Gas Pumps Cheated Drivers, Investigation Finds
The news you need to get ready for your day starts at 5 a.m. on 11 News. Watch the 11 News Live Today show Monday through Friday.
Save Email Print
Bookmark and Share
Updated: 7:19 AM Jul 23, 2008
Gas Pumps Cheated Drivers, Investigation Finds
A company that operates gas stations in several states, including Colorado, has caught the attention of Texas officials, who claim the company is ripping off drivers at the pump.
Posted: 6:02 PM Jul 22, 2008
Reporter: AP
Email Address: news@nbc11news.com
width:200 and height: 120 and picwidth: 200 and pciheight: 120
Font Size:

Austin, Texas (AP) A company that operates gas stations in several states -- including Colorado, has caught the attention of Texas officials, who claim the company is ripping off drivers at the pump.

Authorities say a weekend investigation found 990 pumps were rigged to favor Petroleum Wholesale by as much as one-tenth of a gallon for every five gallons sold. Pumps in violation were immediately shut down by Texas inspectors.

The company operates stations under the name Sunmart.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples says he suspects the pumps were intentionally tampered with to deliver less gasoline than they were supposed to.

He says it's not unusual for pumps to be slightly inaccurate, but the pattern of discrepancies at Sunmart stations was beyond the norm.

The investigation found that, across Texas, 990 of Sunmart's 1,704 fuel pumps were cheating consumers.

Petroleum Wholesale also operates gas stations in Oklahoma, Kansas, Utah and Arizona.

Authorities have not uncovered any violations in those states, but Staples says he has notified officials of his findings.


KKCO AP News