Gas Station Owners: Have You Noticed Increased Crime?
Paterson Joins AC in Banning Fueling Up ATVs
Healthcare Program Webinar
Thank you to our members who were able to join us and World Insurance last week to learn more about a brand-new health plan that NJGCA is offering to members that has not been offered before. Members who have already taken the time to investigate the program are finding significant savings in many cases. As you are all aware, healthcare is a huge expense for any business. Especially this time of year, it’s a good opportunity to at least explore your options. Only NJGCA members and their employees are allowed in this plan, and the plan can be tailored to even accommodate just one person. If you were not able to join the webinar and would like to learn more, you can watch a recording from the November 9th webinar HERE. You can also visit the NJGCA Health Benefit Program page and take the census to review your options. If you have any questions on the plan, please email michelle@njgca.org who will forward your question to World Insurance to answer. It costs nothing to investigate your options!
MBP Survey
Earlier this year, you should have received the 2022 NJGCA Member Benefit Partner Brochure, which provides information about all of the companies/businesses/vendors that have partnered with NJGCA to provide our members with the highest quality products and services.
Now, it's time for you to tell us what you think! The information and feedback that you provide will help us tailor our Member Benefit Partners program to best suit the needs of our membership. If you also use companies which are not currently NJGCA MBPs that you are happy with, please let us know so we can determine if there are businesses that we would like to partner with in the future.
This year, we are excited to announce a giveaway tied to our survey. All NJGCA members who complete the survey will be automatically entered to win a $25 Amazon gift card. We will randomly select four winners on December 9th who will receive a gift card by email.
This survey allows you the opportunity to give feedback about the companies that you do business with, from Compliance Testing Companies to Retail Distributors to law firms. Please complete this short survey, even if you do not use a NJGCA MBP listed in our brochure. Your feedback will help us learn more about other businesses and services that we may want to include in future brochures.
As we mentioned a few weeks ago, the state lottery commission proposed regulations to move towards selling draw-based lottery games (like Powerball) directly to consumers through the internet and through a mobile app that they will design. There are about ten other states, including Pennsylvania, that do this. There are a lot of steps involved before such a program could launch, but we submitted our formal comments opposing this regulation and asking that it be repealed. If they don’t repeal it, we proposed they at least add in some protections for existing retailers. We also requested (and will continue to do so) an increase in lottery commissions for all retailers, as it becomes clear with recent inflation that the 5% commission rate doesn’t cover it for retailers anymore. You can read our full comments on the regulation HERE.
Gas Station Crime
We recently were asked to make a comment in an article on NJ 101.5 regarding a spike in gas station crime in Philadelphia, warning motorists and business employees to keep aware of their surroundings at all times and always have your cell phone on hand. Thankfully, as we noted in the article, we have not heard of a similar spike in New Jersey from our membership. However, if you are experiencing an increase in crime at your business, please reach out to Michelle at michelle@njgca.org and let us know.
Paterson ATV Gas Ban
Paterson will be joining Atlantic City in enacting an ordinance banning ATVs and dirt bikes from filling up at gas stations within the city limits. The town council reached out to local gas stations to make sure they felt comfortable with the ordinance language; and at least one station owner was happy enough about the proposal to host the mayor at the official press conference announcing the ordinance. Similar to Atlantic City, if an attendant feels threatened in any way by an ATV rider, they are allowed to fill the vehicle without being fined as long as they report the incident to the police.
These ATV's have been a growing problem in many urban areas and we already previously reported our prediction that other cities would follow suit with Atlantic City. If your business is in an urban area or close to one, your town council may do something similar and, unfortunately, not all local officials will be as good at reaching out to business owners to approve the regulation language. So, as always, make sure you keep an eye on what your city government is doing. Feel free to email Eric@njgca.org if something like this comes up in your city and you are concerned.
All classes held at NJGCA HQ -- 615 Hope Road, Building 2, 1st Floor, Eatontown, NJ 07724
ASE Training Course - Reach Out Today!
Are you (or an employee) getting ready to take your A6, A8, or L1 in preparation to recertifying your Emission Repair Technician (ERT) credentials through the State's Emission Technician Education Program (ETEP)?
We can help --- but we need to hear from you, first! NJGCA wants to hear from students interested in our ASE-prep training program, so we can gauge demand and schedule our next session series.
As you know, the NJ Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) has always maintained a "dual-track" system to allow technicians to earn their Emission Repair Technician (ERT) credentials through New Jersey's Emission Technician Education Program (ETEP). In doing so, technicians were allowed to certify as ERTs through either an ASE-test track or an ETEP-educational class track. Starting on January 1, 2020, NJDEP amended the ETEP criteria, and the ETEP-educational class track was abolished.
