I took a series of 14 gas shops pretty far away and I'm going to try my damnedest to get them done all at once but what happens if my tank is full before I get through them all??

I'm thinking if it becomes a real problem (I suppose I could also bring a 5-gallon container with me for overage), I could offer to buy someone else gas but I would probably have to wait until I revealed myself to do that.

Any thoughts?

Try this: First, is this a mandatory 2 gallon shop or is it a maximum $5.00 gasoline purchase shop? If it is either of these, do this:

Calculate how much gas you might need (your vehicle's mileage) in order to get to the first station on your route. Be sure your vehicle has just enough or a bit more to get to the first station.
Next, figure out the distances between each station versus your mileage. Take those distances into account before leaving home with a nigh empty tank. If you can get to each station (or at least the first few), you should be alright.
Otherwise, you must either purchase less gasoline (at $5.00 max shops) or, purchase gasoline for another customer at one of those stations (for the 2 gallon shops).

The above is the maximum benefit method for shoppers.

What I have done is simply purchase less gasoline for the middle shops (when they are very close together), or, purchased premium (this only works for the $5.00 max shops, NOT the 2 gallon shops).

For the 2 gallon shops, you may have to purchase the gasoline for other shoppers.

What not to do (if at all possible) is fill a container with excess gasoline.

Because of federal DOT regulations as well as state and local regulations, it is illegal to travel with gasoline or other flammable substances in unapproved containers.
Or, in many instances, if it is found you are conducting business and not using it for personal reasons for traveling with a flammable substance (even with an approved container), without the DOT approved placards, you could be fined or arrested.

Lastly, as my hubby says, just drive a gas hog on those routes.

Some gas shops specifically prohibit the shopper from putting the gas into a gas can, double check your instructions just to make certain. And yes, they would know from reviewing the video tapes at the location.

Oh, one last resort that works only for the $5.00 max purchase.

Instead of using your card at the pump, go inside and tell them to put $5.00 on the pump in which you are parked. Make sure you get the receipt.

Perform the rest of your shop normally and then just drive away.

It works.

It's a 2 gal min shop.
Thats my start plan, T- drive up there on fumes and hope it all works out. I've calculated it and I may go over. Not a definite. I'll have to check the guidelines to see if a container is acceptable.otherwise, I guess I may be buying other people gas. That should be acceptable, right?

Hoju, I have mentioned to schedulers that I may have to pump gas into someone else's car to complete a route and I've never been discouraged by them. Evidently it is entirely acceptable. I've done this on the two gallon shops. On the $5.00 shops, I've pumped less gas. I can't see charging $5.00 and then driving off without buying gas. It's a wash on the money and you don't get the gas. Better to pump whatever the tank will hold, even if less than $1.00, and get that gas reimbursed.

The point of the $5 max gas shops is to see if the pumps are working properly, receipts are printing, and so forth. If you just drive off you can't make that observation. If you only pump a dollar into your car, or surprise a stranger with $5 worth, you can observe the pump.

Here is my idea: Buy the expensive gas that runs the highest. You have 14 stations, If you pay for the expensive gas at $2.00 you will definitely be able to do 14 stations using the Premium Gas

Market Force wants me to pump two gallons of gas. I don't see anywhere where it states that I have to put the fuel in my vehicle. I was thinking of bringing a gas container.

Last week, I almost did not make it. My vehicle was FULL.

Has anyone read anything anywhere where it states that the fuel must be put in the gas tank?

I know there has been some contoversy concerning carring gas cans in your car but I travel with two 5 gallon plastic, approved gas cans secured with bungy cords in the back of my suv. I feel it is perfectly safe even in the remote possibility that I was rear ended. It takes a flame or spark to the fumes of gasoline to ignite it and if that happens my gas tank is also at risk.

In the summer you see lawn maintenance men as well as home owners filling up gas cans all the time. I have not seen, heard or read of mass explosions. Just my opinion. But if you read about some guy from this area being pyro-teched to hell and you no longer see me posting...then I was wrong.

And my wife and son appreciate the free gas at the end of the day.

I did one of the 2-gallon stations yesterday. That's not a lot, but I'd filled my tank late last week and let Hubby drive all weekend so the gauge still showed the tank was full. I brought my gas can with me and put as much as I could in the car, then put the rest in the can. (Was pleased to find out I could still stop at exactly the right amount.)

Came home and offered the gas can to Youngest Son. He was happy to take it off my hands.

You are right canuck. None of the shops state I have to pump the gas in my vehicle. I simply put my card in pump the gas on the ground and then do the inside portion.

You guys are lucky.. gas shops I do say specifically I can't use a gas can

If I get stuck (which has happened), I just call up closest friends/family and ask if they want free gas. I usually make a small fee after the reimbursement so it's not that bad.

you can check to see if you can siphon gas out of your car...my car has a safety feature so people can't steal the gas..but my last car..a 1994 Plymouth Sundance could be siphoned...when he had a power outage...my father siphoned the gas from my car (well, I did--he couldn't get the tube in right!)

