This is not the first time that the topic of hot gas has appeared on our pages, and it;s not likely to be the last either. The problem, depending on who's side your own, is that gas expands as it increases in temperature. In summer months, it is possible that consumers are getting less gas in their tanks than they are paying for. Before all of the lawsuits were compiled into one class-action suit, there were privately filed suits in 26 states, Washington, D.C., and Guam. The now-single-suit claims that gas is, on average, 10 degrees hotter than the 60 degrees that gas companies calibrate their pumps at. Not only that, but consumers also claim that the gas companies make extra money by adjusting their numbers when it comes time to pay government taxes, but not when it comes time to charge consumers.

There are good arguments on both sides of this issue, and the gas companies claim they are just following procedures which are required by law. No decisions have been made regarding this issue in court, but U.S. District Judge Kathryn Vratil has ruled that the lawsuit shall proceed on its way to trial.

[Source: MSNBC]