Today, only the ASE-test track remains, and all ERTs must certify or re-certify their credentials though ASE to remain in the Program.
NJGCA has recently offered an ASE-prep class to help you get ready for the A6, A8, and L1. In doing so, students were welcome to participate in a ten-session preparatory class that covered material for all three ASE exams. We also had a handful of students who joined us only for the A8 or L1 sections.
Once completed, students took their ASE exams with a local ASE-approved test proctor (NJGCA can train you to prepare for the ASE exams, but are not permitted to offer the actual exam - students must make these arrangements individually themselves).
Building on that success, we are now seeking student participation in our next training series session. To make arrangements and organize a session, we need to hear from you!
Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Pérez has defeated Joe Kent, a far-right Republican endorsed by former President Trump, delivering a major upset in Washington's 3rd Congressional District, the Associated Press reported Saturday night. . . Gluesenkamp Pérez, who lives in rural Skamania County and owns an auto shop in Portland, was leading Kent by a narrow margin on Saturday afternoon, according to the Washington secretary of state's office.
Just six months into a statewide ban on single-use paper and plastic bags, billions of these bags have avoided circulation in New Jersey, advocates say. By the middle of next year, it's estimated that the state's law will have saved more than 8 billion bags, at food stores alone, from entering the cycle, and eventually waterways and landfills. "It is our opinion that this is one of the most successful environmental programs ever implemented in New Jersey," said Linda Doherty, president and CEO of New Jersey Food Council, which represents supermarkets across the state. . . But now advocates are concerned about an abundance of reusable bags. They're calling on customers with excess bags from delivery service to donate those bags to local food banks, which have been scheduled to see their exemption from the law expire in November. 11/14/22
The national average for a gallon of gasoline slid three cents in the past week to $3.77. The main reason is the global cost for oil, gasoline’s main ingredient, has been stuck in a narrow price range of $85 to $92 a barrel for several weeks. “While the national average has barely budged, there are now about 13 states with some stations selling gas below $3 a gallon,” said Andrew Gross, AAA spokesperson. “More gas stations could follow, which may be a big help with road trip budgeting as Thanksgiving approaches.”
New Jersey's third-biggest city is revving up its crackdown against illegal dirt bikes. City leaders in Paterson approved a new ordinance in hopes of combatting growing concerns from dirt bikes, ATVs, and other illegal vehicles. That order will bar gas station attendants from putting gas into those rides. "I call them the toys of terror," Mayor Andre Sayegh said in Monday's announcement. Anyone caught pumping gas for such vehicles could face a $500 fine for the first offense, and $2,000 for offenses after that. Wrecking havoc across the city, officials have zeroed in on the vehicle use after repeated injuries and some fatalities involving the rides.
Tesla has long offered a driver-assistance system called Autopilot, which can steer, brake and accelerate its cars on highways. But Full Self-Driving is something different. It is an effort to extend this kind of technology beyond highways and onto city streets. . . The moment highlighted the difference between Tesla’s self-driving technology and “robotaxi” services being developed by companies like Waymo, owned by the same parent company as Google, and Cruise, backed by General Motors. The robotaxi companies are trying to reduce these unexpected moments by tightly controlling where and how a car can drive. Using laser sensors called lidar, they build three dimensional digital maps of individual neighborhoods that give cars a fine grained understanding of their environment. Then they spend months or even years testing cars in these contained areas.
This Thanksgiving holiday, 54.6 million Americans are planning to travel 50 miles or more away from their homes, according to AAA. The amount is 1.5% more than travelers during last year’s Thanksgiving festivities and 98% of pre-pandemic volumes. AAA is predicting 2022 will be the third busiest year for Thanksgiving travel since AAA started tracking in 2000. “Families and friends are eager to spend time together this Thanksgiving, one of the busiest for travel in the past two decades,” said Paula Twidale, AAA’s senior vice president of travel. “Plan ahead and pack your patience, whether you’re driving or flying.” AAA finds that most travelers will reach their destinations by car, which is similar to last year. Nearly 49 million people are expected to drive, and while Thanksgiving road trips have slightly risen—up 0.4% from 2021—car travel remains 2.5% below 2019 levels.
Each week, the Energy Information Administration publishes a list of average gasoline prices for the previous three weeks. NJGCA will begin including this list with the Weekly Road Warrior. Remember, these prices are reflective of self-serve everywhere except NJ.
Parts For Sale: Incon TS-1000 tank monitor works well just taken out of service. Printer is aprox 2 months old. Also, Incon 8, tank probes. System replaced because on an Exxon upgrade. Call John Twin Towers Exxon (201) 224-8444
