No more self serve gas stations

[AAbsolute]

New Jersey outlawed self service at gas stations over 50 years ago. I think it's time for Florida and the other States to start the same program.

The reasons behind having attendants provide the service range from providing jobs to safety. There is a very interesting mathematical equation to consider. Currently unemployable citizens have a new opportunity to work. Many times this lessens the government social programs budgets. At the same time tax revenues on income increase. (not withstanding Florida's tax program)

Immediately one would assume gas is more expensive to the consumer. What you will find is that this may not be accurate. New Jersey and Oregon are the only States that mandate the rule. Their price at the pump is less than their peers.

As a young father in '91 I worked 80 hours per week for a year to provide reliable and stable income for my family. Times were tough. It was humbling, but worthy employment. My boss inisted that we wash every single windshield that came in and ask if they needed oil checked, etc.

Right now, we need programs like this. It is a way we can help our neighbors.

http://www.fuelgaugereport.com/sbsavg.asp

 

[mikecat adjuster]

Interesting. I'm not sure if I agree with the premise that we need to create unecessary jobs. I say that because they obviously are not necessary. I wonder if prices for gas is lower in those two states because there are no drive-offs without payment. If so, and it is more efficient, that sounds reasonable. But then, if it were more efficient and provided cost savings to th establishment, it seems the owner of the store would have that in effect.

Again, I appreciate your point. However, if we had people at every stop sign, collecting toll to continue down the road, we'd have to employee people to do that and so on. I guess I just don't like the idea of putting people to work where we see no real increase in productivity. Perhpas the government plan to have people employed in infrastructure development is a good idea, and one that Obama has discussed. Hopefully that infrastructure doesn't become something sinister or special projects for the connected.

But whatever we do to create jobs we need to go forward rather than backward and I can't say that mandating someone do something that is unessasary is the best way. Why not outlaw the self-serve car washes and only allow it to be done by hand at the gas stations? Or why not have to hire maids to clean your house rather than doing it yourself. I don't mean to be silly, but it just seems inefficient. But as of yet I have not followed the link you provided. I'll say this though, I appreicate your perspective. I have a friend who told me that there were two states that imposed that attendants must be used.

 

[beachmouse]

First, price at pump is not a good measure of program success because of how much gas taxes can vary from state to state. (I want to say that New Jeresey's gas tax is pretty much the only tax in the state code that can be called a low rate)

You're adding an extra expense to the people in the petroleum chain that can least deal with it- the gas station owner or franchisee. The margins on gas are very, very thin because there's a lot of competition and prices are highly transparent.

They typical gas station owner doesn't make money on gas. Their gross is maybe 5-10 cents a gallon, and that's quickly eaten up by environmental compliance, property taxes and rent/mortgage payment. They make money on slurpees, pork rinds, and bad hot dogs.

And if prices increase because of increased labor costs, then people don't buy pork rinds and gas stations go under. There were a lot of gas stations in the panhandle that went under this summer because people didn't buy pork rinds when gas was $4 a gallon.

 

[30ashopper]

Instead of incentives for providing low wage jobs, I'd rather see the department of education get a big boost in funds for college grants. Lets fix the problem long term, not short term by getting more of our younger generation out of dead end jobs (like automotive assembly ;-)) and into school where they can learn a skilled trade. This is pretty much the only social program you'll every see me promoting. (That and NSF research funding.)

 

[30ashopper]

First, price at pump is not a good measure of program success because of how much gas taxes can vary from state to state. (I want to say that New Jeresey's gas tax is pretty much the only tax in the state code that can be called a low rate)

state gas taxes - Florida is above average, and it's likely to go up, soon.

http://www.api.org/statistics/fueltaxes/upload/2008_159_GAS_MAP_OCT2008.pdf

 

[scooterbug44]

I can count on one hand the number of people (besides me) that I allow to drive my car - 2 share my DNA.

In the hopes of creating jobs, you now want me to be legally required to let the employees smoking cigarettes next to the gas pumps fill my beloved car with gas?

Hail no!

If we need to create jobs, we need to create skilled jobs or jobs with a future!

 

[Matt J]

Teach a man to pump gas he can earn minimum wage. Teach him a trade and he has a future.

 

[AAbsolute]

I can count on one hand the number of people (besides me) that I allow to drive my car - 2 share my DNA.

In the hopes of creating jobs, you now want me to be legally required to let the employees smoking cigarettes next to the gas pumps fill my beloved car with gas?

Hail no!

If we need to create jobs, we need to create skilled jobs or jobs with a future!

What's a job with a future? How many people can we move from welfare to work that way?

I'm searching for answers to a major, major problem.

 

[30ashopper]

What's a job with a future? How many people can we move from welfare to work that way?

I'm searching for answers to a major, major problem.

I think the markets are taking care of this. It's not something you legislate, but you can support the roll over through things like education funding and by letting failed companies fail. :roll:

Lots of "jobs of the future", however they are not blue collar jobs, they are skilled labor like healthcare and technology and the like. Hence the need for reform in our education system. Come to think of it, GM is a lot like our education system, both need a major overhaul. The question is are we willing to bite the bullet and do something about it, or just prop up the old model and hope for the best. I don't have high hopes.

 

[AAbsolute]

I think the markets are taking care of this. It's not something you legislate, but you can support the roll over through things like education funding and by letting failed companies fail. :roll:

Lots of "jobs of the future", however they are not blue collar jobs, they are skilled labor like healthcare and technology and the like. Hence the need for reform in our education system. Come to think of it, GM is a lot like our education system, both need a major overhaul. The question is are we willing to bite the bullet and do something about it, or just prop up the old model and hope for the best. I don't have high hopes.

There were talking points to this subject during early NAFTA politics and every other program that let unskilled jobs ship overseas. There was always this follow up talking point about the fact that America wanted the skilled work.

There's a macro-economic problem with this line of reasoning. There are 75 unskilled jobs to every 1 skilled job in the universe of productivity. We have a system wide problem.