Yellow Gas Stations

I posted something the other day mentioning the "dreaded yellow gas stations". That MSC seems to want me to eat my words. The first two I did have sailed right on through. Not a peep from the editors. So forum gas station junkies, what is your experience this round? Maybe they aren't so dreaded after all?

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They've never been a problem for me. I've done quite a few and only had one hold, which I thought was reasonable. The blue horse stations are easier, but the yellow ones pay a bit better, especially in gas.

This time around, I've not had as many "Holds". When they have paused them, the editor is asking for a different Interior photo because it and the Product photo look alike. Whatever. I take 4 Interior photos anyway.
Nonetheless, I find that the "Yellow" shops take more of my time than the "Blue" shops. But at least I don't have to lug a copy of the guidelines for an on site photo.
Speaking of the "Blue" shops, I find that at many of them, there are other "Loyalty" programs - often 3. According to the "Loyalty Update" effective May 1, 2019, "If you use a Loyalty card for the inside purchase, you will be subject to removal from the site inspection program".
I believe this is specific to the "Blue Loyalty Card" and not the other "Loyalty" programs at the site.

They aren't posted in my area yet.

"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton

I have used my loyalty card at every shop in case I lose or can not get a receipt. I use a loyalty program on three different brand of shops with no problem. I am always asked in the report if they have them and if they work and is a good way to answer that question. In the shopping directions I have never seen anything about not using them. A tip on the Yellow shops, use there gift cards work the best if you are doing multiply shops a day for paying at the pump.
Also on the editors and the pictures, give them as close of the picture example in the customer guide as possible. I have found out that a good crop job some times works the best. I have also if I have had problems getting the exacted picture that they show is to give them more to show them the problem and let them pick the picture.( Bathrooms are the worst, You have to have a good picture of the sink(s) not the urinals or the toilets)

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/08/2019 03:54PM by bmttinman.

@bmttinman wrote:

I have used my loyalty card at every shop in case I lose or can not get a receipt. I use a loyalty program on three different brand of shops with no problem. I am always asked in the report if they have them and if they work and is a good way to answer that question. In the shopping directions I have never seen anything about not using them.

Are you referring to the "Yellow" gas stations or "Blue"?
For the "Blue" gas stations, there is the "Loyalty Update" as follows:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Effective May 1, 2019:

• Evaluators should no longer be using an "Blue" loyalty card for inside purchases due to concerns with evaluators using their cards too early and disrupting the process for Q36 (Did the staff member at the register mention any current "Blue" Marketing or Loyalty program?) .
• If you use a Loyalty card for the inside purchase, you will be subject to removal from the site inspection program.
• Loyalty cards/numbers may be used only when fueling at the pump.
• Using a "Blue" Rewards+ card at the pumps more than one time per day may put you at risk of having your loyalty account closed for fraud protection. If your Loyalty account is shut down from being over-used, it is very unlikely your account can be unlocked.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

luckily I have no loyalty cards to any station. I have zero loyalty to gas stations. It's a ridiculous concept. There is only one "blue" station close to me. I did it for the first time recently and it sailed through as well. I mostly just make sure all my overall's are good and for the interior food and product photos of the yellow stations, I am short, so I hold the camera as high above my head as I can. That's my secret for good photographs.

I did several "yellow stations" around New Mexico this past weekend. One location's restrooms were maintained and part of the fast food restaurant next door. I was able to easily get photos of the ladies room but when I started to go to the men's room I was stopped by the staff and told women were not allowed in the men's room. I explained what I was doing and they told me no, the restrooms were their responsibility and refused to let me in. I was not heartbroken because I find it creepy to take pictures in a public bathroom. I put a note in the report and hope they are okay with it.

@cindycribbs wrote:

I put a note in the report and hope they are okay with it.

The MSC wants a photo of the door anytime you can't go in.

Yes, take a picture of the door. Many times at busy truck stops and travel centers it is impossible to evaluate the men's room, since it is always occupied.

I sometimes ask a manager or csr if they aren't too busy (and are male) to check the bathroom for me. One manager always escorts me into the mens bathroom. Who says chivalry is dead?

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