[WhiteFang]

I think it is high time PSU oil gaints should consider installing self service fuel pumps atleast in major metros. From a security a point of view,this can be manned by a caretaker like most of ATMs here in our country.

The decision not to take new stock rather than calling an indefinite strike is a clever move by retailers. By doing that they won't be violating any terms of Essential Service Maintenance Act. Closing down shops intentionally and going out of stock are different things I guess. (Please correct me if I am wrong)

[vin_b]

IndianOil launches app, SMS plan for customers to check daily fuel price

Source:- (TOI)
Its welcome move to increase consumer awareness about day to day price fluctuation. The same can be shared with fuel outlets if they haven't updated (typically if they havent reduced ) ) .

[amrutmhatre90]

Originally Posted by vin_b

IndianOil launches app, SMS plan for customers to check daily fuel price

Source:- (TOI)
Its welcome move to increase consumer awareness about day to day price fluctuation. The same can be shared with fuel outlets if they haven't updated (typically if they havent reduced ) ) .

I am concerned about the people who do not use app or are not keen to SMS. Suddenly I am in a view that Petrol / Diesel filling will be a "Task" . Will be always in a mind set now "Was I cheated? was the fuel price right?" Going on now Fuel filling will be not as easy as it was before.

Here is the image they shared on Twitter account.

"Fuel prices to be more transparent with daily price revision from 16th June. Know the fuel prices on Fuel@IOC app http://bit.ly/1S4HcgV"

[ksameer1234]

Originally Posted by amrutmhatre90

Will be always in a mind set now "Was I cheated? was the fuel price right?" Going on now Fuel filling will be not as easy as it was before.

A bit off-topic but I don't think fuel-filling is as straight-forward task today either. You see, one has option of regular unleaded PSU petrol, then there as PSU premium variants all of which have different prices, Reliance petrol and Shell regular and Shell V-power. All of these have different prices.

I see people queuing up to fill BP speed in their activa when normal unleaded can be had a km away. Daily fuel prices will only vary in paisa and if one makes a habit of asking for receipt, there is no reason to worry about getting cheated.

[blackasta]

While in USA I used an app called 'gasbuddy' to check the fuel prices of nearby pumps (https://www.gasbuddy.com/).
Gasbuddy is only useful for USA and Canada.

So here's a start up business opportunity for someone to grab - pitch this idea to a investment firm, get some money to hire a few people, build a similar app, get the details via web services / api from HPCL/IOCL/BPCL/Shell/Reliance and from customer inputs, get advertisements from oil companies, make the app free, and get famous !

[libranof1987]

The prices will be updated at 6am everyday, not midnight.

Wonder what difference this brings about, so much so that it led pump dealers to call off their proposed strike.

Petrol pump owners on Wednesday called off a proposed strike after oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan assured them that the revised price of petrol and diesel will kick in at 6am every day instead of at midnight as proposed earlier.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-...6MDVo0lYI.html

[noopster]

Originally Posted by libranof1987

The prices will be updated at 6am everyday, not midnight.

Wonder what difference this brings about, so much so that it led pump dealers to call off their proposed strike.

Your answer is here:

Originally Posted by aplang1

the country lacks basic infrastructure to support the implementation of the project. Close to 50 percent of the total fuel stations are not automated. What this means is, that once new prices are received by the dealer at midnight (Normally they come out at 1am in the morning), the price on each 'meter' on every dispensing unit needs to changed manually (more the number of dispensers/nozzles, more the work involved). The process involves entering a 'password' into the dispenser interface (before new price is entered), which is normally 4 digits and is ideally only known to the dealer or maybe a senior manager. This system is in place so that employees do not cheat the customers (by changing prices) in the absence of the owner. No dealer shall stay up till 1 am each night to do this task manually, let's get real here guys.

Come to think of it though, there are just too many issues with this approach. What if the password-holder is off sick, on vacation or just not able to be there at 6 am? Will petrol sold at the old rate, even if it is for a few minutes, be prosecutable under the law? Or will business have to be halted till the prices are updated? Both seem to be suboptimal solutions. The problem begs to be solved through digital technology. But of course we are a loooong way off from that!

[libranof1987]

Originally Posted by noopster

Your answer is here:

Valid point.

But still feel there's more to it.

