NATSO lauds decision to maintain volume as standard for fuel sales

NATSO said the decision maintains a level playing field for consumers, who would have incurred the cost of implementing the new standard with no real benefit.

The Trucker News Services

7/17/2009

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — NATSO, the trade association representing the nation’s truck stop and travel plaza industry, today lauded the National Conference on Weights and Measures (NCWM) for the organization’s decision to remove automatic temperature compensation for retail fuel pumps as a method of sale from its agenda.

NCWM just completed is annual meeting this week at San Antonio.

The Conference, which sets the standards for consumer products, voted to remove consideration of both voluntary and mandatory standards for selling fuel using a standard benchmark of 60 degrees.

Under the current system, fuel is sold based on the more uniform standard of volume.

NATSO said the decision maintains a level playing field for consumers, who would have incurred the cost of implementing the new standard with no real benefit.

“We’re pleased that the National Conference on Weight and Measures voted to keep fairness and transparency in fuel pricing and delivery,” NATSO CEO Lisa Mullings said. “The current system yields the most benefits for consumers, who ultimately would have paid the price for changing requirements.”

In making the decision to remove the item from its agenda, the NCWM cited consensus against ATC as well as economic cost factors, lack of consumer benefit and absence of uniformity in the marketplace as reasons for its decision. Consumers also would have had to bear the costs associated with implementing ATC as states struggle against limited financial resources and the economic downturn, NCWM said.

NATSO has long-supported the sale of retail fuel based on volume because studies show ATC would hurt consumers and cost businesses thousands to implement. In addition, market conditions already compensate for fuel temperature changes, contrary to a series of inaccurate media reports.

Other organizations, including the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, have favored ATC legislation.

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