Many Service Stations Have Been Closed on HWY 401

[Mike the Pike]

This week while travelling for my sales job on the road I noticed that many gas stations and service centres have been closed down along the 401 between Cornwall and Brockville.

 

I left Quebec Thursday during the wee hours of the morning assuming I could gas up at my usual Petro Canada but nope all have been closed down.No problem I had my GPS which told me where the next 20 gas stations will be.After trying to stop at the next 4 gas stations none were open.3 closed down for good and one was closed at 6am.So I keep driving along and then the unthinkable happens I ran out of gas for the first time in my life(I am embarrassed).All these closures of gas stations I do not understand

 

Where is the common sense????????

 

I later learned the enviroment minister dedided to close down all the service stations along the 401 because it is not good for the enviroment to have these right off the highway.

 

So hundreds of people have lost their jobs during tough economic times because some bozo decided this is bad for the enviroment.

 

So now if you want a coffee ,want to use the rest room and purchase fuel.You must pull off the highway go way out of your way .Sit at several traffic lights where you are now polluting more than if you just pulled off the highway.

Imagine all these new long line ups for the little rest rooms at little gas stations!!!

So now when pulling a long trailer or driving a huge motor home you will be forced to go to a small gas station where you may

find maneuvering in tight spaces not so easy.I will sure miss all that extra room from the pull off service stations!!!

 

Oh and next you need a coffee so you get back into you car sit at a couple of more red lights while you polute the air even more.

I pulled into a Timmies in Brockville absolutely no parking must be all the Highway traffic.People at the gas station and timmies

said traffic has increased quite a bit.Yes good for business but more congestion they say.

 

I told the tow truck driver I was embarrased to have run out of gas he told me not to feel bad they received 90 new calls for people who have run out of gas since the service station closures.

 

So ladies and gentleman beware make sure you have plenty of fuel when travelling down the 401.

I don't know why the other gas stations way off the highway are okay for the enviroment but not along the 401.

 

If anyone has a clip of the real reason behind this I would love to read it.

Hello Oh o goverment this is the busiest highway in the country!!!

 

Give me a break.Thats my rant for the day and this was one that ruined my day Thursday of this week!

 

Ok I did find a news article I should have done this ealier.It seems some are being rebuilt.

It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that closing all at once is causing havic and danger along the 401.

 

Read this news clip

 

Mike the Pike

Edited October 18, 2009 by Mike the Pike

[canadianboy]

they are renovating all of them i think its some government economic stimulus plan or something there was an article in the toronto star a few weeks ago about it

[Mike the Pike]

they are renovating all of them i think its some government economic stimulus plan or something there was an article in the toronto star a few weeks ago about it

 

The folks in Brockville say they are permanent closures eviromental issues.

 

If thats the case why close them all at once.Let them close all the Tim Hortons at once for renovations and would not want to see what happens.

 

At least they could leave some open while renovating others.

[jjcanoe]

yep, renovations are the story us truckers get..... Apparently the vendor leases have expired and they are now looking at bids for a new operators, If you are going west the only ones open are Camden East (between Kingston and Napanee), Newcastle, Cambridge and Ingersoll. Estbound the only ones left are, Ingersoll (closing soon but no fixed date yet) Cambridge, Newtonville(Newcastle), and Odessa (Kingston)

As a truck driver this really sucks

1. no parking

2. no Timmies

3. no smoking in the trucks(only in Essex county!)

Sounds like road rage time to me!

 

The other thing that gets me is that they are planning on rebuilding many of them but only a few of the old ones have been knocked down and the rest are just useless eyesores along the road. If they close them they should at lest knock them down and start sone construction there.

 

jjcanoe

[Greencoachdog]

Never ever never let you gas gauge dip below 3/4's empty when traveling!!!

 

Never ever never let your GPS do your thinking for you!!!

 

... if you had PMed me before you left, i could've told you they were closed... have been since the last time I drove the 401!!!

