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Cardlock law means new customers Mail Tribune / Jim Craven Randy Shamblin of Rogue River uses the Grange Co-op cardlock station Wednesday to fuel his pickup in Central Point. A recent change in state law makes the self-service cardlock system available to more businesses. Grange upgrades its stations By BUFFY POLLOCK CENTRAL POINT - A change in the law governing self-service "cardlock" gas stations has pushed a local dealer to change its stations' names and upgrade its operations. On Monday, the three Grange Co-op Cardtrol stations officially changed their name to CFS (Card Fueling Station), a change accompanied by new signs, logos and colors. It ultimately will mean "new flexibility for cardlock customers," says Howard Misner, petroleum operations manager for the Co-op. Cardlock systems allow for self-service gasoline and diesel service by commercial users who meet a minimum purchase level. A revision to the law, passed by the Oregon Legislature and signed by Gov. John Kitzhaber in June, reduced the minimum monthly purchase from 2,400 gallons to 900 gallons. Previously, accounts that failed to use 2,400 gallons in a month were canceled. Misner said the Grange Co-op is working to regain some of the nearly 3,000 customers it lost when the 2,400-gallon requirement was instituted about a decade ago. Loss of business accounted for a sales drop of 15,000 gallons daily at the three Cardtrol stations in Jackson County - Central Point, South Medford and Ashland. "It was just blatant discrimination against small businesses," Misner said. "It punished small businesses for being small and larger businesses if they became more fuel-efficient and their usage dropped." Though the bill doesn't go into effect until Jan. 1, Misner said new commercial accounts could be set up now, since auditing is done on a 12-month basis with no specific starting date. "By then the requirement will be 900," he said, "so we're getting new customers started now so they can start enjoying the convenience of cardlock." That's a convenience Gary Taylor, owner of Taylor Sheet Metal in Central Point, said he could definitely appreciate. "It helps out a bunch. We get one monthly bill and get to use gas anytime day or night. It really helps being a small business and getting to use something like that." Taylor said he was unable to use cardlock stations until the new law was passed. "I'd looked into using it before but we just barely didn't meet the requirement of 2,400. We almost did, but I didn't feel like taking the chance and winding up having to deal with such a hassle. I'm glad they changed it." Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.