If you are a driver in Oregon, prepare to start pumping your own gas very soon. This Friday, August 4th, self-service gas pumping will go into effect. The roll-out will not affect every gas pump in the state but will include roughly 50 percent of the pumps. The news of the self-service pumps coming to Oregon comes after the House Bill 2426 passed the state legislature.
The service type change will affect non-rural counties, such as Multnomah and Clackamas.
For decades, Oregon gas pumps have had attendants who pump the gas for the driver, rather than the driver pumping their own gas. This action has had some pros and cons over the years, with some people liking the convenience of being able to stay within their car and have someone do the hard work for them, while others feel like it is more of a hindrance because it causes backups at the gas pumps and long waits to get gas.
Several Oregon residents have already spoken about their feelings about the new law. The reactions have overall been very mixed. One resident of the state, Evan Wicks, has said that he is happy with the change. He is a small business owner who travels long distances in one day, so he is excited by the prospect of shorter wait times at the gas pumps. Another resident, Michelle Fletcher, gave the opposite opinion. She spoke about how she had been spoiled with an attendant for too long, that now she cannot see herself choosing to pump the gas herself.
A local employee of a Chevron station in Portland voiced his feelings as well, stating he thinks the change is beneficial to both the employees of the gas stations and the customers. He expects this to significantly cut wait times for everyone at the pumps. Those who do not want the wait at all will be able to bypass the attendant lanes and do self-service, and that will reduce the number of people in the attendant lines, cutting the time down in turn.
The law does still require an attendant to be present and available.
The bill does not affect rural counties. They will continue to do business as usual with attendants. The law also does not change anything regarding operating hours for the stations. If they are closed, they are closed to self-service pumping as well.
