The year is 1998. A lot of us spent our time debating whether or not Jack from Titanic could have fit on that floating door, showing our hair stylist pictures of Jennifer Anniston so we could get “The Rachel” cut, and wondering how the heck to use this new thing called “Google”. Over at Petro-Canada, we were launching a new card service, one that would revolutionize the way our commercial customers managed their business with us.

But first, we have to go back a few more years. Petro-Canada was founded in 1975 and made a lot of acquisitions over the years: BP Canada, Gulf Canada and PetroFina, among others. In addition to having retail stations, these companies also had wholesale customers who subsequently became a part of Petro-Canada’s wholesale network: Petro-Pass.

One of the downsides for our wholesale customers was that, depending on the site location they visited and the technical capabilities of the original brand, the technology they would use to fill up was different. It could be a punch card, aka a Hollerith (named after the inventor of computer punch cards), or it could be the more familiar magnetic stripe card. So commercial drivers who wanted to be prepared for all contingencies as well as have access to a Canada-wide network had to carry both cards with them.

In 1998, in an effort to leverage our entire network (retail and wholesale), upgrade an inconsistent technology experience, and address the need to carry a wallet full of cards, Petro-Canada created the SuperPass card for commercial drivers. The Petro-Pass network got a technology makeover, magnetic stripe tech was introduced at all locations and the SuperPass card was issued to commercial members – alleviating the need to carry multiple cards and uniting our wholesale customers under one brand.

Flash forward 25 years and we still love innovating for Canadian businesses. Today our SuperPass card, accepted at every Petro-Canada location as well as 270+ locations in the US through our Travel Centers of America partnership, gives small and enterprise fleet managers unique tools to help manage the security and efficiency of their fleets. To celebrate this milestone with our members, we’ll be launching a few events during the year:

Member Contest April 18-Oct 23 – All SuperPass members will have a chance to win one of 25 prizes of $5,000 just by using their card to purchase fuel during the contest period.  You’ll see this contest advertised on Pump Toppers at both Petro-Canada retail stations and Petro-Pass stations across Canada, through social media and on the radio.

Member Stories – SuperPass helps Canadians keep their businesses moving, and we want to share their stories. We’ll feature SuperPass members from across the country who depend on SuperPass to get their work done. Look for their stories on our website, onsite signage, and on social media.

Partnerships – We are always looking for ways to make SuperPass more valuable to our members. For the very first time, we will offer exclusive offers with partner companies to SuperPass members beyond their fuel transaction. Stay tuned on our website and via SuperPass member emails for more details.

We’re proud to have been a reliable partner for Canadian businesses to manage their fleets for the last 25 years and are looking forward to continuing to innovate and support them for the next 25!

To celebrate March 8, International Women’s Day, we’re sharing this interview with one of our associates, Geena Virk. Geena owns and manages a network of 12 Petro-Canada locations in and around Abbotsford, British Columbia. Geena has been part of the Petro-Canada family since 1999, when she and her husband, Narvinder, took over a single Petro-Canada location. Geena also sits on the Board of Directors of the Petro-Canada CareMakers Foundation as well as the Community Grants Advisory Council.

PT: Geena, thank you so much for talking with me today! Having 12 locations to manage is a lot! What does a typical day look like for you?

I’m based in our Clearbrook office along with my bookkeeper. I look through reports from our different locations and ask, “What problems do we have to solve today?” This usually means working with a manager from a specific location and seeing what they need. Do they need sales incentives for their team, a little more training on how to do their books, or a site visit to help them identify where they can improve their location?

I have such a great team – the folks at all our locations feel like family. We have a manager at every store and most of them have been promoted from our original two stores; I recruited them into management positions. In fact, one of them has been with us for 22 years!

PT: What’s do you like about working with Petro-Canada?

It’s so nice to be a part of a Canadian company. I’m proud to be Canadian and proud of working for a Canadian company. So are my managers. They take ownership of the business and take pride in it. And we all like knowing that we (are a part of a company that is) making a difference out there. It is a privilege to work along side so many amazing people – namely the other associates across the network. We have a very talented and generous team of associates in our network.

PT: What are some of the things that would surprise people about owning a Petro-Canada location?

First of all, it’s a 24/7 business. We get calls at all times of the day, and every day of the week – including calls in the middle of the night. We have great managers who will be the first call, but Narv and I are the second call. When we're needed, we're REALLY needed. You have to be flexible and know that you could be needed at any time of the day or night.

Second, the safety of our team is, of course, a big deal. It’s a big responsibility to have that on my conscience every day and especially overnight. Every day, you hope and pray that all employees will make it safely back to their families at the end of their shifts.

Finally, being in this business, you never know what the day is going to bring. The business is always changing. We’re always evolving or tweaking the business. We never seem to be able to leave our work at work, but then that is part of the thrill of the business as well.