Tried siphoning gas out of a '95 Acclaim when we had that car and were ready to scrap it.. didn't work haha

@Hoju wrote:

It's a 2 gal min shop.
Thats my start plan, T- drive up there on fumes and hope it all works out. I've calculated it and I may go over. Not a definite. I'll have to check the guidelines to see if a container is acceptable.otherwise, I guess I may be buying other people gas. That should be acceptable, right?

I have done that before on the 2 gallon pump test audits. (I no longer do these, as they don't pay enough.)

It seeeems it is not a problem then. I re-read the instructions.

I wanted to bring a gas container in case..... Last week, my vehicle would not accept the last bit of gas. I had to pour some on the ground. No one was around me for the free gas and this was in the extreme boonies, trust me. Anyway, I'll bring a container and see what happens. Gas is very cheap here and I am able to do it with the $5 expense including the store purchase. The shops today are also bonused. Good.

Thanks folks.

I have avoided those shops since moving to Oregon since it's illegal to pump your own gas here. I'd feel dumb pulling up to the island and asking the guy to pump "two gallons please" into my car. I could see getting two gallons in a can to take back to fill my mower or something, but two gallons in a car? People may ask for $2 worth or $5 if that's all the money they have, but two gallons is $3.98. LOL, that's almost as bad as saying, "three dollars and ninety-eight cents worth of regular, please". Pumping it myself, no one would notice.

No kidding, LJ. That's funny.

I definitely would use a gas can. Your snow blower needs gas, right?

@BuffaloNY101 wrote:

You are right canuck. None of the shops state I have to pump the gas in my vehicle. I simply put my card in pump the gas on the ground and then do the inside portion.

You dump the gas on the ground? ????????

@tamalama wrote:

@BuffaloNY101 wrote:

You are right canuck. None of the shops state I have to pump the gas in my vehicle. I simply put my card in pump the gas on the ground and then do the inside portion.

You dump the gas on the ground? ????????

Then you cause a mess and a problem for the employee of the gas station. They have to toss oil dry on it to clean it up.

Hopefully Buffalo was kidding.

@LJ wrote:

I have avoided those shops since moving to Oregon since it's illegal to pump your own gas here. I'd feel dumb pulling up to the island and asking the guy to pump "two gallons please" into my car. I could see getting two gallons in a can to take back to fill my mower or something, but two gallons in a car? People may ask for $2 worth or $5 if that's all the money they have, but two gallons is $3.98. LOL, that's almost as bad as saying, "three dollars and ninety-eight cents worth of regular, please". Pumping it myself, no one would notice.

See, I'd have no problem with that. The guy would come to my window and I'd pull out my wallet and all there would be would be $4 (or whatever the closest amount to 2 gallons costs. So I'd look confused and say, "Shoot! I left that $20 at home. Um....just give me 2 gallons, I guess."

I recently did 5 gas shops last week. I too, had a 5 gallon certified gas can with me. Unfortunately, I had to rent a car to do the shop. And of course, the tank was full. This was the first time I wished it was slightly empty. The first shop was 50 minutes away, it barely took 2 gallons when I got there. I had to pump 1/2 a gallon into the can. I drove another 20 minutes to the next stop and filled her up again. This time, adding over 1 gallon to the tank. Then I drove to the 3rd & 4th stop, which was another 20 minutes away and did it again. The last stretch of driving was approximately 1.5 hours. On my way there, I stopped on the side of the road to fill the tank and reduce the amount I had in the can. At the end of all of my gas shops, I wound up with more then 4 gallons in my gas can. On my journey home which is a 3 hour drive, I stopped midway and emptied what I could into the car. By the time I reached home, I emptied most of it back into the car and still had extra for my son's 4 wheeler and go cart. Living in Hawaii, the fuel is expensive. Roughtly $4.00 per gallon & sometimes more, depending the city on this little island. If it wasn't for that gas can, I would be crying, wee wee wee all the way home.

That's smart.

I'm bringing a container the next time I do these.

It might be easier for you, TravelGuru, to go to the farthest site first, traveling three hours without a fill up.

yes buffalo was kidding about pumping the gas on the ground.

I do believe I posted about the restrictions on another thread.. I don't see any on the boards but they are calling me to do them with a higher fee.

Restrictions: 4 shops, 10, 12 and who knows now?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/17/2015 01:50PM by Canuck.

@BuffaloNY101 wrote:

You are right canuck. None of the shops state I have to pump the gas in my vehicle. I simply put my card in pump the gas on the ground and then do the inside portion.

I hate to be a finger-wagger here, but you do know that you are poisoning ground water when you do that, right?