No more credit card payment at gas stations.... Cash only!

[tr1ad]

Discuss

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/20161025 ... s-stations
Effective Friday, gas stations across the country will only be accepting cash payments for fuel purchases.

This as the Trinidad and Tobago Petroleum Dealers Association (PDA) has taken a decision to discontinue all electronic payment on-site options, in an effort to cut operating costs.

PDA president Robindranath Naraynsingh explained that for every electronic fuel sale, dealers must pay the banks between 1.3 per cent to three per cent. He said because the industry is price-controlled, this cost cannot be passed on to the consumer. He said instead of laying off staff as a measure of reducing costs, retail dealers came to a decision to stop the service until further notice.

“We want to see growth across the board in the retail petroleum industry, and we refuse to sacrifice staff and the reliability of our services to the public,” he said.

[pugboy]

will take longer to pump gas as a customer now has to go to cashier and if having to fillup and get change it will be a second trip to cashier

[wagonrunner]

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/20161025/business/no-more-credit-payment-at-gas-stations

Effective Friday, gas stations across the country will only be accepting cash payments for fuel purchases.

This as the Trinidad and Tobago Petroleum Dealers Association (PDA) has taken a decision to discontinue all electronic payment on-site options, in an effort to cut operating costs.

PDA president Robindranath Naraynsingh explained that for every electronic fuel sale, dealers must pay the banks between 1.3 per cent to three per cent. He said because the industry is price-controlled, this cost cannot be passed on to the consumer. He said instead of laying off staff as a measure of reducing costs, retail dealers came to a decision to stop the service until further notice.

“We want to see growth across the board in the retail petroleum industry, and we refuse to sacrifice staff and the reliability of our services to the public,” he said.

The PDA noted in a press release today: “In an effort to maintain the highest standards of customer service to retail petroleum customers nationwide, the Petroleum Dealers' Association wishes to inform the motoring public of Trinidad and Tobago that fuelling stations will no longer offer electronic options on-site.

Notice will be given to any reversion or further changes to on-site payment processing in the future. From 28th October 2016, the Petroleum Filling Stations will no longer be able to accept electronic payments for fuel purchases. All payments made must be remitted in cash only.

At this time the Retail Petroleum Dealers are faced with the difficult decision of either operating under-staffed, inconvenient stations, or reducing the cost of operations, in order to retain the employees that make your gas-purchasing experience safe, comfortable and efficient. While our primary duty remains the provision of fuel to the nation's consumers, we also have duty to the people we employ, who aid us in said fuel provision. Our industry is regulated by the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries, and specific to the at-pump price of fuel, the Ministry of Energy works in conjunction with the Ministry of Finance to set this cost. Every part of the system that brings fuel from ground to tank, is governed by the Petroleum Act, 62.01.

While the cost of operating a gas station has gone up exponentially, the Retail Margin which should facilitate fair operational costs, remained fixed (remaining the same circa 2005). January saw a whopping 200 per cent increase in both Business Levy and Green Fund Levy Taxes, immediately destabilising the business of retailing fuel in Trinidad and Tobago. You may have already noticed that smaller, neighbourhood gas stations have been shutting down after years in operation, unable to pay the staff required for operating and the steep increased taxes mandatory to our sector. We appreciate the inconvenience that this poses to those who have enjoyed the facility of electronic payment processing, and we are aware that is equally inconvenient to the dealers. However, this is the least jarring measure we can take to keep our nation's gas stations in operation, thereby keeping the vehicles in our hard-working population fuelled as well.”

so much for convenience.
If there are any stations operating independent of this association, i will go out my way to utilize them.

[redmanjp]

so not even linx will be accepted? i don't think the linx transaction fee merchants pay is a % of the overall transcation. i remember over a decade ago it used to be a 50 cents per transaction. not sure what it is now.

[Dizzy28]

Wonder if this covers fleet card??

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

this is madness!

[K74T]

Forever third world.

[tr1ad]

so not even linx will be accepted? i don't think the linx transaction fee merchants pay is a % of the overall transcation. i remember over a decade ago it used to be a 50 cents per transaction. not sure what it is now.

all electronic payment

[cherrypopper]

Ent a linx machine is 300 per month?

[Dizzy28]

so not even linx will be accepted? i don't think the linx transaction fee merchants pay is a % of the overall transcation. i remember over a decade ago it used to be a 50 cents per transaction. not sure what it is now.

all electronic payment

Haven't paid cash for a gas transaction in 8 years. This sucks.

[eliteauto]

As inconvenient as this is well done by the gas stations

[zaria]

I guess the gas station took into account the added security needed for cash,the loss due to counterfeit,and probably an increase in insurance over holding that much cash.
I'm happy they firetrucking the bank though.

[Morpheus]

What a friggin backward step!!!!!

Less cash on site should have been a plus.

But the banks really sickening in truth though.....

