- Make sure that you see a Weights and Measures approval seal on the device that you pull up to.
- If you pull into a station based on a low price that you see on a road sign, make sure that the price you see on the road sign is also the price on the pump. In Pennsylvania, road signs are not required but price displays on pumps are required. If there is a road sign or a pump topper, it must agree with the price on the pump.
- When you pull up to a pump, watch the transaction. At full-serve stations, look at the pump before the gas is dispensed and make sure the delivery starts at zero.
- If you are at a self-serve station, wait a few seconds after the pump is activated before you begin to dispense the product. If the pump jumps to one, two, three cents or more before you begin to pump, notify the attendant, then notify Weights and Measures.
- Whichever grade you are using, put EXACTLY 10 GALLONS in your tank, then look at the dollar amount, if the dollar amount is not EXACTLY 10 times the price of the fuel you have chosen, something is wrong. For example if you're purchasing fuel at $4.60 a gallon you stop the pump at 10 gallons your total purchase price should be $46.00 even.
- Pay attention for possible “pump jump” or “pump creeping”. These things can occur at a pump and are cause for the Weights & Measures Inspector to remove the pump from service. If you experience either of these at the station, report it to the Bucks County Weights & Measures Department via email at [email protected] or by calling the phone number listed on the official Bucks County Weights and Measures seal on the pump.
What is pump jumping?
“Pump jumping” happens when a gas pump starts billing you before you ever pump gas. It “jumps” ahead before you engage the pump. Sometimes a few cents, sometimes a lot more.
If you are at a self-serve station, wait a few seconds after the pump is activated before you begin to dispense the product. If the pump jumps to one, two, three cents or more before you begin to pump, notify the attendant, then notify Weights and Measures.
What is pump or meter creeping? This is when, after you remove the pump from your vehicle, the gas meter continues to tick up the cents.
Would you like a receipt?
If you are prompted to push yes or no if you want a receipt the answer is yes always.
This is for two reasons; to make sure you are charged and received the correct grade and the correct number of gallons that you see on the pump. The receipt will also show which pump number you were at in case you encounter a problem.
Vehicle Tank Capacity
Weights and measures officials see an increase in the number of complaints related to the accuracy of gasoline pumps (retail motor-fuel dispensers). Frequently, weights and measures jurisdictions report receiving consumer complaints from motorists who believe they filled their vehicle's fuel tank with more gasoline than the tank is specified to hold. The possibility that the pump may be inaccurate exists, but typically complaints arise because the vehicle tank capacity rating is only an approximate volume.
For additional information please check out our brochure https://www.buckscounty.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1269/Fueling-up-at-Gas-Stations-Brochure-PDF