Saturday, October 23, 1999
Shell expands easyPay plan to Cincinnati
Key chains used for fill-ups
BY MIKE BOYER
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Shell Oil Co. is launching national rollout of its easyPay remote payment system for gasoline fill-ups in Cincinnati starting Nov. 1.
The system, which Shell has been testing in Fort Myers, Fla., and Indianapolis since last year, allows motorists to pay for gasoline by waving a special computer-chip equipped key chain tag in front of the pump.
The radio-frequency device identifies the customer's credit card number, activates the pump, records the purchase and offers a receipt, so the motorist doesn't have to fumble for cash or a credit card.
“Earlier trials have shown that consumers greatly prefer the faster, hassle-free automated transaction provided by (radio frequency identification) payment systems,” said Jim Bucklar of Texas Instruments, which developed the system used by Shell.
Shell will be the first gasoline station operator to deploy the technology in Cincinnati, but rival Mobil Corp. introduced its Speedpass radio frequency technology two years ago and now has more than 3 million customers.
Shell said there is no charge for the special key ring, tag, and gasoline purchases can be billed to any credit card accepted by Shell. Customers don't have to be Shell credit card customers to participate.
Shell plans to promote the service, initially available in 80 of its 90 Greater Cincinnati outlets, Thursday at its station at Interstate 75 and Union Centre Boulevard in West Chester with baseball great Lou Brock pumping gasoline.
Shell will distribute easyPay tags at participating stations, or by calling (888) 381-EASY.
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