Notes from Weights & Measures
Last week NJGCA welcomed a packed room of over 80 people to our Spring Member Conference. It was a great event and participants heard from state officials on a number of compliance-related issues.
For those members who may have missed the Conference, we thought to touch on a few notable items that were conveyed in the Weights & Measures (W&M) presentation.
While most of our members recognize the role that W&M plays in the retail gasoline side of the equation, it should also be noted that they have a part to play in policing a number of other industries, including grocery stores, home heating oil businesses, parking meters, laundromats, lumberyards, pharmacies, jewelry stories, and many others.
Of course, that also means they also have a role to play in safeguarding consumers who patronize convenience stores and repair shops as well. The above noted, we thought to touch on a few items that we do not ordinarily associate with W&M and how they could implicate your small business.
Even a casual observer knows that W&M is responsible for enforcing proper street and pump pricing regulations, that dispensers are in proper tolerance, and confirming the quality of the fuel at your station.
But what might not otherwise be known is that their authority also extends to peripheral items at your location. For instance, coin-operated vacuums and tire inflators/air dispensers fall under their purview (time, rates, and statements of responsibility must be included). And the accurate measurement and labeling of specific products, such as motor oil containers (this includes bulk storage tanks, which must be clearly labeled with the oil’s grade, brand, and other required information). Or for that matter, the calibration of specific tools or devices (specialized measuring devices for air conditioning recharge fluids) found in your repair shop.
And it doesn’t end there. While we listened to the presentation, we even learned a few novel pieces of information.
For one, a few years ago, it was mandated that all gas dispensers are required to provide a receipt that includes the pump number. This is part of the state’s regulations, overseen by the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, and is used to narrow down from which pump fuel was dispensed from if there should be an accusation of wrongdoing. So, for example, if a patron believes they were shorted fuel or were a victim of credit card fraud, confirming the pump number would allow officials to investigate if the dispenser’s meter devices were out of tolerance or if a card-skimming machine was illegally attached.
For another, W&M has been tasked with making sure all electricity dispensing devices are accurate and billing fairly. As electric vehicles (EVs) and standalone charging stations become more common, so does the possibility of fraud and harming consumers. In this way, EV charging stations are going to be regularly checked — just as gasoline dispensers are.
If we stand back and reflect on W&M’s mission, this all makes sense. They are tasked with protecting consumers from deceptive practices, prevent fraud, ensuring that scales and measuring devices are accurate, and patrons are not cheated.
Preventative measures aside, W&M will also work in tandem with DEP, the Division of Consumer Affairs, or other agencies to make sure regulations are followed and consumers are protected. Meaning if something falls just outside their purview, it may implicate a sister agency. For example, the Division of Consumer Affairs (like W&M) is part of the Office of the Attorney General. If W&M conducts a routine visit, and they notice customers are not being given estimates or hourly labor rates are not included on any repair invoices, the Division of Consumer Affairs might soon pay a shop a visit to investigate.
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