The rise of expenses in the US is hitting every industry, even unexpected ones. Drivers are now cautioned to be vigilant about and extra charge that they could be incurring when putting gas in their car. Many gas stations have now decided to start charging their customers $1 dollar extra per gallon if they decide to pay with a credit card, and the signage does not always make it clear that they are applying this surcharge.
While it might not seem like a lot of money, after all, what is a dollar per gallon? But if the average car in the US has an average tank of 18 to 20 gallons, that is 18 to 20 dollars that gas stations are pocketing in fees that could be used to refuel your car.
The extra charge that some gas stations are tacking on when you pay via card
These charges are not happening in every gas station and in every state, but it is especially common as of late in the state of Florida, where many stations are offering lowering prices for cash payments. Although this might not sound as if it would be legal, it is, even in the country of credit cards, this surcharge is perfectly acceptable according to the law.
The thing is that the law is very clear on its requirements for the surcharge to be legal, and the main requirement is that it needs to be very clearly visible in a place where customers can see it, preferably even before starting the transaction. This is not always the case, in fact, many businesses have made efforts to ensure that the sign is as small as possible and only visible after the payment has gone through.
Unfortunately, despite the law and consumer protection agencies pointing out that this is considered an unfair practice, the onus is on the customer to read the signage before getting gas in their car. As long as the signs are there and visible, the business can simply argue that it is up there for customers to see and that it is not on them if they did not read the sign. It would take a lot for a sign to be considered hidden and the burden of proof would be on the customer.
If you just make the mistake once, loosing $20 is painful, but recoverable for most families, even those who struggle to make ends meet, but if this is a regular occurrence, depending on how much your drive, these fees could be costing you an entire gas tank a month if not more. The average annual gas expense per driver is more than $2,400, so if you start adding even more fees to that number you can very easily double it.
So, what can you do? The first thing is to read the signs when you go get gas. Asking the station employees is also not a bad idea, especially if it is your regular gas station, as they may also have some kind of loyalty or reward program that can help you save even more. Carrying cash just in case is also a good strategy, as if you do not see a sign until it is too late you will have an alternative way of paying, but perhaps more importantly is choosing a gas station that you know does not have these kinds of hidden fees. Making honest business is important and so is rewarding those who make an effort to do this, so, if the signs are clearly marked and employees are upfront, choose to do business there and pay cash, knowing that they are not trying to scam you or anyone else.