Pump Your Own Gas, Get A Discount At This Long Valley Station

LONG VALLEY, NJ — A Long Valley gas station is scheduled to offer discounts on Friday to customers who choose to pump their own gas at the pump.

The station is one of 78 in New Jersey that will offer lower "self-serve" prices as part of a campaign to convince state lawmakers to add self-service options at the pump.

The participating Long Valley gas station is:

• Long Valley P66, 43 E Mill Rd., Long Valley

The initiative was organized by Fuel Your Way NJ — a coalition "comprised of business and industry organizations" that advocates for New Jersey to allow drivers to pump their own gas while maintaining full-service stations.

The Fuel Your Way NJ Self-Serve Day of Awareness is designed to show the public how much they could save if New Jersey allowed customers to pump their own gas, according to organizers. State lawmakers introduced a measure in March that would add self-service options to stations, but the Motorist Fueling Choice and Convenience Act has stalled in the General Assembly.

Discounts will vary at each station, since every business has costs on expenses such as labor, according to Sal Risalvato, executive director of the New Jersey Gasoline, C-Store and Automotive Association — a group of small-business owners that have advocated for self-service legislation.

"Members have estimated to us previously that the cost per gallon of labor ranges between 7 and 23 cents," Risalvato told Patch. "Each location will determine how much discount they will offer for the day on Friday."

New Jersey is the only state that does not offer self-service.

According to current state law, which took effect in 1949, it is in the public interest for station attendants to pump gas in order to reduce fire hazards. Anyone who violates state law faces a fine of $50-250 for a first offense and no more than $500 for subsequent offenses.

The Motorist Fueling Choice and Convenience Act would maintain full-service options at each station while giving consumers the choice to pump their own gas. Under the bill, disabled drivers can still have their gas pumped at the lower, self-serve price.

But critics of the bill have argued that adding a self-service option won't lower prices.

Gas prices continue to climb in Morris County, even as profits soar for oil and gas companies.

According to AAA, the average cost of gas in Morris County rose to $4.5 per gallon Thursday — higher than the average one week ago ($4.29), a month ago ($4.10) and a year ago ($3.04).

"With the cost of gas prices continuing to rise, it's taking a bigger and bigger bite out of people's wallets," Risalvato said. "We want the public to know that one of the quickest ways we can reduce gas prices is to allow gas stations the ability to offer self-serve in New Jersey."

With reporting from Josh Bakan.

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