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Gas Pump Inspections Find Most Stations Well-Calibrated

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By RUSSELL RAY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 30, 2008

TAMPA - In August, state inspectors shut down 12 gas pumps at several stations in the Tampa Bay area that were shortchanging customers on fuel, state records show.

But that's only a fraction of the 2,379 gas pumps that were tested for accuracy in August. Violations are rare, involve a few tablespoons of fuel and stem primarily from a worn down meter, said Mickey Little, who oversees the 11 inspectors who police Bay area gas stations.

But the spot inspections are a way for regulators to ensure consumers don't get shortchanged -- especially as many people are watching what they spend on gas.

Statewide, inspectors shut down 59 gas pumps in August for shorting customers, or less than 1 percent of the pumps tested.

"They lose the use of that pump until it's repaired," Little said.

For every pump deemed to be shorting customers, many more are giving gas away, experts say.

In August, more than 300 pumps were found to be putting out more than what the meter said.

"About two-thirds of those pumps that are found to be out of calibration are actually giving away fuel," said Matthew Curran, chief of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services' Bureau of Petroleum Inspection. "Gas pumps are mechanical devices, just like your car. Over time, they will falter."

There are more than 9,000 retail gas stations in Florida, but state inspectors rarely find gas pumps that are set up to shortchange customers, Curran said.

"We have had one or two intentional cases over the past several years," he said.

Under state law, a pump must be within 6 cubic inches, or about 6 tablespoons, above or below 5 gallons or it will be shut down.

Little's job has gained significance during this year's spike in fuel prices and a record number of complaints of price gouging. Pump prices in the Tampa Bay have risen 31 percent in the past year, according to AAA.

"We're making sure that when you buy a gallon of gas, you're getting a gallon of gas," Little said.

Regular unleaded is averaging $3.65 a gallon in the Bay area, up from $2.79 a gallon a year ago, AAA said.

In August, Florida consumers lodged more than 3,000 price-gouging complaints against gas stations after Hurricane Ike ripped through Texas and shut down 20 percent of the nation's oil-refining capacity.

Little and his inspectors are assisting state investigators in their probe of stations suspected of violating the state's price-gouging law. They are gathering the stations' credit card receipts.

Each gas station is inspected about once a year. The compliance rate is high, Little said, because the retailers don't know when a state inspector will arrive to conduct an inspection.

"That's the reason there are no violations," he said. "These are unscheduled inspections."

AUGUST NUMBERS

Tests; ; Failed; Pumps locked down for shorting; ; Compliance rate

Bay Area

Pumps Tested, 2,379; ; pumps that failed test, 103; pumps locked down for shorting, 12; compliance rate, 95.7 percent

State

Pumps Tested, 8,834; ; pumps that failed test, 103; pumps locked down for shorting, 59; compliance rate, 95.9 percent

Reporter Russell Ray can be reached at (813) 259-7870 or rray@tampatrib.com.

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TOPICS IN THIS ARTICLE

retail gas stations • gas stations in florida • petroleum inspection • mickey little • gas pumps • police bay • gallon of gas • tampa bay area • department of agriculture • cubic inches • mechanical devices • price gouging • fuel prices • curran • aaa • calibration • regulators • spike • two thirds • fraction

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