This includes nearly 2,400 inspections that resulted from consumer complaints. Each complaint was followed up by the Department's team of Investigators.

Weights and Measures has not found any deliberate fraud, but 15 percent of the inspections found evidence that a faulty piece of equipment was delivering the wrong amount of fuel, often to the detriment of consumers.

The fueling device violations led to more than $159,000 in civil penalties being issued by Weights and Measures between May 2005 and May 2006. These penalties were issued to ensure the problems were fixed. If a service station owner agreed to install new equipment or improve an inspection program, the fines were often waived. When a civil penalty is collected the money goes into the state fund and back to serving Arizona.

These fines offer clear evidence that vigilance is needed, because at today's fuel prices we can't afford to pay for gasoline that we're not receiving. According to a recent study by Merrill Lynch, each penny in higher fuel costs sucks $1.3 billion from the pockets of consumers.

When faulty equipment is leading to overcharges, they generally can be organized into three types:

Meter Jump: Have you ever turned on a pump and seen that you've purchased five cents worth of gas, yet you haven't even placed the nozzle in your tank? This is meter jump. It may occur on gas pumps that sit idle for long periods of time. It is typically caused by worn-out parts that allow fuel to drain out of the delivery system. A properly maintained system won't allow this to happen.

Meter Creep: Have you ever heard the tell-tale "click" that says the flow of gasoline has stopped, but the amount you're being charged continues to increase? This is meter creep. This, too, is caused by faulty equipment.

Inaccurate Volume: There are 231 cubic inches in a gallon. Weights and Measure staff use certified devices to measure the flow of gasoline to make sure you're getting the proper amount. Mechanical devices will always have some variance, so state inspectors use a national standard that allows a "tolerance" of plus or minus six cubic inches - roughly the volume of a shot glass. Sometimes service stations are actually delivering one or two extra cubic inches, but far too often these tests found that fuel deliveries were falling short of this measure.

The good news is that these inspection programs are not going to end. In fact, I have instructed the Department to keep up the pace. I'm pleased to report that they will soon be adding four new Investigators who will be out there insuring that you get what you pay for at the pump.

If you think you were charged an incorrect amount at the pump, I urge you to contact the Department of Weights and Measures at 1-800-277-6675 or visit the Department's website, http://www.azdwm.gov/, to fill out an online complaint form that is available in English or Spanish. Anonymous complaints are accepted, but you can also ask to be contacted once your complaint is checked out.

I also encourage you to visit my Web page devoted to providing gasoline information at http://www.azgovernor.gov/fuelfacts/. This site will include my Weekly Fuel Facts along with links to other helpful sites for gasoline information. Please check the site often throughout the summer as we add fuel saving tips.


Yours very truly,

Janet Napolitano
Governor