A Consumer Standards Division employee uses a fuel analysis truck to inspect gasoline at a local service station in 1976.
Tomorrow is the start of National Weights and Measures Week, which recognizes the sometimes unnoticed contribution of state and local weights and measures officials. In North Carolina, the NCDA&CS Standards Division is responsible for regulating weights and measures for businesses. Hundreds of inspectors travel the state each day to make sure consumers are getting what they pay for at gas stations, grocery stores and garden centers. From weighing mulch and fertilizer to inspecting fuel quality standards, the Standards Division works hard to keep N.C. businesses operating fairly and accurately.
With fuel prices on the rise, many people are concerned about accuracy at the pump. If you’ve ever pumped 10 gallons of gas in your car and wondered who was responsible for making sure you actually received 10 gallons of gas, you can thank one of the department’s gas pump inspectors. The team inspects all of the nearly 7,000 gas stations in the state and follows up on any complaints reported to the department.
The weights and measures programs operated by the Standards Division cost each North Carolinian just 45 cents per year. Yet, you can see the full return on that investment with a single trip to the pump. Learn more about other sections in the Standards Division from our previous Field Trips with meat inspectors, taxi cab inspectors and gas pump inspectors.