Ronald F. Clarke
Management
Yes. I mean frankly, I think we're a bit blown away by the pace. I don't know if you picked up the numbers from my opening remarks. But we turned and basically went after these urban users who are not obviously heavy toll users, right? But they're a huge group. And to go from focusing on one channel, we started in the gas station channel, trying to add these people, added 3,500, stepped that up to 18,000. And when I saw the number for Q3 that we had gotten to 58,000, and they're out looking again another 50,000 at quarter -- this quarter, I mean, the distribution channels, we've opened up more of our traditional store, retail, digital channels to now target these urban people. So that's what's causing a significant step-up.
You're right. It is a chicken and an egg. The bigger the network that we can offer urban people, the more attractive our offer is, right? If we had fueling station twice as many parking, twice as many fast-food, that would be even more appealing. But I think we've obviously got enough is what the data tells me to attract people. And so we're going to chicken and egg it. We're going to keep trying to add urban users to generate revenue. We're going to keep expanding each one of those 3 networks, which we have over the last couple of years. And so I think again as you look into the midterm in that network, it's more built out. Our returns will get better, right? We'll be spending less money building out the network and obviously, more money, hopefully, turning the crank.
In terms of digits and stuff, I'd say the fueling challenge is higher than the parking or the fast-food. The nature of having multiple lanes and the vehicles moving and the way the equipment and stuff sets up is a bit more complex in that gas station environment. So it's not particularly difficult at stationary, like the fast-food, where it then comes through one line, one lane the whole way. So tougher in fuel and easier in parking and fast-food.
And clearly, as I've said before, there are additional merchants in every one of those areas now interested in joining the program. So once we show people are coming to Shell, then the other fuel guys want to be in. And once we show them McDonald's is working, the other fast-food people want to come in. Once we sign up the next-biggest parking operator, then we get calls for the next set of parking operators. Once we get the first rental car company in, in line, now the other rental car companies are calling. So once you prove out that your client base will go to those merchants, you attract yet more merchants. So it's really, I keep telling you, guys, it's a great model. The question is really just the pace at which we can do it.