Freehold Gas Station Offers Discount To Show Self-Serve Savings

FREEHOLD, N.J. —The Freehold BP gas station at 44 South St. is scheduled to offer discounts on Friday to customers to show how much they would save if they could pump their own gas.

The station is among 78 gas stations across New Jersey set to offer lower, "self-serve" prices as part of a campaign to push state lawmakers to add self-service options at the pump.

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."