Deal reached in Germany to replace gas coupon system with prepaid cards

[unhappycamper]

Deal reached in Germany to replace gas coupon system with prepaid cards
By Charlie Coon, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Thursday, January 17, 2008

STUTTGART, Germany — The U.S. military reached an agreement with Germany and the Esso company under which Defense Department personnel and dependents would pay for fuel in Germany using a prepaid card, eliminating the current fuel-coupon system.

Starting June 1, servicemembers and other DOD personnel who newly register a vehicle in Germany would be issued a fuel card that they would then “charge up” much like a prepaid phone card, and then use it to buy fuel.

In July, drivers who already have vehicles registered in Germany would begin receiving fuel cards in the mail. They would then take the card to designated Army and Air Force Exchange Service locations to be activated.

The mailings would take place over several weeks starting July 1, according to Dave Mattingly, coordinator of fuel-card development for Installation Management Command Europe.

The agreement was signed on Jan. 7 in Bonn. The fuel-card system had been requested by the German government.


Rest of article at:http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=51701