GasBuddy
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| Type of business | Private |
|---|---|
Type of site | Gasoline price website |
| Available in | English |
| Founded | Brooklyn Park, Minnesota (April 2004)[1] |
| Headquarters | Brooklyn Park, Minnesota |
| Area served | United States and Canada (major metropolitan areas) |
| Owner | Oil Price Information Service |
| Parent | UCG |
| URL | GasBuddy.com |
| Advertising | Banner ads |
| Registration | Not Required |
| Launched | June 11, 2000 [1] |
GasBuddy OpenStore, LLC, is a company located in Gaithersburg, Maryland, which operates websites and mobile apps[2] that report fuel prices to the public through crowdsourcing and relationships with stations and credit card companies.
History
Dustin Coupal and Jason Toews founded GasBuddy Organization in April 2000 in Minneapolis, Minn.[3][4] It filed for Minnesota for-profit corporation in April 2004 as GasBuddy Organization Inc.[1] (As of 2013, gasbuddy.com lists the operator as "GasBuddy/OpenStore LLC".)
Coupal worked as an eye doctor prior to starting the company.[4] Toews was a computer programmer.[4] Toews and Coupal started GasBuddy to help people find the cheapest gas in their area.[4]
In March 2013, UCG, a privately held, business-to-business company headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, announced that Oil Price Information Service (OPIS) had acquired GasBuddy;[5] OPIS is a UCG subsidiary established in 1977 as the Oil Express Newsletter and specializing in worldwide petroleum pricing and news for businesses.[6]
Overview
GasBuddy operates apps and websites for the public to report and see prices of motor fuel in many areas of United States and Canada.[7][8][9] Users report motor fuel prices in their area, which is made available to other visitors. Each entry is timestamped.[8] As of April 2011, data on the website and in apps is provided by spotters, stations and relationships with credit card companies.[10]
Although registered users are not directly compensated, they are given points for their participating which allow them to obtain electronic tickets to games of chance in which they can win prizes, such as prepaid gas cards.[citation needed]
Its website offers additional features such as fuel log book which allows users to record fuel purchases, odometer miles and keep a log of fuel usage.[11]
References
- ^ a b c "GasBuddy Organization Inc". Secretary of State - State of Minnesota. Retrieved Oct 10, 2012.
- ^ http://www.edmunds.com/car-technology/automotive-apps/road-test-of-4-fuel-finder-smartphone-apps.html
- ^ http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/08/24/tech/main637984.shtml CBS news
- ^ a b c d "Creating Apps to Fuel Growth". INC. May 16, 2011. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
- ^ "OPIS Acquires GasBuddy". UCG. March 1, 2013. Retrieved 2013-08-12.
Oil Price Information Service (OPIS) has acquired GasBuddy, the mobile app and website relied on by more than 26 million motorists to pinpoint the most comprehensive and accurate gasoline prices at service stations and convenience stores across the U.S. and Canada.
- ^ "About OPIS". OPIS. Retrieved 2013-08-12.
- ^ Monson, Kyle (August 25, 2008). "The Top 100 Classic Web Sites", PC Magazine. Retrieved October 10, 2012.
- ^ a b Hamilton, Anita (2008) "50 Best Websites 2008: GasBuddy", Time. Retrieved October 10, 2012.
- ^ "GasBuddy find cheap Gas in USA and Canada". theappzine.com.
- ^ http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110414005276/en/GasBuddy.com-Teams-Pricelock-Add-Fuel-Price-Protection-Option GasBuddy.com Teams up with Pricelock to Add Fuel-Price Protection Option for Businesses
- ^ "Logbook Expense Records". Retrieved 2011-09-29.(registration required)