New Jersey voters continue to overwhelmingly support the state’s ban on self-service gasoline, with little change in public opinion over the past 14 years, according to a new Fairleigh Dickinson University poll.
The survey, released today found that 64% of registered voters want to keep New Jersey’s longstanding requirement that gas station attendants pump fuel for customers, while 24% favor allowing drivers to pump their own gas. Those results are virtually unchanged from a 2012 FDU poll, when 63% supported maintaining full-service stations and 23% backed self-service.
New Jersey is the only state in the nation that still requires full-service gasoline stations statewide.
“At a time when everything seems unstable, it’s good to know that there are some things that just don’t change,” Dan Cassino, executive director of the FDU Poll, said in a statement. “New Jersey voters have never wanted to pump their own gas, and they still don’t want to pump their own gas.”
The poll found notable differences across demographic groups.
Women were considerably more likely than men to support the current law, with 74% favoring full-service compared with 56% of men. Even so, a majority of men said they preferred keeping attendants at the pump.
Cassino suggested the gender gap could reflect differing attitudes toward pumping gas.
“In the past, full-service gas has been seen as a safety measure for women,” he said. “But the gap between men and women could also just be men saying that they like doing things with their cars.”
Younger voters were slightly more supportive of full-service than older residents. Sixty-eight percent of voters age 30 and younger favored keeping the current system, compared with 61% of seniors.
The survey also found Democrats were somewhat more likely than Republicans to support maintaining the state’s full-service requirement, though the poll said that difference appeared to be largely explained by differences in age and gender rather than political affiliation itself.
New Jersey lawmakers have periodically proposed allowing self-service gasoline, often arguing that it could reduce prices or give motorists more options. Previous efforts have failed amid strong public opposition and concerns from gas station operators and attendants about potential job losses.
The latest poll suggests that resistance to changing the law remains firmly entrenched, despite New Jersey’s status as the nation’s lone holdout on mandatory full-service gasoline.
Why would you WANT to fill up yourself? Extra work for nothing.
As a senior (80+) I find it nice that I don’t have to get out and pump my own gas. Gas prices do not immediately drop when you can pump your own gas, insurance concerns are more expensive.
I don’t mind pumping my own gas. it should be optional
Self serve! I’m sick of waiting on long lines while half of the pumps are closed because of staffing shortages. Additionally even when it’s your turn, sometimes you need to wait a few minutes for the attendant to come to start pumping, and soothe few minutes once it’s finished pumping. I’m okay if they have optional full service at gas stations, just not mandatory.
We just AI to serve gas from now on.
Well, self-service also means it’s available 24 hours, so obviously most people don’t see that too necessary. And if you do it yourself, it can possibly drip on you a bit. And on highways, there is 24-hour service at rest stops. But if ladies needed to do it themselves they would learn how. Years ago, they knew how to do boosts! Today even men barely know where the release lever for the hood is!!!
Also, all this applies only to gas – not to electric charging stations!:)
Note, gas pumps are designed to reduce drips – this is for safety too, but to help reduce drips:
I love being served. Keep it up N.J.!
no one asked me to vote. hoe aboit we send this to the polls and let the people decide and not some pollster. I for one would rather pump it myself and not have to wait for the attendant