Gas Shortage (Seattle, Tacoma, Sammamish: credit card, home, taxes)

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Not really a shortage of gasoline but a shortage of drivers to get the gas to the stations.


My son drives a tanker and his job moves him all up and down the west coast to where he is needed the most. They just moved him to Seattle. He tells me that four of the stations he delivered to yesterday were out of gas by the time he got there and another driver told him that two of the stations that he delivered to were out of gas.


They have called him back to work tomorrow, which is his day off because of the holiday demand.


So my suggestion is, if you intend to drive away for holiday for the 4th weekend, best to fill the gas tank early and not wait until you are leaving home on your way to your destination.

[Hemlock140]

Good advice, thanks.

I haven't seen any stations out of gas, around here, but then I haven't been to Seattle since last Thursday. I'm planning to fill up at Costco in the morning at about 5:30 on my way in to work, and probably set a record. I'm at 1/4 tank, and it's 36 gallons. I hope they are not out, though we are not going anywhere for the weekend, and we have two other vehicles.

[Transmition]

Safeway gas stations seem to sell out a lot, but not noticed any others have the same issue.

[Hemlock140]

Update: This morning I was at Issaquah Costco gas when they opened at 5:30. I still had 1/4 tank, and the price had dropped to $5.19, but even so I did in fact set a new record at $113.54. As I left the tanker was pulling in, I imagine they get deliveries every day. If you don't like to wait in line, that's the time to go, only one other car besides me.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Originally Posted by Transmition

Safeway gas stations seem to sell out a lot, but not noticed any others have the same issue.

On the 28th, my son delivered to five gas stations,. Four of them were out of gas and the fifth delivery was to a Safeway that was very nearly out of gas, but he got to that Safeway before they were dry.


It is very unlikely that Costco will ever be dry. They are the number one priority customer. They take multiple trucks daily at each location and their gas delivery contract will be for a an entire region so it is a massive contract. A couple of years ago, my son's company got the contract for San Diego and the company that lost the contract was so ticked off that they walked off the job 2 weeks early. There was a chaotic rush as my son's company flew in drivers, and transported trucks into the area so that Costco would not miss even a single delivery, even though their contract didn't start of two more weeks, they made it happen. My son was very nearly the only driver that was carded for the gas depot down in San Diego and he was busy as can be filling trucks while they got all the other drivers carded. Drivers can't set foot into the gas depot unless they have a security clearance card from that depot.

[Hemlock140]

Safeway must be a little farther down on the priority list. I haven't seen ours out of gas, but I only go there once a month after doing enough shopping that I can expect a discount of at least 10 cents/gallon. Tell your son thanks for what he does, I know there is a shortage truck drivers these days and they are under-appreciated.

[MechAndy]

I haven’t seen any gas shortages on the Pen.
We usually use Costco and Safeway for our gas.

[Transmition]

So it sounds like it is more of a Safeway thing. They have been running out repeatedly for months, before new year even, so it isn't even a recent thing.

[dav51lin]

Originally Posted by Transmition

So it sounds like it is more of a Safeway thing. They have been running out repeatedly for months, before new year even, so it isn't even a recent thing.

ok by me their gas pumps are the worst around to usa a credit card at the pump

[Hemlock140]

I have a good tip. If you happen to be in the area of a tribal gas station, fill up there. Here in Sammamish the 76 station is charging $5.94. On Sunday we were out and about near Tacoma and were going to gas up at the Costco Business Center in Fife. As we turned onto that street, on the corner we saw a 76 station with the sign showing $4.75, $1.19/gallon less than here, and $0.64/gallon less than the Costco down the street from them. It's run by the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, and they are not subject to the state and federal taxes.