Given the opening times of most non-24*7 pumps to be ~7am, midnight/6am barely make a difference.

Wonder if this has anything to do with the mass consumers, eg. truckers, that may tend to fuel up at night.

The problem begs to be solved through digital technology. But of course we are a loooong way off from that!

Let's aim for connectivity first!

So many highway pumps still struggle with poor reception on their card machines; broadband is a distant battle.

[Turbanator]

Gasbuddy is only useful for USA and Canada.

unlike US & Canada, here prices don't vary between pump to pump based on location or brand, these are fixed for a particular state.

the country lacks basic infrastructure to support the implementation of the project

It does appear to be a cumbersome method at the moment if it's indeed the way you have mentioned.

[Dry Ice]

Originally Posted by noopster

What if the password-holder is off sick, on vacation or just not able to be there at 6 am? Will petrol sold at the old rate, even if it is for a few minutes, be prosecutable under the law?

Maybe, but you have to be tracking it actively to know if you paid a rupee more.

Originally Posted by noopster

Or will business have to be halted till the prices are updated? Both seem to be suboptimal solutions. The problem begs to be solved through digital technology. But of course we are a loooong way off from that!

The city dealers might be prompt but I doubt the rural ones. May not even update if there is a reduction, or worse still, close the pump citing no stock. My countrymen have never stopped to amaze me and I am sure we will get new interesting stories in the days to come

[DigitalOne]

Originally Posted by ksameer1234

A bit off-topic but I don't think fuel-filling is as straight-forward task today either. You see, one has option of regular unleaded PSU petrol, then there as PSU premium variants all of which have different prices, Reliance petrol and Shell regular and Shell V-power. All of these have different prices.

I see people queuing up to fill BP speed in their activa when normal unleaded can be had a km away. Daily fuel prices will only vary in paisa and if one makes a habit of asking for receipt, there is no reason to worry about getting cheated.

True. Fuel filling will similar to buying groceries. We don't wonder if we have been cheated by a rupee when we buy a kilo of sugar or Toor dal, do we? We have our favorite shop where we buy sugar from and don't bother about a rupee here or there. Same will be for fuel pumps. If some fuel pump keeps over-pricing, it will bubble up and will be known in nearby areas, at least, and then people will stop going to that pump.

[swissknife]

I heard from someone that a fuel station in Chennai was filling petrol at INR 67.64 / per litre when the rate is 67.42 per litre.

My suggestion was to have get bills for fuel filled. Now, the question that I have is, where would one have to make a compliant? I hope there is a simple method of communicating such irregularities rather than make the consumer run from pillar to post and be encountered with statements such as "It is only 0.22p and 40 liters is only around INR 8/- and why such a noise and over such a small amount"?

Has anyone had an experience of incorrect rates at fuel stations in the last few days?

[ashishrathi88]

Post the "daily fuel rate revision rule", I had went to an Indian Oil COCO (Company Owned and Operated) petrol pump in Enbassy Area, New Delhi. They have placed a board mentioning the "Today's Fuel Prices" which was quite informative and practical solution.

In my opinion, the problem would be with the franchise based petrol pumps in tier 3 cities/villages specially located on highways who might be having differences in actual vs. displayed fuel prices.

[blackasta]

Originally Posted by swissknife

I heard from someone that a fuel station in Chennai was filling petrol at INR 67.64 / per litre when the rate is 67.42 per litre.

Originally Posted by ashishrathi88

Post the "daily fuel rate revision rule", I had went to an Indian Oil COCO (Company Owned and Operated) petrol pump in Enbassy Area, New Delhi. They have placed a board mentioning the "Today's Fuel Prices" which was quite informative and practical solution.

There shall be differences in price among HP, BP and IOC, and further differences between COCO & franchisees.

The next step of this (when price updates become fully automated/remote) is demand based variation - so no two pumps may have the same rate, albeit differences may be in single or double digit paisa only.

[Jammy70]

Not sure how many of you follow this website, but this is a good place to get an idea of next day's prices at IOC fuel stations. The price for the next day is published on the site at 8 pm. They have an app, but it's extremely clunky from an user experience perspective.

Bookmark the page and this should help you figure out the prices.

The link: https://www.iocl.com/TotalProductList.aspx