RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. — Using ATMs which are located in 5,000 7-11 convenience stores nationwide has saved members of credit unions which affiliate with the surcharge-free CO-OP Network almost $50 million in surcharges, according to CO-OP Financial Services, the network's parent CUSO.

CO-OP and the convenience store chain will have been partners for years in November of 2007, the CUSO said.

"We had 800,000 transactions at 7-Eleven ATMs during the first month of our partnership, and the numbers have grown steadily as more of our members' cardholders discover they don't have to pay a surcharge at 7-Eleven machines," said Stan Hollen, CO-OP Financial Services President and CEO. "We created 7-Eleven/CO-OP-branded marketing material for our credit unions, like statement inserts and a series of consumer ads, to help them promote the ATM access to their members, plus word-of-mouth has driven people to the stores."