PT: What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received?

That came from Shirley Dickman, my Territory Manager from Petro-Canada (Shirley retired in 2020). She used to tell me how important it was to make personal connections with my teams, to make sure I really got to know them. And Shirley walked the walk. She had 40 locations in her territory, but she always knew the names of my staff. She really cared about people and has been an inspiration for my management style.

PT: Do you have any heroes or mentors?

My grandfather, Sham Singh Sandhu. He passed away last year at 100 years old. He immigrated to Canada from India in 1952 to give his family a better life. I watched how hard he worked every day so that he could give his family a good life. My grandfather believed in tenacity, ambition and education, always telling us to make sure we educated ourselves and our kids. He was a proud Canadian. He is my reason for getting up and moving every day.

~|~

Thanks, Geena, for speaking with me! And don't forget to check out our Instagram for a couple of interview clips with Geena.

So many of my best memories are from road trips. Whether it was that time three friends and I drove from our university in Texas to Ontario to visit grad schools. Or when I drove across eastern Canada with my mom to make a pilgrimage to Oak Island, Nova Scotia and eat a lot of lobster. Or when a friend and I drove from Toronto to North Battleford, SK to visit his family and chase the Northern Lights. On each trip we got to see some amazing sights, but we also had some great conversations. I really got to know my friends and family a lot better by having conversations in cars.

Apparently, I’m not alone. According to a survey conducted by ZipCar, 76% of the folks they surveyed have had a deep and meaningful conversation in a car. It’s an informal setting that lets us loosen up and speak more freely.

With this in mind, when we wanted to take the pulse of Canada, we set off across the country and connected with real Canadians who were willing to take us for a drive to talk about the seemingly ordinary, yet ultimately extraordinary, things they were doing in their communities – demonstrating how they #LiveByTheLeaf.

Our conversations were facilitated by Darcy Michael and Nicolas Pinson – two fellows who are fun, outgoing and easy to talk to. You can watch all of the episodes of “How’s It Going, Canada?” on livebytheleaf.ca or on the playlist below.

Aside from Darcy and Nicolas, we were supported by an amazing film crew who were responsible for rigging up the cars, keeping an eye on the weather and capturing some fantastic footage. We thought it would be fun to share some pictures from behind the scenes as well as the beautiful places in Canada we got to visit.

Stay tuned to our Instagram and TikTok channels. Some of the Canadians featured in our episodes are going to be launching some fun challenges that you can participate in.

It’s time, once again, to say goodbye to another year, and look forward to the new one ahead. As 2022 draws to a close, we’d like to say a few “thank-yous”!

To our readers, thank you for making PumpTalk a part of your week, and to all those who took the time to be interviewed for our posts, thank you for sharing your experience and expertise with us!

Thank you to all of you who spend the extra time to take care of your vehicles and drive with caution in wintry conditions. In the coming days, many of us will be on the roads as we prepare for celebrations and visit loved ones - let’s drive safely and look out for each other!

To all of the Petro-Canada staff and associates who are working to keep us fuelled up over the holidays, an extra special thank you!  If you need a warming cup of coffee on a long drive or a last-minute stocking stuffer (gift cards? instant lottery?) our stations have got you covered.

This is our last post of the year, and we’ll see you back here in January. We wish you and yours a healthy, relaxing holiday season and a peaceful New Year!

For as long as they’ve been around, the car wash has served as a source of wonder for kids. You probably remember the feeling - you’re being dragged along on errands by a parent or older sibling and suddenly the car pulls into the car wash line and… adventure ensues.

I fondly remember this one time when my teenage sister took me to the mall in our family station wagon. On the way back home, we got some gas and hit up the car wash. We binged on chips and gummy worms as the suds and spinners did their thing, Cyndi Lauper belting through the AM stereo. To my young mind, the whole experience was as good as a midway ride.

Car washes have come a long way since the early 1980’s. Now with SuperFoam on all best washes, Petro-Canada’s car wash has evolved into a super-fun full-sensory experience. Available at most of our SuperWash and GlideWash locations, our SuperFoam experience coats your car with a thick layer of foam and LED lights create a cool visual effect as a light bubble-gum scent wafts through your air vents. On top of all this, your car gets an incredible shine-up. Cue up some of your favourite tunes on your way through and relive your glory days.

Better yet, this time of year, cue up “Monster Mash” and take the kids through for a little “trick or treat”. You can marvel together at the visual “trick” (it looks like lava!) AND it’ll be a “treat” for your kids (one that WON’T rot their teeth), Plus, your car will be nice and clean for the coming zombie apocalypse.

Learn more about our car wash options and find a car wash near you.

Happy Halloween!

~  Paul D.