Australian city drivers now have the option to refuel at fully automated petrol stations without any staff presence. This convenience, however, may not translate to lower fuel costs. AMPOL, one of the country’s leading fuel retailers, is introducing U-Go Petrol Stations nationwide, allowing motorists to simply drive in, tap their card, and fill their tanks.
With the shift towards self-service, many traditional kiosk setups are being dismantled. Currently, there are seven of these self-serve stations in New South Wales, five in Queensland, four in South Australia, and three in Victoria.
The transition to self-service is partly due to the increasing number of electric vehicles on the roads and the growing difficulty of staffing petrol stations, as noted by Mark McKenzie, the chief executive of the Australasian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association. He highlighted the challenges of maintaining 24-hour staffing at service stations in light of insufficient workforce availability.
The Retail and Fast Food Workers Union’s secretary, Josh Cullinan, emphasized that issues with staffing can be traced back to low minimum wages and inadequate working conditions. Despite the removal of staff overheads, drivers should not anticipate significant price reductions at self-serve stations. For instance, the price of unleaded petrol at a self-serve outlet in Dunnegong, Victoria, matches that of a nearby BP station, indicating that cost savings are not being passed on to consumers.
Instead, funds originally allocated for staffing are being redirected towards technology designed to monitor customers. However, this shift raises concerns about safety, as drivers may feel uneasy refuelling at sites lacking on-site personnel. Cullinan expressed these concerns, stating that without trained staff, immediate assistance during emergencies is not available. McKenzie also reinforced the importance of proper monitoring and emergency shut-off systems at these ‘dangerous goods’ sites to ensure safety.
In summary, while AMPOL’s U-Go Petrol Stations provide a revolutionary self-service model, questions about costs and safety linger amidst the technological changes in the petrol retail landscape.