[Mike the Pike]

Never ever never let you gas gauge dip below 3/4's empty when traveling!!!

 

Never ever never let your GPS do your thinking for you!!!

 

... if you had PMed me before you left, i could've told you they were closed... have been since the last time I drove the 401!!!

 

Nope Gcd there were many open just 3 weeks ago I basically new where all of them were without electronics but many were closed.

I could not find a gas station open for 75kms this was not funny I regret not going way out of my way to get gas but this situation is rediculous.

Only in Canada eh

[Billy Bob]

They did the same thing here on the NYS Thruway........just about done with all of them....not much better just more expensive....

 

BTW if the US dollar keeps falling against the loonies my Canadian fishing trip for next spring/summer could be in jeopardy.

[lew]

Your right Mike, it's getting tougher all the time to make those long 401 trips. We were fishing down at the Ontario/Quebec border last month and noticed 3 more rest areas / gas stations along the 401 were gonna be closing as of September 30/09 (I think that was the date)

 

Those small town gas stations & restaurants are gonna be a nightmare next summer when they have all the tourist traffic trying to gas up or get food.

 

I'm heading down to Lake St. Clair near Windsor next weekend, leaving Toronto @ 2:00 AM, so maybe I better carry a couple Jerry cans of gas along with my thermos of coffee for the trip, although it's not quite as bad down that way..........yet

 

Here's the governments answers to a few of the questions.

 

http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/traveller...swers.shtml#twp

[outllaw]

LEW all are closed west also. for gas take the tilbury exit . pilot gas there. good luck on the musky hunt. its harder to find gas then muskies.

[Roy]

Good info in that link, Lew. Thanks.

[lew]

Thanks George, I gassed up at the Tilbury station last year too.

[Dara]

BTW if the US dollar keeps falling against the loonies my Canadian fishing trip for next spring/summer could be in jeopardy.

 

 

I think it has something to do with the protectionist measures.

[SlowPoke]

So now when pulling a long trailer or driving a huge motor home you will be forced to go to a small gas station where you may find maneuvering in tight spaces not so easy.

 

Do you think they grow the gas at each station?

All gas stations are designed to take delivery from trucks; maneuvering with a trailer or motorhome shouldn't be too much of a chore.

You should have been able to reach Windsor from Quebec with a quarter tank to spare in your Malibu!

Next time I see a guy on the side of the road with a jerry can, I'll be thinking of you.

[Mike the Pike]

Do you think they grow the gas at each station?

All gas stations are designed to take delivery from trucks; maneuvering with a trailer or motorhome shouldn't be too much of a chore.

You should have been able to reach Windsor from Quebec with a quarter tank to spare in your Malibu!

Next time I see a guy on the side of the road with a jerry can, I'll be thinking of you.

 

Its nice to know you will think of me next time you see a Jerry can.

 

Brian there always have been a huge areas for those big trucks to deliver gas .I pumped gas for quite a few yrs when I was younger as a student.

Many have barely enough room for 4 cars never mind 20 vehicles.

 

I have seen some of those gas stations like the Ultramar in Hawksbury Ont .Waiting in line Van in line at the gas station and the boat hanging on the street .You wait until next summer folks will be lined up at little gas stations creating small town traffic chaos.

 

It may not seem to be a problem out your way I think its bloody hell in Eastern Ontario.

[BITEME]

okay you caught uss more to keep Quebecers at home ....retalliation for french/english signage

[bigbuck]

IT'S A JOKE!!! The provincial gov't can't seem to figure out what they are going to do with these stops. I've been to one where just the restrooms were open and there were no restaurants or gas to be found. Thousands/month in lost revenue multiplied by how many stops??? This may sound like a crazy idea but invest a few dollars in these stops and we the taxpayer who ultimately own these places will actually turn a profit. Novel concept I'm sure for Mr. McGuinty's boneheads. To think, I actually voted for this guy the first time around.

STOP THE BLEEDING!!! Engage in profitable ventures and we'll be ok.