Full Serve Gas Stations - Yes, We Still Have Them!
February 15, 2012

One of my favourite things about our road trip from Vancouver to California last fall was passing through the great state of Oregon. We enjoyed the rugged landscape and the friendly people, sure - but I mainly enjoyed that in Oregon, I didn't have to pump my own gas. Because in Oregon, full serve gas stations are THE LAW.
So it was a total delight in Oregon to sit back and let someone else fill the tank for me. Paradise!
When we returned home to Canada, I started to wonder about full serve gas stations. Do we even have those any more? And if we do, where are they, so that I can make sure to frequent them? Frequently?
It turns out that Petro-Canada has over 200 full service gas stations all across the country - and a few of them are near me! More importantly, a few of them may be near you too. Here's how to find out, using our handy gas station locator.
- Go to the Petro-Canada site.
- Locate the "Find a gas station" widget in the bottom left hand corner.
- Click on "Advanced Search".
- Select "Full Serve" and then enter your location.
There are several advantages to full service gas stations:
- You can stay cozy in your car on cold or rainy days
- It's easier for seniors and disabled persons
- You won't accidentally douse your clothes, shoes or hands with gasoline
- No topping-off spills
Many see the act of pumping gas as a necessary skill and a rite of passage. They're not wrong - you won't always be in Oregon, after all, and knowing how to pump your own gas is pretty important. But every now and then, it's nice to leave it to the professionals at the pump.
Do you seek out full serve gas stations in your area? Or are you self-serve all the way?
Rose R.
Like the blog, appreciate the share!
Posted by: Ana | February 24, 2012 at 09:09 AM
Thanks for the useful information that you post!
Posted by: | February 24, 2012 at 10:53 PM
I AM WRITING YOU TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE GAS PRICES ,, I COME FROM A COMMUNITY THAT RELIES ON TOURISM AND THIS AREA SUFFERS WHEN YOUR PRICES GO UP. I HAVE NOTICED THAT WHEN OIL PRICES GO DOWN YOUR GAS PRICES INCREASE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY? ,,, TO ME THERE IS NO NEED FOR THE INCREASES. 140 PER LITRE IS HIGHWAY ROBBERY AND SHOULD NOT BE TOLERATED BY ANYONE. TO ME YOUR COMPANY SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED,, IT IS PATHETIC THE WAY YOU PRICE GOUGE EVERYONE. IT YOU WISH TO HELP THE ECONOMY YOU SHOULD START GIVING THE CONSUMER A BREAK ,, I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT OUT WEST IN CANADA THEY ARE ONLY PAYING 106 A LITRE FOR GAS ,, TELL ME WHY THIS IS? ,,,WHY DOES ONTARIO HAVE TO PAY SO MUCH MORE A LITRE FOR GAS? ,,, ENOUGH OF THE GOUGING ,, CONSUMERS CAN'T TAKE IT ,, IF THE CONSUMER STOPS BUYING FUEL FOR A DAY ,, YOU WILL END UP LOSING MONEY ,, MAYBE THAT'S WHAT IT WILL TAKE ,,
START USING YOUR HEADS ,, LIGHTEN UP ON THE FUEL PRICES ALREADY ,,
Posted by: TIM AINSLIE | April 03, 2012 at 04:22 PM
Hi Tim, we have a number of resources to help better explain gas prices, and the determining factors used when setting the price. Gas prices are influenced by a number of items including local competition. There is an excellent PumpTalk video which helps explain this a bit more in detail. http://youtu.be/9vyH3z4fVzM
We also have a post on the relationship between crude oil and gas prices: http://www.pumptalk.ca/2008/07/post.html
- The PumpTalk Team
Posted by: Petro-Canada | April 05, 2012 at 09:33 AM