Being able to pay at the pump with a credit or debit card has been convenient for most consumers.  Some people however don’t own a credit card or even a debit card even though that may be hard to imagine.  Others might prefer to pay in cash so that they can track their expenses better since paying with plastic can quickly get out of hand.

When a consumer wishes to pay with cash at the pump of their local gas station, the majority of the time the station requires that the driver prepay before being able to pump any gas.  If you are in a hurry you know just how inconvenient it can be when you have the person in front of you prepaying with cash as you wait impatiently in your vehicle.

Maybe we’re spoiled with the conveniences were afforded in today’s market; but we want instant satisfaction in as little time as possible.  Pumping gas isn’t a fun task by any means and any little delay that adds to the confusion has most people in an uproar.

Driver’s License Will Activate the Pump

New technology is being tested and implemented which will limit the amount of time it takes to turn on the pump by prepaying.  The program which is called “Post-Pay,” will allow consumers to swipe their driver’s license to activate the pump, rather than having to go inside first before the pump is turned on.

Going inside to pre-pay in order to even get the pump turned on can mean waiting in line behind people; whether they are paying for gas themselves, or stocking up on some forgotten grocery items – further lengthening the time it takes to get back out to the car.

The individual behind the technology is an oil company president (Robert Hohn: Paxson Oil Co.), and assures consumers that the program transmits the data in a safe manner; meaning none of your license details will be visible to the stations employees.  The program allows the swipe to transmit the data directly to the police in case anyone tries to ‘pump-and-dash,’ which is why pre-paying was implemented in the first place.

Robert Hohn Stated:

“Obtaining driver’s license data reduces lost revenue from drive-offs, and it also helps to boost revenue because those paying with cash tend to spend more than when activating pumps by prepaying with cash first, said Hohn. I came up with the idea when I noticed the back of a driver’s license had a coded stripe on it, and I had seen a liquor store swiping the license through a reader to record the person’s age and address prior to sale.”

“Post-Pay” is being tested out on two Paxson Oil gas stations in Saginaw Michigan to judge its use and effectiveness.  Already one of the stations is down to one drive off in a month rather than four a week, and the culprit was caught with the driver’s license data.  Gas-buyers will still have to inside the gas station to pay for their gas purchase after filling has commenced, but being able to activate the pump as soon as you pull up does have its advantages.

As a courtesy, drivers usually pull up and out of the way of others in line after pumping their gallons before going in to make their payments in cash.  If all goes as planned, we could see the program catch on across the state of Michigan as well as into other states.