Kingdom, the two largest are BP and Shell. The "Big Four" supermarket chains, Morrisons, Sainsbury's, Asda and Tesco, all operate filling stations, as well as some of the smaller supermarkets such as The Co-operative Group and Waitrose. Indian Oil operates approximately 15,000 stations in India. In Japan, the main operators are Cosmo Oil, Idemitsu (under the brand names apollostation and Idemitsu), ENEOS Corporation (under the brand names ENEOS, Express and General) and Mitsubishi Group (operates self-service stations under the Lawson convenience store branding), although foreign brands such as Shell (operated by Idemitsu since its acquisition of Showa Shell Sekiyu in 2018–2019), and formerly Esso and Mobil (previously operated by ENEOS Corporation under license from ExxonMobil, all rebranded to ENEOS in 2019) are also present. Payment methods Australia and New Zealand Most service stations allow the customer to pump the fuel before paying. In recent years, some service stations have required customers to purchase their fuel first. In some small towns, the customer may hand the cash to the attendant on the forecourt if they are paying for a set amount of fuel and have no change; but usually customers will enter the service centre to pay a cashier. Some supermarkets have their own forecourts which are unmanned and payment is pay-at-pump only. Customers at the supermarket will receive a discount voucher which offers discounted fuel at their forecourt. The amount of discount varies depending on the amount spent on groceries at the supermarket, but normally starts at 4 cents a litre. In New Zealand BP has an app for smartphones that detects a user's location, then allows one to select the type of fuel, which pump, and how much to spend. The amount is then deducted from the user's account. Canada In British Columbia and Alberta, it is a legal requirement that customers either pre-pay for the fuel or pay at the pump. The law is called "Grant's Law"[13] and is intended to prevent "gas-and-dash" crimes, where a customer refuels and then drives away without paying for it. In other provinces, payment after filling is permitted and widely available, though some stations may require either a pre-payment or a payment at the pump during night hours. Ireland In the Republic of Ireland, most stations allow customers to pump fuel before paying. Some stations have pay-at-the-pump facilities. United Kingdom A small independent filling station in Boston Spa, West Yorkshire, England A large majority of stations allow customers to pay with a chip and pin payment card or pay in the shop. Many have a pay at the pump system, where customers can enter their PIN prior to refueling. United States Pre-payment is the norm in the US and customers may typically pay either at the pump or inside the gas station. Modern stations have pay-at-the-pump functions: in most cases credit, debit, ATM cards, fuel cards and fleet cards are accepted. Occasionally a station will have a pay-at-the-pump-only period per day, when attendants are not present, often at night, and some stations are pay-at-the-pump only 24 hours a day. Types of service Filling stations typically offer one of three types of service to their customers: full service, minimum service or self-service. Full service An attendant operates the pumps, often wipes the windshield, and sometimes checks the vehicle's oil level and tire pressure, then collects payment and perhaps a small tip.[14] Minimum service An attendant operates the pumps. This is often required due to legislation that prohibits customers from operating the pumps. Self service The customer performs all required service. Signs informing the customer of filling procedures and cautions are displayed on each pump. Customers can still enter a store or go to a booth to give payment to a person. Unmanned Using cardlock (or pay-at-the-pump) system, these are completely unstaffed.[15] Brazil Royal Dutch Shell station in Feira de Santana, Brazil In Brazil, self-service fuel filling is illegal, due to a federal law enacted in 2000. The law was introduced by Federal Deputy Aldo Rebelo, who claims it saved 300,000 fuel attendant jobs across the country.[16] Japan A Lawson self-service station with attached convenience store in Shingū, Fukuoka, Japan Before 1998, filling stations in Japan were entirely full-service stations. Self-service stations were legalized in Japan in 1998 following the abolition of the Special Petroleum Law, which led to the deregulation of the petroleum industry in Japan. Under current safety regulations, while motorists are able to self-dispense fuel at self-service stations, generally identified in Japanese as serufu (セルフ),[17] at least one fuel attendant must be on hand to keep watch over potential safety violations and to render assistance to motorists whenever necessary. North America In the United States, areas in red prohibit self-service In the past, filling stations in the United States offered a choice between full service and self service. Before 1970, full service was the norm, and self-service was rare. Today, few stations advertise or provide full service. Full service stations are more common in wealthy and upscale areas. The cost of full service is usually assessed as a fixed amount per US gallon. The first self-service station in the United States was in Los Angeles, opened in 1947 by Frank Urich.[18] In Canada, the first self-service station opened in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in 1949. It was operated by the independent company Henderson Thriftway Petroleum, owned by Bill Henderson.