BETA
Chapter 1
The battle of Hackensack
Chapter 2
The science of the pump
Chapter 3
Jobs, lobbies, and Jersey culture
Chapter 4
Oregon and the shifting landscape
YOUR GOAL
Master of The New Jersey gas law
Ch 3 · Jobs, lobbies, and Jersey culture
andy Swipe away hands reaching for the pump to discover why New Jersey outlaws self-service.
andy New Jersey Gas Pumping Ban
In New Jersey, You don't pump your own gas, Attendants fill your tank, Safety's the law, since '49!
andy The ban has evolved from a simple business regulation into a beloved badge of state pride and cultural identity.
andy The New Jersey Gasoline, C-Store, Automotive Association represents station owners and fiercely defends the full-service mandate.
Fun Fact
Jersey pride: The slogan 'Jersey girls don't pump gas' is so popular that it has appeared on thousands of bumper stickers, t-shirts, and local souvenirs.
Glossary
attendant (noun)
A person employed to provide a service or assist people in a public place. New Jersey's 1949 safety act legally requires these workers to dispense fuel at all gas stations.
A person employed to provide a service or assist people in a public place. New Jersey's 1949 safety act legally requires these workers to dispense fuel at all gas stations.
Quiz
Which neighboring state has historically had much higher gas taxes, making drivers cross into New Jersey for fuel?
Quiz
How did New Jersey historically keep its gas prices low despite the labor cost of hiring pump attendants?
Quiz
What weather condition makes New Jersey residents especially grateful for the state's full-service mandate?
Quiz
What popular cultural slogan became a famous bumper sticker celebrating New Jersey's unique pumping law?
Quiz
In what year was the New Jersey Gasoline, C-Store, Automotive Association originally founded?
Quiz
Which powerful trade group, founded in 1937, actively lobbies to keep New Jersey's gas law in place?
Quiz
What major benefit of full-service gas stations do elderly and disabled drivers frequently praise?