BajaNomad - Pemex Gas Stations... The "Cualli" award!!!

Pemex Gas Stations... The "Cualli" award!!!

BajaCactus - 8-23-2006 at 12:21 AM

Hi everyone...

I want you to be some of the first people to know about this new Pemex standard... but first, let me put you up to date with some info.

Very few know that Pemex IS NOT the gas stations everyone sees all around Mexico... Pemex, is one of the biggest companies in the world, but not the gas stations themselves.

Pemex is run kind of independently from the government... it is a self regulatory company with its own administrative structure... now, profit.... 60% of what Pemex sales goes directly to Hacienda (our IRS)... the other 40% is use to pay for the costs of producing the fuel, admistration, distribution and the small percentage finally given to the gas station owner.

EVERY gas station in Mexico, is privately owned... Pemex only regulates how the gas station has to be constructed for security purposes and of course, after the gas station is open to the public, Pemex supplies all the fuel and makes regular visits to supervise the security, quality and image of the installations. The owner puts all the money to build, setup and run the gas station (what the owner buys is a Pemex franchise).

Now, as all of you know, in the last couple of years, some gas stations have been working irregularly... since almost everyone believes Pemex is the gas stations, this has badly damaged the national image of Pemex .

Because of this, in an effort to protect the final consumer and restore the image of Pemex, several months ago Pemex began requesting new equipments and regulations on gas stations.

Among many others, these new specifications are mainly change of equipments, improvements on the flow regulators of the fuel dispenser units, control units on the tanks and in some cases even change of the tanks themselves... and some other very techinal stuff which is very difficult to explain.

There are also several new administrative changes between the gas station and Pemex... basically, the gas station owner agrees to be supervised either locally or remotely, at any time, by Pemex or Hacienda.

After gas stations installs all of these, they are inspected by Pemex and they certify everything is running as it should.

As of this moment, not many gas stations have complied with these changes... well, for those who comply, Pemex is giving an award... these gas stations will be now known as Pemex "Cualli" Gas Stations... (Cualli: a word from the Nahuatl, which means goodness, the best, the most quality).

Every gas station awarded the "Cualli" level, will display its qualification on the main sign, outside the gas station.

And yes... BajaCactus Gas Station has just been given the "Cualli" award... makes me proud that we are amongst the first to be qualified in Mexico.

So, from now on, when you come to Baja, look for the "Cualli" logo on the gas station you are fueling up... if it has it, you have the best chance they are working normally.

Enjoy Baja my friends...!!!

BajaCactus
"Where the Baja is so much more than a dream..."

[Edited on 8-23-2006 by BajaCactus]

Sharksbaja - 8-23-2006 at 12:55 AM

That's very cool! :coolup:

We always have trusted you anyhoo. :yes:

Debra - 8-23-2006 at 01:35 AM

Antonio, thanks for taking the time to share this with us. That is really good information to know. And congrats. to you!

Bob and Susan - 8-23-2006 at 05:35 AM

In Los Angeles county, if you go into a food establisment they have a required grade in their window....A B C D

We NEVER eat at a "B"

Congrats Antonio...your honesty WILL be rewarded...

Congratulations on a job well done.

Keri - 8-23-2006 at 07:25 AM

Also congrats to you staff. They are great bunch of people also,k :yes:

surfer jim - 8-23-2006 at 07:48 AM

Great info ....thank you....

shari - 8-23-2006 at 07:59 AM

Felizidades...with so many new stations being built right now, it would be a good idea if we consumers would try to only buy gas at the best stations. Perhaps this would motivate the crooked owners to clean up their act. Particularly the big RV convoys could exercise consumer savy and then somehow let it be known that the naughty stations are losing out...kind of boycott the bad guys.
On another note, we are sad to report that my husbands uncle Enrique (Kiki) Smith, the fellow who dispatched gas at Catavina passed away last week. His chubby young grandson often dispatched the gas. Enrique was a wonderful man and will be sadly missed by all. May he rest in peace.

Which side of the carreterra?

thebajarunner - 8-23-2006 at 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by shari
Felizidades...with so many new stations being built right now, it would be a good idea if we consumers would try to only buy gas at the best stations. Perhaps this would motivate the crooked owners to clean up their act. Particularly the big RV convoys could exercise consumer savy and then somehow let it be known that the naughty stations are losing out...kind of boycott the bad guys.
On another note, we are sad to report that my husbands uncle Enrique (Kiki) Smith, the fellow who dispatched gas at Catavina passed away last week. His chubby young grandson often dispatched the gas. Enrique was a wonderful man and will be sadly missed by all. May he rest in peace.

So sorry!
Was this the Pemex station attendant, or the guy across the street who sold out of cans?
Just curious.
Last year they were both out of gas... the independent hombre sat in his little pickup, windows rolled up, and would not talk about the gas situation.
Ahhhh Catavina gas.... always an adventure!!!

Thanks, Antonio-----

Barry A. - 8-23-2006 at 10:04 AM

-------this is information that I was not totally familiar with, and it is very helpful.

Congratulations on your new "status", and for your enthusiastic support and help to the touring public and we NOMAD's.

???

Sharksbaja - 8-23-2006 at 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bob and Susan
In Los Angeles county, if you go into a food establisment they have a required grade in their window....A B C D

We NEVER eat at a "B"

Congrats Antonio...your honesty WILL be rewarded...

