AVENEL
– The New Jersey Office of Weights and
Measures (OWM), within the State Division
of Consumer Affairs, today joined the Bergen
County, Camden County, Gloucester County,
and Middlesex County offices of weights and
measures, in announcing charges against 14
gas stations accused of misleading consumers
by selling fuel with octane levels lower than
those advertised on the pumps. The
civil complaints follow a two-week campaign
of unannounced octane tests, led by the
State OWM at 325 gas stations across New
Jersey. The tests, conducted by a joint
task force of inspectors from the State
OWM and from 13 county OWMs, found that
the majority of gas stations were in compliance
with the State’s Motor Fuels Act,
but not all.
“With
the holiday travel season here, New Jersey’s
consumers will be filling up their gasoline
tanks. With some stations charging over
$4 per gallon for premium grade gasoline,
we want to ensure that consumers are getting
their money’s worth,” said Thomas
R. Calcagni, Director of the Division of
Consumer Affairs. “Of the 325 gas
stations inspected, four percent allegedly
practiced deceptive advertising with regard
to the quality of fuel sold. We’re
holding them accountable.”
The
unannounced inspections included field tests
with portable octane testers. Any fuel samples
that appeared to present a violation, or
presented unclear results, or could not
be tested onsite for any reason, were sent
to a laboratory in Philadelphia or New York
for comprehensive testing. A total of 40
samples were sent to the labs, and those
from 14 gas stations are alleged to be in
violation.
As
a result of those tests, four county OWMs
filed complaints against the following gas
stations, charging them with violations
of New Jersey’s Motor Fuels Act, or
violations of the State’s Weights
and Measures Statute. Each station charged
with violating the Motor Fuels Act faces
a fine of up to $1,500 for a first violation,
and up to $3,000 for subsequent violations,
as well as a 5-to-30 day suspension of its
license to operate. Each station charged
with a violation of the Weights and Measures
Statute faces a fine from $250 to $1,000
for the first violation, and fines between
$1,000 and $5,000 for subsequent violations.
In
Bergen County:
- US
Gas / Mmarmab LLC, 90 Hackensack Ave,
Hackensack, NJ 07601
In
Camden County:
- Citgo,
302 South Black Horse Pike, Blackwood,
NJ
- Jessie’s
Gulf, 720 White Horse Pike, Oaklyn, NJ
08107
- Runnemede
Extra, 405 E. Clements Bridge Rd., Runnemede,
NJ 08078
- US
Gulf, 1200 Route 73, Pennsauken, NJ 08110
In
Gloucester County:
- Glassboro
Lukoil, 100 Delsea Dr., Glassboro, NJ
08028
- Gurbittha
Gas LLC Lukoil, 500 North Broad St., Woodbury,
NJ 08096
- Mantua
Pike Lukoil, 897 Mantua Pike, Woodbury
- US
Gas / Bahadur Singh, Inc., 724 Delsea
Dr., Malaga, NJ 08324
In
Middlesex County:
- Edison
Fuel Stop, 690 Route 1 North, Edison,
NJ 08817
- Fuel
One Inc., 869 Route 1 South, Avenel, NJ
07001
- Fuel
One Inc., 279 Route 1 South, Edison, NJ
08817
- North
Brunswick Express Fuel, 483 Georges Rd.,
North Brunswick, NJ 08902
- PAK
Petroleum Citgo, 1614 Stelton Rd., Piscataway,
NJ 08854
“The
New Jersey Office of Weights and Measures
and the county offices are committed to
ensuring the honesty of gas stations, and
for that reason we conduct unannounced octane
tests on a yearly basis throughout the state,”
said Robert Campanelli, Acting Superintendent
of the State Office of Weights and Measures,
said. “This year we invited 13 county
offices of weights and measures to participate
in a statewide effort, to ensure the integrity
of as many stations as possible.”
Calcagni
and Campanelli thanked the Atlantic, Bergen,
Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Hudson,
Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Passaic, Salem,
Somerset, and Warren county offices of weights
and measures for their participation in
this statewide effort.
Octane
is a hydrocarbon liquid found in gasoline
and other fuels. When octane levels are
too low, gasoline can self-ignite during
compression, out of sync with the timing
of the engine’s valves and pistons.
This can lead to a persistent knocking sound
in the engine, and in severe cases can lead
to significant engine damage such as broken
connecting rods, melted pistons, or other
damaged components. The risk is especially
acute with high-performance vehicles for
which a higher octane rating is recommended,
but can affect any vehicle if the octane
level is substandard.
Consumers
who believe they have been cheated or scammed
by a business, or suspect any other form
of consumer abuse, can file a complaint
with the State Division of Consumer Affairs
by visiting its website, www.NJConsumerAffairs.gov,
or by calling 1-800-242-5846
(toll free within New Jersey ) or 973-504-6200.
Follow
the Division of Consumer Affairs on Facebook
at www.facebook.com/pages/NJ-Division-of-Consumer-Affairs/112957465445651,
and check our online calendar of upcoming
Consumer Outreach events at www.NJConsumerAffairs.gov/outreach/.
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