Six Things You Didn’t Know About Gas Stations

We frequent gas stations multiple times per month to fill up our cars (and our stomachs), but have you ever wondered what the story is behind the fuel pumps and the soda fountain? We’re going underneath the hood to share things about gas stations that you might not know about!

1. The first gas station was built in Pittsburgh, Penn.
   Though there were roadside filling stations before this, the first pagoda-style, pull-up gas station that offered free air, water, crankcase service, and tire and tube installation was built in Pittsburgh, Penn. on December 1, 1913.



2. Gas stations make less money when gas prices go up
   Gas stations don’t make a lot of money selling gasoline. With thin operating margins and after credit card fees and operating costs, their profit is a couple pennies per gallon. When gas prices jump, stations have to pay more for wholesale gasoline and barely break even.




3. There’s a reason why gas stations are so close together
   Thanks to game theory, gas stations are usually found in clusters. What does that mean? In short, gas stations and other retailers want to be in a central location to minimize the distance people have to travel. As all the gas stations are making the same decision, it results in stations ending up in the same area.



4. Most gas stations are local and independently owned
   Of the 122,552 convenience stores selling gas, less than 1 percent of them are owned by one of the five major oil companies as of July 2017, according to the National Association of Convenience Stores. Fifty-nine percent (70,000) of the convenience stores selling fuel are single-store operators – so next time you’re pumping gas, say hi to your local small business owner!




5. How does the gas nozzle know when to stop pumping fuel?
   No, it’s not magic. An old-fashioned mechanical system using air pressure and a device known as a venturi ensures gasoline doesn’t burst out of your tank!



6. You can’t pump your own gas at these gas stations
   New Jersey is the only state in the US where drivers are not allowed to pump their own gas. Up until 2017, Oregon residents weren’t allowed to pump their own gas until a new bill was passed that allowed residents in certain counties to fill their own tanks after regular business hours. People freaked out.

Do you have any fun facts to share about gas stations? Let us know in the comments!