[19] A typical US filling station, like this Mobil station in Belmont, California A typical Canadian station, like this Petro-Canada station in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan A Sheetz station with several pumps in Breezewood, Pennsylvania, US In New Jersey, filling stations offer only full service (and mini service); attendants there are required to pump gasoline for customers. Customers, in fact, are prohibited by law from pumping their own gasoline. The only exception to this within New Jersey is at the filling station next to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in Wrightstown. New Jersey prohibited self-service in 1949, with the passage of "Retail Gasoline Dispensing Safety Act," after lobbying by service station owners. That laws states that "Because of the fire hazards directly associated with dispensing fuel, it is in the public interest that gasoline station operators have the control needed over that activity to ensure compliance with appropriate safety procedures, including turning off vehicle engines and refraining from smoking while fuel is dispensed."[20] Proponents of the prohibition cite safety and jobs as reasons to keep the ban.[21] Of note, the ban does not apply to the pumping of diesel fuel at filling stations (though individual filling stations may prohibit this); nor does it apply to the pumping of gasoline into boats or aircraft.[22] Similarly, Oregon, with few exceptions, also mandates full service at most service stations. The exception to this regulation is that a filling station may be self-service if located in a county with a population of 40,000 or less.[23] The only exception to this within Oregon is at the filling stations next to the Indian reservation casinos in Pendleton and Grand Ronde, which are permitted to be self service. Oregon prohibited self-service in a 1951 statute prohibiting that listed 17 different justifications, including flammability, the risk of crime from customers leaving their vehicles, toxic fumes, and the jobs created by requiring mini service.[24] Like New Jersey, the Oregon self-service prohibitions do not apply to the pumping of diesel fuel at filling stations (though individual filling stations may prohibit this).[25] Motorcycle owners may pump their own with the service station attendant present, and non-retail customers may also pump their own gas.[26] Oregon's ban on self-service gasoline is also seen as part of Oregonian culture. One commentator noted, "The joke is when babies are born in Oregon, the doctor slaps their bottom, 'No self-serve and no sales tax'... It's as much a cultural issue as an economic issue. It's a way of life."[27] However, recent years have shown that this opinion might be changing, as a 2014 Public Policy Poll showed that although self-serve was favored by a narrow margin of all Oregonians, Oregonians under 45 favored self-serve gas by 53 percent to 33 percent.[28] In 1982 Oregon voters rejected a ballot measure sponsored by the service station owners, which would have legalized self-service.[29] Oregon legislators passed a bill that was signed into law by the Governor in May 2017 to allow self-service for counties with a total population of 40,000 or less beginning in January 2018.[23] The constitutionality of the self-service bans has been disputed. The Oregon statute was brought into court in 1989 by ARCO, and the New Jersey statute was challenged in court in 1950 by a small independent service station, Rein Motors. Both challenges failed. Former New Jersey governor Jon Corzine sought to lift the ban on self-service for New Jersey. He asserted that it would be able to lower gas prices, but some New Jerseyans argued that it could cause drawbacks, especially unemployment.[citation needed] The town of Huntington, New York has prohibited self-service stations since the early 1970s firstly to prevent theft and later due to safety concerns.[30][31] Contrary to popular belief, lit cigarettes are not capable of igniting gasoline. However, several states outlaw smoking at gas stations as the fire from the ignition source used to light the cigarette can ignite gasoline vapors. Most gas stations and many municipalities will also explicitly ban any smoking activity within certain distances of gasoline pumps. [32][33] Other goods and services commonly available A Spar express convenience store in a Shell station in Wattens, Austria. Many filling stations provide toilet facilities for customer use, as well as squeegees and paper towels for customers to clean their vehicle's windows. Discount stations may not provide these amenities in some countries. Stations typically have an air compressor, typically with a built-in or provided handheld tire-pressure gauge, to inflate tires and a hose to add water to vehicle radiators. Some air compressor machines are free of charge, while others charge a small fee to use (typically 50 cents to a dollar in North America). In US states, such as California, state law requires that paying customers must be provided with free air compressor service and radiator water.[34] In some regions of America and Australia, many filling stations have a mechanic on duty, but this practice has died out in other parts of the world. Many filling stations have integrated convenience stores which sell food, beverages, and often cigarettes, lottery tickets, motor oil, and auto parts. Prices for these items tend to be higher than they would be at a supermarket or discount store. Many stations, particularly in the United States, have a fast food outlet inside. These are usually "express" versions with limited seating and limited menus, though some may be regular-sized and have spacious seating. Larger restaurants are common at truck stops and toll road service plazas. In some US states, beer, wine, and liquor are sold at filling stations, though this practice varies according to state law (see Alcohol laws of the United States by state). Nevada also allows the operation of slot and video poker machines without time restrictions. Vacuum cleaners, often coin-operated, are a common amenity to allow the cleaning of vehicle interiors, either by the customer or by an attendant. Some stations are equipped with car washes. Car washes are sometimes offered free of charge or at a discounted price with a certain amount of fuel purchased. Conversely, some car washes operate filling stations to supplement their businesses. From approximately 1920 to 1980, many service stations in the US provided free road maps affiliated with their parent oil companies to customers. This practice fell out of favor due to the 1970s energy crisis.[35][36] |
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