Gas Stations Near Me

When Sylvanus Freelove Bowser sold the kerosene pump to the owner of a grocery store in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1885, he probably had no idea how big of a role gas stations would eventually hold in American life. Today, gas stations are more than just place to fill up the car; they’re fast food restaurants, markets, and even purveyors of household goods.

Many people simply can’t imagine life without their morning cup of Joe from the gas station down the street. More than that, gas stations are a one stop shop for a society that is consistently on the go. Are you interested in finding a gas station near you? Simply browse gas station near me on the map below and quickly locate a gas station in your area!

The first drive-in gas station opened in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1905. Unlike early curbside gas stations, the architect behind the Good Gulf Gasoline station designed the pagoda style facility to offer free air, water, service, tire and tube installation. The station became an all in one destination for travelers looking to fill up the tank and check their car for issues.

Nowadays, gas stations are more than just for car service, they’re an easy place for the consumer on the go to grab a quick bite, grab a coffee or even buy some milk. Looking to find out a bit more about gas stations? Read on for facts, trivia, and statistics on the American gas station.

Gas Stations Near Me – Find it on the Map

Gas Stations Near Me – Gas Stations Trivia

How many tanks are typically underneath a gas station?

While searching gas stations near me, you may be wondering just how many tanks sit underground. To the surprise of many drivers, there can be as many as five underground tanks beneath a gas station. All of which hold tens of thousands of gallons of fuel. But the underground holds more than just tanks; there are also pumps on top of the tanks, line leak detectors, and tank monitors.

There are also several alarm systems put in place to prevent overfilling and to prevent corrosion in the tanks themselves. While it’s hard to imagine the underground workings of a gas station, there is peace of mind in knowing the precautions taken to insure the complete safety of the workers and consumers.

True or false: Gas stations make almost nothing off of gas itself.

Although it may seem shocking to the average person searching for gas stations near me, most gas stations statistically don’t make much money off of gas. After taxes and operating costs, the typical gas station only earns pennies per gallon. This means that your local gas station probably hates high gas prices even more than you do. Fuel retailers see profitability fall when gas prices rise; to counteract this, most gas stations stock a bevy of convenience store items and food to earn profit. In fact, 60% of a gas stations total earnings tends to come from snacks, medicine, and small items such as sunglasses and phone chargers.

True or false: Your cell phone can potentially start a gas station fire.

In a society dependent on cell phones, it can be hard to hear that the beloved smartphone can actually spark a blaze at the pump. Simply switching on your phone too close can cause fires to ignite near pumps. More than that, there is always the potential for clothing made with certain fibers to cause static electricity, which can potentially spark a blaze. Despite these notable risks, gas station fires are far and few between. As long as one follows proper precautions and plays by the rules, the chance of any sort of incident is extremely low.

Gas Stations Near Me – Gas Stations Facts

A Rising Number Of Stand Alone Gas Stations

While searching gas stations near me, you shouldn’t have any difficulty locating a station in your area. With over 10,700 stand alone gas stations operating in the United States, finding a station in your neighborhood is as easy as apple pie. Altogether, US gas stations employ more than 120,000 hardworking people.

Gas Station Sales On the Rise

Even if the average gas station only makes pennies off of the gas itself, annual gas station sales still top $106 billion annually. Although that figure may seem high, gas station sales have actually declined by 2.7/5 since 2010 and 2015. This is attributed to fluctuating gas prices throughout the US.

Gas Station Owners Are Largely Independent

To the surprise of many people searching gas stations near me, big oil companies only own a measly 3% of all gas stations and convenience stores located in the US. The remaining 97% of all gas stations are owned by independent operators, separate from the larger oil conglomerates.

Fast Facts about Gas Stations

On your epic quest to find “gas stations near me,” you might be curious as to which state consumes the most gas or even how much gas stations rake in per year. Here are some interesting facts on the American gas station.

1. The state that guzzles the most gas is California, using over 348,000 barrels of gasoline. Texas ranks second with a whopping 302,000 barrels of gasoline.

2. For gas free drivers, there are over 21,000 alternative fueling stations in the US. That number continues to rise with each passing year.

3. Convenience stores earn about 2.8 billion dollars just from coffee sales every year. Who knew a cup of coffee could end up being so profitable?

4. Alaska and Vermont are the most gas friendly states in the US, using just 6,500 and 7,500 barrels of gasoline each. These states are known to be far more eco-friendly than the average American state.

5. Convenience stores sell nearly 60% of all beer sold in the United States.