‘Pump creep’ — why you may not be getting your money’s worth at the gas station

An apparent defect at a Clark County convenience store’s gas pumps has prompted a recent investigation by a state agency.

Bill Striejewske, division administrator for the Nevada Department of Agriculture’s Weights and Measurement Standards recently spoke to the Pahrump Valley Times about what’s termed as “pump creep” — a transaction where motorists don’t get their money’s worth while fueling up their vehicles.

“Pump creep is a condition that sometimes happens with fuel pumps where the customer will notice that they’re being charged while they’re not actually pumping fuel,” Striejewske said.

Striejewske also made sure to note there was absolutely no evidence to support the incident was of a nefarious or intentional nature.

“A fuel pump is just a mechanical device and they have metal parts that can fail, along with seals, washers and hoses,” he said. “Obviously, they break down like any other mechanical devices.”

Initial investigation

Striejewske also said that his office became aware of the issue following a phone call from a driver who fueled up at a Green Valley convenience store in Las Vegas.

“A customer noticed this issue and submitted a complaint to our office,” he noted. “We sent one of our weights and measures inspectors out to the station and they confirmed that there were dispensers there that had issues. Those pumps were taken out of service. The station called a repair company, who then notified us when their repairs were completed. The inspector went back to confirm, and determined that the pumps were back in compliance, so we we reopened them.”

Actions taken

Additionally, Striejewske said a large number of gas pump inspections have been performed at fueling stations throughout Southern Nevada.

“Last year we inspected over 30,000 devices but I would be really hard-pressed at this moment to say if there are specific problems in Pahrump,” he said. “I think it’s something that happens, but I wouldn’t define it as widespread, and I certainly wouldn’t pin it on any particular stations or brands.”

Who to contact

As the investigation is ongoing, area residents who have concerns about the pump creep issue are urged to contact the Nevada Department of Agriculture’s Division of Weights and Measures at (775) 353-3782 or https://agri.nv.gov.

Contact reporter Selwyn Harris at sharris@pvtimes.com, or on X, formerly Twitter: @pvtimes.