Cheated At The Gas Pump? Thank Texas Ag Commissioner Todd Staples
Every time I visit a gas pump, I look at the Texas Department of Agriculture seal on the pump to see the last time it was inspected. In many cases, the pumps are overdue for inspection. In fact, some gas stations (particularly the popular MurphyUSA chain featured at many Wal-Mart stores) have actually started putting their own stickers on the pumps to certify that they were professionally inspected far more recently than by the Texas Department of Agriculture.
Now, the Associated Press is on the story. Well, kind of. They are just talking about the number of inaccurate gas pumps, not the fact that you can find gas pumps all over Texas that haven’t been inspected since 2001, 2002, or 2003–although they are supposed to be inspected every four years. Here’s some of what AP notes:
A total of 5,778 pumps – more than 5 percent of the 109,369 pumps inspected last year in Texas – gave the wrong amount of gasoline or had other problems that put them out of service until they were repaired.
Almost 28 percent of the problem pumps – 1,612 – shorted customers beyond a small variance allowed by the state, according to Texas Department of Agriculture inspection data analyzed by the San Antonio Express-News and the Houston Chronicle. The information was contained in a report for Saturday’s newspapers.
The percentage reflects only inspection categories that measure gas output, not other problems that can affect pump accuracy and also potentially short the customer.
Twenty-seven percent of the problem pumps, or 1,575, provided a bonus, providing more gasoline than they should have.
Of course, Todd Staples offers this tidbit that makes him sound like anything but a weights and measures genius:
“Half of the time it may be tilted slightly in favor of the station owner, but the other half of the time, it’s tilted slightly in favor of the consumer,” said Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples.
Such sheer brilliance from Mr. Staples.
Popularity: 15% [?]
Do you know that you can 
(On Jul 5th, 2008 at 12:04 pm)
(On Jul 5th, 2008 at 12:06 pm)
Yes, Mr. Staples has his head in the freezer and his ass in the oven, but on average, he feels just fine. Dumbfu**…
(On Jul 5th, 2008 at 1:01 pm)
For some reason, Staples gets less attention from the mainstream media than any other statewide officeholder who isn’t in the judiciary or on the Railroad Commission (although Michael Williams gets more attention than Staples). Hell, Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson manages to stay in the news (granted, it isn’t always for positive things). Maybe Staples should take lessons from Patterson’s press people.