A couple of weeks back Winnipeg Girl gave a primer on how much you should tip your restaurant server. It got me thinking about a neglected group of servers that I have a soft spot for. The "gas jockey" or Vehicle Fuel Conveyance Technician (VFCT), thank you very much, often have a worse time of it and people rarely, if ever, consider tipping.
The job of the VFCT shares many of the same downsides as their serving brethren: minimum wage; constantly on their feet; lots of walking. Customers can be surly, especially after gas prices rise or when told that they need to butt out their cigarette.
There is also the VFCT's worst enemy: the weather. On days where it's 30 above or below and you can hardly bear to roll your window down a crack, your VFCT will dutifully come attend to you and your vehicle until you are on your way again.
Add to all this gas fumes, stained clothes, pinched fingers, (or worse if you work at a station where you need to open car hoods), the threat of robbery and a lunch break diet made up exclusively of gas station fare ... well, hopefully you get my point.
When getting your fill this winter, help acknowledge one of the unsung heroes of the service world and pass a twoonie along to your VFCT.
Related:
Life as a gas station attendant Globe and Mail
3 comments:
I tipped the guy who pumped my gas today and he was so surprised he almost dropped it!
I usually get the same reaction !
Me three - I don't always tip year round, but it's pretty much every time between November and March. I think Co-op is pretty much the only chain that offers this service for free, unless the Safeway gas bars are still doing it. For me it's a double bonus - I get the co-op cheque and I don't have to pump my own gas!
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