Pertamax Fuel Vanishes from Gas Stations on Medan-Binjai Highway Amid Long Queues

Traffic jams have become a daily occurrence on the Medan-Binjai highway in North Sumatra, as long queues of vehicles wait to refuel. The lines, primarily for Pertalite, stretch up to five lanes and consume half the road, causing significant traffic disruptions.

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If you want Pertalite, please queue over there.

In stark contrast to the lengthy queues for Pertalite, stations report no lines for Pertamax, with some only having Pertamax Turbo available. This has left drivers like Marni, a resident of Binjai, struggling to find the fuel she normally uses for her 2015 model motorcycle.

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On Sunday night, when I got off work at ten o'clock, all the gas stations I passed from Medan to Binjai had queues like they were watching a concert. My motorbike ran out of gas as soon as I got home.

Marni recounted her difficulties since Sunday, including a night where her motorcycle ran out of fuel and a subsequent expensive commute. She has resorted to buying Pertalite retail for 30,000 Indonesian rupiah per 1.5-liter bottle, or Pertamax retail for 23,000 rupiah per liter, expressing frustration over the disappearance of regular Pertamax.

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I waited for almost two hours, and then, Pertamax was gone. I had to buy retail Pertalite, for 30,000 rupiah per 1.5-liter bottle.

Drivers like Marni are hesitant to use Pertamax Turbo, which has a higher octane rating (RON 98), fearing it may not be compatible with their older vehicles. This leaves them with limited options, forcing them to either purchase expensive retail fuel or settle for Pertalite, highlighting a growing concern over fuel availability and suitability.

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The queues were still crazy. I had to buy retail Pertamax for 23,000 rupiah per liter. Now, Pertamax has disappeared.