[EFFECTIC DESIGNS]

Banana Republic FTW

[pugboy]

True, long ago robberies at gas stations were common
That hasn't happened in a while

[EFFECTIC DESIGNS]

Ent a linx machine is 300 per month?

They are complaining about the ~3% Transaction fee for each transaction that the bank takes. One of the problems with this Banana Republic is there is literally no real competition with these banks its all the same crap.

The kind of money gas stations make a day you can expect a lot more robbery and killings taking place now with this new move

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

As inconvenient as this is well done by the gas stations

how now?

[cherrypopper]

True, long ago robberies at gas stations were common
That hasn't happened in a while

I believe the 3 percent is for credit card transactions not linx

So why ban linx? Just ban the credit card transaction for the most
.

[cherrypopper]

Sorry pugboy quoted you instead of ed

[hydroep]

The Ministry of Energy will probably be forced to renegotiate their arrangement with the dealers now.

The fallout will come when its time to renew their contracts though.

[EFFECTIC DESIGNS]

True, long ago robberies at gas stations were common
That hasn't happened in a while

I believe the 3 percent is for credit card transactions not linx

So why ban linx? Just ban the credit card transaction for the most
.

No its Linx aswell from what I was told by a grocery owner

And I believe its even higher if the purchase is under $30

[eliteauto]

As inconvenient as this is well done by the gas stations

how now?

At some point business owners have to stop being taken advantaged of be it by the State or the Banking Cartel or both, sometimes to get action one has to make your powerful adversary your ally. For years gas station owners have been clamouring for an increase on the percentage of gas sales they retain, this has been ignored for over a decade whilst the cost of doing business has increased by the hundreds of percentage points, ok so earlier this year they started saying that smaller stations would be closing and that failed to prompt any response from the State. So now, hit the Banking Cartel, who I'm sure has the ear of the Min of Finance, I look forward to more such actions by others who are discovering their economic power

[Pablo660]

This is real bs, anyone use gas cards?
They better put police in the gas station now and close at 6pm

[neexis]

As inconvenient as this is well done by the gas stations

how now?

At some point business owners have to stop being taken advantaged of be it by the State or the Banking Cartel or both, sometimes to get action one has to make your powerful adversary your ally. For years gas station owners have been clamouring for an increase on the percentage of gas sales they retain, this has been ignored for over a decade whilst the cost of doing business has increased by the hundreds of percentage points, ok so earlier this year they started saying that smaller stations would be closing and that failed to prompt any response from the State. So now, hit the Banking Cartel, who I'm sure has the ear of the Min of Finance, I look forward to more such actions by others who are discovering their economic power

Agree.. I hope this burns the banks enough for them to feel it.

[*KRONIK*]

I endorse this move...mainly for CC customers tho...

I hate standing in line to pay and have to wait 2mins each for the 5 ppl in front me to pay with their CC and have to show ID and sign the receipt...tra la la.

I made it my duty to learn how much my tank takes at it variois markings on the fuel guage and pay for the exact amount....with cash.

Saves so much time.

[Morpheus]

^^LoL oh shucks me eh think of that.

I mostly use my card (99%) directly at the pumps. TOTAL convenience and speed. Swipe, wait for authorization, fill, collect receipt, out.

So my gripe is from that angle...

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

As inconvenient as this is well done by the gas stations

how now?

At some point business owners have to stop being taken advantaged of be it by the State or the Banking Cartel or both, sometimes to get action one has to make your powerful adversary your ally. For years gas station owners have been clamouring for an increase on the percentage of gas sales they retain, this has been ignored for over a decade whilst the cost of doing business has increased by the hundreds of percentage points, ok so earlier this year they started saying that smaller stations would be closing and that failed to prompt any response from the State. So now, hit the Banking Cartel, who I'm sure has the ear of the Min of Finance, I look forward to more such actions by others who are discovering their economic power

the most important part of any business is the customer, who are being screwed here over time, inconvenience and safety.

[eliteauto]

How screwed would the customer be if the gas station ceased to exist? In a competitive market the mere idea of all gas stations assuming this burden shows an industry-wide issue

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

How screwed would the customer be if the gas station ceased to exist? In a competitive market the mere idea of all gas stations assuming this burden shows an industry-wide issue

no one said the gas station has to bear the burden by itself. Their beef is with the bank and the Gov't, not with the consumer.

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

I endorse this move...mainly for CC customers tho...

I hate standing in line to pay and have to wait 2mins each for the 5 ppl in front me to pay with their CC and have to show ID and sign the receipt...tra la la.

I made it my duty to learn how much my tank takes at it variois markings on the fuel guage and pay for the exact amount....with cash.

Saves so much time.

most major gas stations take ccard at the pump. It is MUCH faster than waiting in a line on grumpy staff in the booth.

At least leave the electronic transactions on the pump and remove it from the booth.