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The price of gas is eating into motorists' wallets, but some Arizona drivers have also paid for fuel that never made it into their tanks, according to state data analyzed by The Arizona Republic.
Every week, inspectors from the Weights and Measures Services Division of the Arizona Department of Agriculture visit gas stations around the state to ensure fuel pumps work as intended. An analysis of records from those inspections shows violations for what are known as "meter creep" and "meter jump" are on the rise.
"I drive a 2002 Ford Ranger that has a 18 gallon tank capacity. I was charged for supposedly 24.954 gallons," one motorist complained to the Weights and Measures division after buying fuel at a Phoenix gas station on April 12.
Inspectors visited the station on North 75th Avenue afterward, but the station's fuel meters passed inspection. The complaint is listed as "inconclusive."
A meter creep violation occurs when the gas meter continues to rise even after the nozzle is returned to the pump.
"This is most commonly seen when an individual has finished fueling their vehicle and they go to return the nozzle and observe the 'this sale/gallons' indicator climbing while no fuel is being dispensed from the nozzle," said Chad Pilié, the compliance manager for the division.
Pilié said meter "jump" is when an individual removes the nozzle, and the sale indicator starts going up before they squeeze the handle to pump gas.
Violations occur in two ways: when motorists complain directly to the Weights and Measures Division, prompting inspectors to investigate; or during routine inspections.
One motorist complained about being billed for five gallons extra at a 76 gas station along the Black Canyon Highway in Phoenix in February.
"I have had the vehicle for 12 years, it should have only taken 12 gallons from half tank measurement to full and the pump billed me at 17 gallons," the complaint said.
Violations at Arizona gas stations jump 40% in 2 years
In 2021, 140 meter creep and meter jump violations were recorded by inspectors. By 2023, violations had jumped by more than 40%, to 200 statewide. About 600 gas stations were inspected in 2023.
It is unclear how pervasive meter creep and jump actually are across the state because the Division of Weights and Measures has only 12 inspectors. More than 72,000 fuel dispensers exist in the state, according to the Department of Agriculture. If inspectors were to inspect every dispenser, they would have to visit about 25 dispensers per day.
But inspectors are also saddled with other types of inspections like price posting, fuel quality, liquid measuring devices, UPS scanning accuracy and more.
"What inspectors do is prioritize stations with low compliance rate," Pilié said.
This means gas stations where many violations previously were found might get more visits from inspectors. Companies with a higher number of gas stations also would get more visits simply because of their concentration in an area.
The single stations with the most violations statewide since 2021 were the Speedmart station at 1158 W. University Drive in Mesa and the Speedway station at 6500 S. 12th Ave. in Tucson. Each had 10 violations.
Pilié did not think that gas station employees or companies are tampering with fuel meters to deliberately cause meter creep or jump.
"It is usually caused by aging equipment or equipment malfunction," he said. "If there is a hose leak, that could cause a meter jump while meter creep may be due to an internal leak in the equipment.
Circle K, QuikTrip have most violations — and most stations
Circle K gas stations have the most stations with meter creep or jump violations in the past three years. The company is followed by QuikTrip and Speedway. Circle K also has the most gas stations in Arizona.
Determining how the number of Circle K's violations compares proportionally to other companies isn't possible, as the Weights and Measures Division could not provide a full list of gas stations owned by each retailer in Arizona.
"With more than 3,000 fuel dispensers across 569 fueling locations statewide, we are by far the largest fuel retailer in Arizona," said Chris Barnes, a Circle K spokesperson. "Examining the data, we have fewer meter-related violations on a per-site basis than almost all of our largest competitors."
Barnes said the company conducts routine maintenance and calibration of fuel dispensers and repairs or replaces equipment when meter creep or meter jump occurs.
"We take these concerns seriously and aim for continuous improvement to ensure our customers are always getting what they pay for at our pumps, to the penny," he said.
QuikTrip and Speedway did not reply to emails and calls seeking comment for this story.
Meter creep and jump each attract a penalty of $50 while a repeat offense attracts a $100 fine, according to the Department of Agriculture's violation codes and civil penalties rule book.
If you have any complaints about meter creep, jump or any other type of malfunction at a gas station, call the Weights and Measures department at 602-542-4373,emaildwm@azda.gov or file a complaint directly at https://ctutools.azda.gov/Dwm/PV/Complaint_LocationSearch.asp.
Reach reporter Kunle Falayi atolakunle.falayi@gannett.comor 480-268-1504.
