” I used to fill my SUV up for a little more than $30. On Monday, it cost me $40 f**cking!” the woman pumping gas at the Red Lion Gas Station in Bristol Borough said.
Her frustration is resonating here, there and everywhere, so to speak.
The skyrocketing prices have been brought on by U.S.-Israeli joint missile strikes on Iran, causing spikes throughout the country.
According to AAA, the price for a gallon of regular in the Philadelphia 5-County region stood at $3.64 last Friday. That’s up $0.34/g in just the last week, and more than $0.60 since February.
On Monday, driving through Lower Bucks County gas prices approached the $4.00 per gallon mark for unleaded gas. There were two Wawa gas stations in Levittown right at a price of $3.99 per gallon.
Credit: Jeff Bohen, Lower Bucks Source
The rising prices, says Mike Bannon, Director Bucks County’s Consumer Protection and Weights and Measures, have led to a ton of calls from consumers.
Bannon told CBS News Philadelphia that’s when the weights and measures team gets rolling to ensure consumers get the correct value for their money
“Every time gas prices rise, we get a lot more calls from residents that they have concerns that they’re not getting what they pay for at the gas pump,” Bannon, said in the report.
Weights and Measures has a three-man team out all year long, inspecting every gas pump in the county at least once a year.
The crew makes unannounced stops at gas stations across Bucks County, checking every line at every pump at the station they are inspecting.
According to the report, crews pump five gallons of each gasoline blend into tanks attached to a truck, mainly to see if five gallons is actually what comes out. Officials say the tolerance they allow is just about two tablespoons per gallon. It may seem like a small amount, but when prices are high, it adds up quickly.
County officials say that each year, around 4% to 5% of the pumps they inspect fail the test. But more often than not, they’re not finding fraud or predatory practices.
The weights and measures team can’t bring the price of gas down. It can however, ensure consumers get what they paid for.
If you have a question or want to file a consumer complaint of any kind please visit this link.
Credit: Jeff Bohen, Lower Bucks Source