Um what exactly were you thinking?

[The Last to Know]

I don't post a lot because even though I get my share of SC's - I am fully aware of my inability to write in a way that is not confusing to others (and even myself sometimes)

Some quick background information for those that are not aware. I have moved & also changed jobs. I'm still at a truck stop only this one is larger, much busier & pretty recognizable to those in the US & we have a full sit down restaurant in our store.
At this particular company if you apply for it you can receive a card that is similar to a rewards card. One of the things this card enables you to do is turn on the pump outside to pay cash inside & this is important.
I know the company has these cards as incentive to customers to be loyal to our brand & it is handy especially for truck drivers. Unfortunately, sometimes people do not take care of their cards and do not report them if they are lost or stolen.

Ok, the background isn't so quick - but it is also important to know that just before this incident myself & a couple other cwers were written up for failing to notice that somebody had turned on the pump with one of these (we know now it was apparently a stolen or lost card) and then drove off with $40 in gas. Ok, background done.

On Monday while at work & attempting to be extremely aware of ALL the pumps & who was using what & at the same time helping masses of customers - I noticed one pump was turned on using this card at approximately 1:40pm.

I called our maintenance guys to get one of them to go out & get the information off this vehicle (tag, description, etc) and that was brought to me. (this is supposed to be done for every pump turned on with this card) After some time passed this vehicle (a huge bus type RV) had moved & was now parked in our RV lot.

After 30 minutes I figured the customers were either shopping, going to the bathroom, sorting stuff out in their vehicle, but started to get a little antsy that they hadn't come to the desk to pay for their over $300 of fuel.

I contacted maintenance again & they went out and knocked on the door - no answer. After 45 minutes I called one of the managers to come to the front & whispered to her what was happening. She got on the intercom for the store/restaurant & described the vehicle, amount of fuel & requested they come to the fuel desk immediately.

I was unaware of this at the time, but she then apparently went into the office called our help desk & they looked up the name and she then went gave that information to maintenance & they walked around the restaurant calling the mans name & also announced it over the intercom again several times.

Finally, after just over an hour had passed, the other manager came to the front, called the help desk again & received the mans phone number & she called him. He answered - in the restaurant & she very nicely asked him if he had forgotten he had pumped over $300 worth of fuel and to please come to the fuel desk when he was done eating. I was out of my register & counting it down getting ready to leave when FINALLY an hour & 15 minutes AFTER he fueled he came up & payed.

I never even looked at him I was so angry, but he was very nice to my manager & even joked around with her some. I really wished she had told him - we understand you are hungry, but NEVER should you pump $300 of fuel & then go & plant your ass in the restaurant for OVER an hour stuffing your face - BEFORE you pay for your fuel.

I guess I should just be happy it WAS his card - it wasn't lost or stolen & we collected the amount, but all I could think was if he got out of there without paying - if they wrote me up for $40 of fuel - I would surely had been fired over $300. Jeez people - THINK

[IT Grunt]

I can fully understand the concerns created by him pulling such a stunt, and he really should have known better. The guy should know full well drive offs are serious business and to filling stations they are no laughing matter, and pulling away from the pump and parking without paying, then seemingly vanishing into thin air? Yeah, that's going to raise some eyebrows.

[The Last to Know]

I admit - I was probably over-sensitive because of being written up for the previous drive off & it bothered me more because, at the time of the drive off, there were two other cwers up there with me - one a little newer than me & one who has been there much longer - and neither of them caught it either.
I also apologized to one of the managers for being so antsy about the guy not paying, but she said at least I was on top of it & was watching - knew which vehicle it was & made sure it hadn't left & had alerted the proper people to track this guy down.
I guess it's just extreme frustration on my part that people don't realize this isn't OK - pay for your fuel before you sit down & eat for over an hour.

[superhotelworker]

I'd have been just as panicky as you. 300 dollars ia very high price. I'm just glad you got that resolved.

[HorrorFrogPrincess]

I think it's ridiculous that you got written up for a drive-off. What on Earth could you do to prevent it? Chase the bloody car down?

[The Last to Know]

Management says the write up is for not noticing it was on our register screen & therefore not catching it before they left. What happens though is that person leaves ASAP after they get their fuel knowing they are stealing & then somebody else pulls up & that pump automatically updates on our screen as the new person & the old sale is "stacked" - we can pull up one screen, which shows them all, even the stacked ones, but I know the time they gave me that this occured - my register was completely tied up with one sale because I was on the phone with a truckers CC company because his fuel sale would not go through. I was on the phone for at least 20 minutes & my manager said that wasn't a good enough excuse because the stacked sale was on there for another 20 minutes after that before the manager herself caught it.

[EricKei]

What on Earth could you do to prevent it? Chase the bloody car down?

Don't you know? The less you get paid, the more responsibility (and risk) you are expected to take with regards tho managing things that are beyond your control >_>

[Hyndis]

I'm not sure I understand the point of this system.

So if you have a special card, you can turn on the pump without needing to pay? Isn't that so incredibly easy to abuse?



Every gas station I've seen has been pay before you pump. You can pay inside, or you can pay outside with a credit card at the pump itself, but either way the pump isn't going to do anything until you hand over some money.

[The Last to Know]

I will try to explain in as shortest a way possible. When a person signs up for the card they are giving our company their name, address, phone number, etc...so even if they turn on the pump with their card & drive off - we already have their information. The biggest issue is if somebodys card is stolen or lost - somebody can use that card to turn on the pump - drive off & leave you responsible for the fuel. (not that corporate would make them pay if of course)

There are multiple types of these cards, but the main one is for the truck drivers. If they swipe their card either at the pump or inside - "points" or "coupons" automatically go on the card, which can be used for free showers & free drinks.
There is also a card for RV drivers & people with just a car who live local to the station. They don't get free showers or drinks, but as they build up money spent at the store (or any other station by the same name) they get cents off per gallon of fuel - up to 10 cents off per gallon I believe. Right now on my card I have 3 cents off per gallon.

[BrenDAnn]

Drive-offs **shudders** Oh, how I hate them. At the c-store where I work, people can either pay at the pump, pre-pay inside, or pump and then pay inside. Every once in a while, we'll get a smart one that thinks it's a good idea to pump $40 or so in gas, leave the nozzle on the ground or balanced on the nozzle beside it, and zoom off. Whose fault is it? Why, the cashier's, of course! We weren't paying attention! We could present them with car make, model, color, year, license plate, and a good description of the driver, and the higher-ups will tell us we're not paying attention. No, really. It happened to coworker C once. Yes, I've been written up for drive-offs as well. Not fun, in fact probably one of my least favorite parts of the job. What I don't understand is, we can do pre-pay on the pumps, and yet corporate won't or can't get it through their heads that it'd save them money in the long run to switch the pumps to all pre=pay or pay at the pump only! Ugh!