Fugheddaboudit! Polls show New Jersey drivers still don't want to pump their own gas
The latest FDU polls show New Jerseyans would rather stick with full-service gas stations.
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For 49 states in America, pumping gas is just another errand, but in New Jersey, the task is still someone else's job - and Garden State drivers want to keep it that way.
A new Farleigh Dickinson university poll shows that a gas pump remains one piece of equipment that New Jersey drivers have little interest in operating. In fact, about 64% of the voters who took part in the recent poll support the current ban on self-service gas.
“At a time when everything seems unstable, it’s good to know that there are some things that just don’t change,” said Dan Cassino, executive director of the FDU Poll. “New Jersey voters have never wanted to pump their own gas, and they still don’t want to pump their own gas.”
According to the latest poll, 64% of voters support the rule prohibiting drivers from pumping their own gas, while 24% oppose the current rule. A total of 12% either weren't sure how they felt or declined to answer the poll. The survey was conducted between June 23 and 30 of this year, according to FDU.
In 2012, FDU asked the same question in a poll. At that time, 63% of voters preferred to keep full-service gas, and 23% wanted to follow the rest of the country in allowing self-service.
"Perhaps surprisingly, support for full-service gas is slightly higher among young voters, with 68% support among voters 30 and under, falling to 61% among seniors," FDU said in a press release.
About four years ago, New Jersey Sen. Jon Bramnick, R-Union, introduced a bill that would reverse a law established in 1949 mandating full-service gas. The Motorist Fueling Choice and Convenience Act would allow drivers the opportunity to fill their own tanks, while preserving full-service for those who still aren't ready for the change. The bill has since stalled and has yet to be introduced. So, for now, Garden State drivers will stick with tradition and continue to keep their hands off the pump.
