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Rick Koch, the President of ASAP Energy Inc., announced earlier this week that two ASAP General Stores would become unmanned sites.

Koch said the ASAP on Madison Boulevard next to Homeland and the ASAP south of Ascension St. John Jane Phillips on Frank Phillips Blvd. (pictured) will become the unmanned sites effective at 6:00 p.m. on Friday.

This decision was made for these stores because they are the smallest ASAP stores in Bartlesville. The close proximity in the stores does not give customers and staff a safe environment to practice social distancing.

Koch said the size of the stores also limits the merchandise they can put inside the ASAP stores, which hinders their customer's ability to shop. He said they are going to try to be more efficient in serving the fuel needs for the two mentioned areas of town, to be better at practicing social distancing, and to encourage customers to go to the other four ASAP locations to see all the products that they have available.

No employees will lose their jobs because of this move. Employees will continue to work at the other four ASAP locations in Bartlesville.

Customers should know that fuel will be available and the same methods of payments at the pump will continue to be available at the unmanned sites. All customers who purchase fuel at any of the six sites can use the Phillips 66 app, the Phillips 66 credit care and the Kickback card to save money at the pump.

Some have worried that having unmanned sites would open the door for crimes to occur. There have also been concerns that credit card skimmers would run wild.

Koch said they cannot guarantee that this would not happen, but they will police the area with their employees. He said they still have to return to the area regularly to check receipt paper at the pumps and to change out the trash.

The Phillips 66 app is the safest way to transact business at any gas pump. Koch said their competition is not pushing apps like Phillips 66. He added that the latest update to the app does not require you to put in the four-digit number at the pump.

That means the only thing you have to touch when you get gas is the fuel nozzle. You are encouraged to wash your hands or sanitize them after pumping fuel.

Koch said they appreciate being in Bartlesville and the support they get from the community. He said they will always continue to be loyal to the Phillips 66 brand and offer the great fuel products from Phillips.

These are trying times for everyone with the COVID-19 virus. Koch said in addition to the virus, low oil and gas prices is greatly impacting Oklahoma. He said ASAP General Stores is in this thing to win it in the long haul, and they are still open to support Bartlesville and Phillips 66.