Phoenix Gas Station Hurts C-Store Sales
PHOENIX -- The gasoline crisis here has cut into the city's convenience store industry, as frustrated drivers aren't taking time to rush into the c-store to purchase a cup of coffee or microwavable bean burrito, according to a published report.
On Sunday the main pipeline supplying Phoenix with gasoline ruptured, causing a major shortage. Stations ran out of gas, and those that have it have been trucking it in from Tucson and other areas. The price of a gallon of regular has shot up to around $2.
Gas stations with fuel report that their business is virtually unchanged, but once they run out, the attached convenience stores often turn into ghost towns. Owners say they have to charge much higher prices because of the expense of trucking in gasoline from out of town, since gas stations have to pay overtime to drivers, along with meals and hotel fees.
"Our costs have gone up so much to get the gasoline," Joanna Weidman,a spokeswoman for San Antonio-based Diamond Shamrock told the Arizona Republic. "It takes a significant amount of time to truck in gas from Tucson. The terminals are overloaded."
It is expected that the pipeline will be repaired soon.
On Sunday the main pipeline supplying Phoenix with gasoline ruptured, causing a major shortage. Stations ran out of gas, and those that have it have been trucking it in from Tucson and other areas. The price of a gallon of regular has shot up to around $2.
Gas stations with fuel report that their business is virtually unchanged, but once they run out, the attached convenience stores often turn into ghost towns. Owners say they have to charge much higher prices because of the expense of trucking in gasoline from out of town, since gas stations have to pay overtime to drivers, along with meals and hotel fees.
"Our costs have gone up so much to get the gasoline," Joanna Weidman,a spokeswoman for San Antonio-based Diamond Shamrock told the Arizona Republic. "It takes a significant amount of time to truck in gas from Tucson. The terminals are overloaded."
It is expected that the pipeline will be repaired soon.