Tell us who grades the establishment. Health Dept? AAA? :lol:

Pops - 8-23-2006 at 01:11 PM

We just returned from a 2000 mile trip through baja.
Which station does not try to "short-change" the Gringo consumers?

LA County Restaurant Grades

DanO - 8-23-2006 at 01:30 PM

The LA County Department of Public Health does the grading. The best part is the list of restaurant closures published once a month in the LA Times and available online (http://www.lapublichealth.org/phcommon/public/eh/closure/res...). Always a few surprises, like Mastro's Steakhouse in Beverly Hills ($$$$$$$$$) being shut down for a couple of days in July for vermin infestation. And who the heck would eat at a restaurant call "My Dung" or "Wee Vill" even if it was open? Yikes!

David K - 8-23-2006 at 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by thebajarunner

Quote:

The independant gas dealer in Catavi?a is ALFONSO... He purchases the gas at Antonio's station in El Rosario and drives it 76 miles to sell.

David K - 8-23-2006 at 04:24 PM

Congratulations Antonio!

I know how hard you work and how difficult Pemex makes it for all distributors!

Maybe they will speed up letting you rebuild your restrooms so that award means even more!

Antonio

Baja Bernie - 8-23-2006 at 04:40 PM

Way to go!

tim40 - 8-23-2006 at 06:24 PM

We already knew that about your station Antonio.....I guess we could have pooled a few bucks and got you the 'sign' years ago. Tim

DianaT - 8-23-2006 at 06:41 PM

I have not met you, but hope to do so. However, long before I ever discovered this forum, we knew to stop at the El Rosario Pemex Station. Everyone we know knew that it was an honest place, and always had clean bathrooms.

Thanks for the info---we will look for the sign at other Pemex stations.

Diane

Oso - 8-23-2006 at 06:47 PM

Ditto on all the congrats, Antonio. Well deserved.

Now if they give Sta. Rosalia the "Ichtecqueh" award, I'll know Pemex is serious.

Who supplies Baja gas?

thebajarunner - 8-23-2006 at 08:56 PM

I have heard numerous times that Baja has no refining capacity and that all Baja gas comes from the U.S.
Is that true?
Also, since California gas has such difficult formulations would that be a different formula or a California formula (over burdened with regulatory crap added)

On a related note, I read somewhere in the past year that there are some 250 different formulations of gas throughout the United States! What a joke the bureaucracy creates!!

David K - 8-23-2006 at 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jdtrotter
I have not met you, but hope to do so. However, long before I ever discovered this forum, we knew to stop at the El Rosario Pemex Station. Everyone we know knew that it was an honest place, and always had clean bathrooms.

Thanks for the info---we will look for the sign at other Pemex stations.

Diane

Antonio and his father (also Antonio) of Baja Cactus Tourist Services... Great people! Photos when we first met at JR's place... http://vivabaja.com/bajacactus

Thanks!!

BajaCactus - 8-24-2006 at 12:53 AM

Thank you very, very much for your comments guys... I deeply appreciate them.

Bajarunner... Pemex has arrangements with different US oil companies (like chevron, Texaco, etc.) to exchange crude oil (delivered by Pemex thru Texas) for refined fuel (received by Pemex in Ensenada). This way, they both save on the cost of transportation. This is done only with Premium ... and not very often... sometimes the US companies ask for the crude oil and other times Pemex asks for the fuel.

Now... on another matter... my gas station restrooms.... I do not have any word yet on my blueprints authorization by Pemex... but... in the meantime, for you all guys..... I will take some money apart and make some work on the old ones to improve them.

I cannot touch the building without Pemex authorization, but no one prohibits me from remodeling the inside and change my cleaning routine and administration of my personnal.

I hope this will help a bit while the nice and definitive ones are authorized and constructed.

:bounce:

BajaCactus
"Where the Baja is so much more than a dream..."

Neal Johns - 8-24-2006 at 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Pops
We just returned from a 2000 mile trip through baja.
Which station does not try to "short-change" the Gringo consumers?

Pops,
We are talking about the Pemex in El Rosario owned by BajaCactus (Antonio), a generous and honest man.

Bob H - 8-24-2006 at 06:08 PM

Antonio... great info and you really derserve the high status and logo on your sign. Is it possible to post a photo of the logo once it goes up? We are proud of you!
Bob H

Certified...!!!

BajaCactus - 9-9-2006 at 12:09 AM

Hello guys...

I am very happy to tell you that we have been certified as one of the new Cualli gas stations in Mexico.

I was not able to be in El Rosario when they installed our new sign... however our friend Doug was there enjoying a quick relaxing trip to Baja and he was kind enough to take some photos...

cualli1.jpg - 49kB

BajaCactus - 9-9-2006 at 12:12 AM

Funny they certified and install the sign on Labor Day.

Thank you all for your great support!!!

Now... to do something for the actual restrooms while the authorization for our final ones arrived.

Antonio M.
BajaCactus
"Where the Baja is so much more than a dream..."

cualli2.jpg - 42kB

DENNIS - 9-9-2006 at 08:36 AM

Isnt there a refinery in Rosarito Beach? For as much as they are fouling the air, they should be doing something good in return.