Smart pump planning will help you maximize sales.
When you’re developing plans for a new service station, it’s one of the first (and most important) questions you need to ask...
How many fuel pumps do I need for my gas station?
The average pump is designed to move 1 to 1.5 million litres of fuel per year. But you can’t base your decision on volume alone. There are three key considerations when determining your pump requirements:
- Your site layout: The size and layout of your site will largely determine what you can and can’t do. How much usable space is available? What is the vehicular access? What other structures might limit pump space (c-store, car washes, etc.)? Where should underground or above ground tanks be placed to ensure easy access for fuelling trucks without blocking customer access?
Proper planning at the design stage will take all of these questions into account. Design and engineering firms that specialize in service stations (such as CTM) are able to walk you through the process and make recommendations based on maximizing your revenue potential.
- Traffic flow: How many vehicles pass your site on a daily basis? How many vehicles can you efficiently move through during peak periods while avoiding line-ups?
Sometimes these numbers are available to you through your city or municipality. If not, it is worth conducting traffic count research to help you accurately measure and project current volumes.
At the end of day, you need to make fuelling quick and convenient for customers. If it’s not, they’ll go somewhere that is.
- Future forecast: Looking down the road, do you expect traffic volumes to increase – and will your site plan allow you to easily bring additional pumps online to accommodate the demand? This is a crucial question to ask at the outset – because it’s far easier to anticipate and plan for additional pumps now than to tear up your site in the future.
What about diesel?
The number of pumps dedicated to diesel (and storage tank capacity) will depend entirely on your market. Demand is typically greater on highway routes and in rural areas where customers drive big farm trucks or work trucks.
The good news is that you don’t need to install a diesel-only dispenser, which was once the case. Modern dispensers allow you to include a diesel nozzle alongside the other grades, giving you the flexibility to change as required.
Oh... don’t forget: diesel lanes generally need to accommodate larger vehicles (think 38’ RV’S). This is a must when determining your site plan.
Heads up pump placement.
Want to maximize your non-fuel revenue? Research shows that when vehicles are facing your convenience store during fuelling, people are more likely to come in and spend. That is why your forecourt should always be in front of the store entrance.
Plan for the journey.
It’s important to do your homework at the beginning, so that you make the right decisions during the planning stages – based on your current and future needs.
The good news is that your fuel provider is generally able to offer direction and resources to help you answer most of your questions. If not, CTM is here to provide the guidance you require – and to ensure your design and site plan meets all of your requirements. Let us share insights on how to maximize revenue through functional design and layout.
