More Than 300 BP Stations Without Fuel After Supplier Shuts Down
LONDONDERRY, NH (CBS) - Dozens of gas stations are running dry because of a problem with their distributor. There are 91 BP stations in Massachusetts and 15 in New Hampshire that have been frozen and their next delivery could be weeks away.
Chuck Massahos, a BP station owner in Londonderry says his business is losing a lot of money.
"We basically lost all our store sales; we've lost all our gas sales," says Chuck. "Our bay business is probably cut in half."
These stations are leased through Getty Petroleum. Getty filed for bankruptcy, then their supplier Green Valley Oil went out of business leaving Chuck without fuel since Saturday.
Chuck says, "I had to lay off my day guy, all my part timers who work nights and weekends I've had to put them on hold."
There are more than 300 BP stations impacted in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Connecticut. Chuck's brother Jim owns one of them in Salem.
"We've been out since Monday," says Jim. "We're talking 30 days with no fuel that's a major impact to my business."
WBZ tried calling Green Valley to ask what was going on but they didn't return our messages.
A new supplier is in the works but they won't be delivering until May 1, meaning hundreds of small businesses have to find a way to hang on until then.
Jim says, "We have to wait until big corporate America figures out how they're going to take care of all those little people out there that's working day to day to make a living."
