MONROE - Have you ever leaned against your car while pumping gas and wondered, am I getting my money's worth?
In Green and Lafayette counties, most of the time, you are.
In 2007, state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) inspectors checked thousands of gasoline pumps to make sure they weren't shorting customers.
The bad news? Thirty-seven gas pumps at 11 gas stations in Green and Lafayette counties were out of compliance. The good news? Only three of those pumps were shorting customers.
"A pump can be within a certain range, or tolerance, and still be acceptable," said Rachelle Miller, field supervisor for DATCP's Weights and Measures division.
According to a database produced by the Appleton Post Crescent, two of the pumps that shorted customers were at Gratiot Fast Stop. One pump was shorting customers 1.30 percent of their fill-up. The other, 1.13 percent.
The shortage is minimal, Miller said. For example, a shortage of 1 percent is equal to 1 gallon per 100 gallons pumped. If someone pumped 15 gallons into their car, they were being shorted .15 a gallon of gasoline.
"It's so minimal, people wouldn't even notice," said Mike Herbst, owner of the Fast Stop. He said the two pumps that were shorting customers dispensed premium gasoline, something Herbst said he sells "very little of."
A third pump at the Fast Stop benefitted customers, giving them an extra 1.56 percent on their fill-up.
"We monitor the pumps pretty closely every day, because it's all electronic," Herbst said. "Gasoline expands and contracts every day depending on the temperature."
The third pump that shorted customers was owned by Olin Oil Co. in Albany, on Cincinnati Street. It shorted customers 1.08 percent.
All three pumps were red-flagged, the Fast Stop's on Sept. 20 and Olin's on May 21, 2007. They were taken out of service until a state-certified inspector could re-adjust them. They are back in service now.
The gas station in Green County giving customers the most free gas was the Phillips 66 station in Monroe, where one pump dished out an extra 1.47 percent.
The most generous gas pump in Lafayette County was at the Saunders Oil Co. station in Darlington, which gave customers an extra 1.6 percent.
In Green and Lafayette counties, most of the time, you are.
In 2007, state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) inspectors checked thousands of gasoline pumps to make sure they weren't shorting customers.
The bad news? Thirty-seven gas pumps at 11 gas stations in Green and Lafayette counties were out of compliance. The good news? Only three of those pumps were shorting customers.
"A pump can be within a certain range, or tolerance, and still be acceptable," said Rachelle Miller, field supervisor for DATCP's Weights and Measures division.
According to a database produced by the Appleton Post Crescent, two of the pumps that shorted customers were at Gratiot Fast Stop. One pump was shorting customers 1.30 percent of their fill-up. The other, 1.13 percent.
The shortage is minimal, Miller said. For example, a shortage of 1 percent is equal to 1 gallon per 100 gallons pumped. If someone pumped 15 gallons into their car, they were being shorted .15 a gallon of gasoline.
"It's so minimal, people wouldn't even notice," said Mike Herbst, owner of the Fast Stop. He said the two pumps that were shorting customers dispensed premium gasoline, something Herbst said he sells "very little of."
A third pump at the Fast Stop benefitted customers, giving them an extra 1.56 percent on their fill-up.
"We monitor the pumps pretty closely every day, because it's all electronic," Herbst said. "Gasoline expands and contracts every day depending on the temperature."
The third pump that shorted customers was owned by Olin Oil Co. in Albany, on Cincinnati Street. It shorted customers 1.08 percent.
All three pumps were red-flagged, the Fast Stop's on Sept. 20 and Olin's on May 21, 2007. They were taken out of service until a state-certified inspector could re-adjust them. They are back in service now.
The gas station in Green County giving customers the most free gas was the Phillips 66 station in Monroe, where one pump dished out an extra 1.47 percent.
The most generous gas pump in Lafayette County was at the Saunders Oil Co. station in Darlington, which gave customers an extra 1.6 percent.