High-resolution crime fighting in Detroit, more Tesla charging stations than gas stations in Manhattan and the tightest labor market in 40 years made U.S. petroleum industry headlines in March.
Motor City Cameras
One of several high-resolution cameras that livestream video from participating Detroit businesses to police recently captured a gas station shooting as it happened. Detroit police arrested the suspected woman shoot¬er from the video within two hours of releasing the images to the local media, according to police. An argument led to the shooting, which occurred around 4:30 a.m. Sunday, March 20 in a Mobil gas station parking lot, according to police. The gas station is one of nine stations, two McDonald’s and two liquor stores participating in Project Green Light, the first public-private-community crime-fighting partnership of its kind. Project Green Light businesses are marked clearly with metal flag signs beneath their station canopies, decals atop their doors and green lights above their price signs. Some $5,000 of indoor/outdoor video surveillance equipment feeds real-time footage from each partner business directly to Detroit Police Department headquarters. Police monitor the footage 24 hours a day. The stations also had to upgrade to high-speed network connections to ensure consistent video streaming to police. In addition, gas station owners agreed to provide adequate lighting throughout their properties and to make other necessary improvements so their stations are customer-friendly, safe and inviting. Some of the project’s goals include improving neighborhood safety, promoting the re¬vitalization and growth of local businesses, and strengthening the Detroit Police Department’s efforts to deter, identify and solve crime, according to the Project Green Light website. The project began in January, and additional businesses, including but not limited to restaurants and convenience stores, are expected to join the community safety program. More information is available at www.greenlightdetroit.org.
Tesla Charges Ahead in NYC
Tesla drivers in Manhattan soon could have three times as many places to fill up as do their gas-consuming cohorts, according to a report from the New York Post. Currently there are about 40 gas stations in Manhattan. That number continues to decline as property value increases, and the result has been the closure of numerous gas stations in that part of the city. Drivers of conventional-engine vehicles have been forced to wait in lines to fill up for longer than 40 minutes, according to the New York Post. The article also states that Tesla will expand its Manhattan network of charging stations to 105 by March 31 to better accommodate its 1,500 Tesla owners in the city. Already, nearly 70 Manhattan parking garages have been equipped with “destination chargers” that can charge a Tesla Model S or Model X with 60 miles of range per hour. And by September, according to the New York Post, Manhattan will have a Tesla charging station every three blocks. For reference, the 2016 Model S sticker price ranges from $75,000 to $105,000. The 2016 Model X costs between $80,000 and $132,000. Meanwhile, the average U.S. household income for 2014, the last year with complete data, was just more than $53,000, according to the Census ACS survey.
7-Eleven Offers Zero Franchise Fee Again
Potential and current 7-Eleven business owners who are looking to own more stores can save up to $80,000 in waived franchising fees. It’s all a part of 7-Eleven’s Zero Franchise Fee program that launched last year. Some 300 U.S. stores are available for franchising. To qualify for the program, “a candidate must be at least 21 years old and a U.S. citizen or have permanent residency, have three to five years of retail, operations and management experience, have excellent credit and at least $50,000 in liquid assets,” according to a press release. In addition, prospective franchisees must front the costs of licensing, permits and the initial inventory down payment — about $30,000. In return, franchisees will receive extensive training, business support, high-quality brands, retail technology and additional limited financial support.
The NACS Industry Report
The U.S. labor market is tighter than it has been in 40 years, and that affects the fuel industry, said Henry Armour, president and CEO of NACS, the association for convenience and fuel retailing. The other macrofactor affecting the C-store industry is fuel — both vehicle miles driven (which have recovered to record highs) and gas consumption (which is heavily related to the economy), he said.
Armour detailed several top industry issues of the NACS board of directors during a recent Tulsa, Oklahoma, stop of his 2016 Industry Update Luncheon Tour:
Legislative and Regulatory:
- Affordable Care Act
- Fair Labor Standards
- Food safety regulations
- Menu labeling regulations
- Local regulations
Operations and Categories:
- Future of tobacco
- Future of fuel
- Capital structures/MLPs
- Sourcing fresh products
- Increases in operating expenses
- Store safety
Technology and Payments:
- Swipe fees
- EMV
- New payment technologies
- Data security
- Last mile technologies
- Energy technologies/new fuels
Labour:
- Talent acquisition and retention
- Escalating labor costs
Strategic:
- Industry image
- Consolidation
- Channel blurring
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