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Posted by: USMCMP5811

Gas stations fined for not having prices posted
By Andrew Lightman / Daily News Staff
Saturday, September 24, 2005

UXBRIDGE -- With gas prices reaching record highs earlier this month, two gas stations were fined $50 by the state this week for failing to post their prices.
Uxbridge Gas Inc., at 400 North Main St., and Gasway Inc., at 2 Hartford Ave., were both cited for not having their prices posted clearly on display signs above their pumps, according to a press release from the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulations.
Inspectors from the Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs' Division of Standards visited the stations on Sept. 10 for spot checks and found the violations.
State law requires that the price per gallon of all grades of gasoline be posted on each pump, and that all pumps be kept in working order.
Uxbridge Gas manager Mike Ragab said he paid the $50, but does not agree he deserved the fine.
Ragab said the station had two large signs posting the correct prices by the road, and two of four signs above his pumps displayed the correct prices. The other two, he said, were left incomplete because he ran out of threes to display when the price of gas skyrocketed earlier this month.
Ragab said the state was picking on him by fining him.
"I'm a small guy, I'm struggling," Ragab said. "I paid the fine and (the state should) get out of my life."
No one from Gasway was available to comment yesterday afternoon about the fine.
With Hurricane Rita's impact on petroleum production still uncertain, inspectors with the Division of Standards said they will continue regular spot-checks and monitoring of gasoline prices to ensure accuracy of the prices.
Gasoline prices found to be outside of an area's reasonable range will continue to be forwarded to the Attorney General's Office for review.

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Posted by: frapmpd24

I would think alot more than two gas stations are playing games with the prices. The whole industry is putting the freakin screws to us. The wind gusts pick-up near the refineries, they come out publicly that the weather is the cause of the high prices (no greed involved at all I am sure), and know for sure people will pay the high prices and have a short term memory. Raise the price over $3.00 and suddenly the $2.50 or even $1.50 (remember those days) seems really great.

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Posted by: USMCMP5811

oh ya, there was definately more than two, but only two were caught according to this report. I know for a fact, durring the days following Katrina, that one X-traMart in Franklin was showing a price that was 10 cents lower on their main board at the street than what was actualy labled at the pump.

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Posted by: CJIS

Belive this or not a place I sometimes get gas at in Whitman "Prime" in the center of town was actually asked to raise their price a few weeks ago. They had gas Regular Unleaded for $2.76 when most places were still close to or over $3.00. The lines to get gas there were impeding with traffic.

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Posted by: USMCMP5811

Saugus station fined by state
By David Liscio
Friday, September 23, 2005SAUGUS - A Saugus service station has been fined by the state for substituting low-octane gasoline for premium fuel in its underground tanks and charging customers the higher price.
Angelo's, an independently operated service station at 367 Lincoln Ave., was among 11 such gas dispensers caught by state inspectors and ordered to pay fines.
State officials said the violations are particularly disturbing because gasoline prices are at an all-time high, exacerbated first by oil refinery slowdowns caused by Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana and now by Hurricane Rita in Texas.
According to Chris Goetcheus, spokesman for the state Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulations, inspectors from the agency's Division of Standards tested octane levels at the Saugus service station and found that a gas pump posted with premium or 93-grade octane was actually dispensing 89-grade octane.
In the petroleum retail business, such instances are known as octane substitution. Among state consumer-protection inspections, they are referred to as rip offs, or cons.
The popular Saugus retailer was fined $375 for selling "adultered gasoline," Goetcheus said.
Nine of the 11 gas stations were fined for missing price signs and one for improper maintenance. The businesses charged with violations included A+ Gas, 315 Broadway, Taunton; Bourne Petroleum, 769 Broadway, Raynham; Mobil, 93 Gardner Road, Winchendon; Palmer Gulf in Palmer; Palmer; Gasway at 2 Hartford Ave. and Uxbridge Gas, 400 North Main St., both in Uxbridge; and Demers Brothers Citgo at 402 Brighton St., Ameristore Citgo at 1363 South Main St., and John's Auto Service, 334 President's Ave., all in Fall River. Fines ranged to $600.
State law requires that the price per gallon of all grades of gasoline be clearly posted on each pump.
Division of Standards Deputy Director Charles Carroll said his inspectors also addressed several complaints claiming that retailers were charging more for credit card purchases than for cash sales. "While this practice is not illegal, both the cash and credit card price must be posted on each dispenser for each grade dispensed," he said. "Street sign postings must also include the type of sale that the prices pertains to, such as self-serve or cash," Carroll said.
Goetcheus said spot checks of these and other violations will continue.
"With Hurricane Rita's ultimate impact on petroleum production and distribution still uncertain, inspectors with the Division of Standards will continue regular spot checks and monitoring of gasoline prices to ensure accuracy of price," Goetcheus said. "Gasoline prices found to be outside of a reasonable range for a particular area will continue to be forwarded to the Office of the Attorney General for further review."

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