MasterCharge may carry clout, but more
and more people are finding it won't buy
gas. Beginning next week, these signs
will come down.
Texaco will no longer accept bankcards.
That's a blow to many consumers.
Boston Cherry doesn't carry a lot of
cash. She's among an estimated one of
five customers who relies on a bank card
to pay for filling her up.
Today, the attendant accepted her
MasterCharge after next week.
He can't.
I certainly hope they don't.
I'll be in trouble if they do.
You use your MasterCard a lot to buy gas.
I use it all the time to buy gas.
That's the only card I do use.
Austin may have to apply for a Texaco
card. What happens if she can't find an
open Texaco station?
She'll go next door to Mobil, but it's
already stopped accepting MasterCard and
Visa. Exxon won't take them.
Shell is allowing its individual dealers
to decide. But most oil companies are
turning thumbs down, forcing their
dealers to break the bad news to
customers.
Are you expecting some customers to be
upset when they come in?
Yes, possibly.
A lot of people may not carry cash.
Well, quite a few people don't carry
this card myself.
Oil companies insist the bank cards are
more trouble than they're worth.
The banks charge finance fees.
Dealers are finding more and more fake
cards are finding it harder to collect
their money. MasterCharge and Visa
spokesman admit it's a seller's market.
People still line up for gas so the
oil companies can afford to demand cash
for consumers.
That means a trip to the gas station may
require a trip to the bank.
Karen Parbat, Channel 5 Action News, Dallas.