Motorists could be asked soon to pay for air to pump tyres at service stations, if members of the Jamaica Gasoline Retailers Association (JGRA) have their way.

According to JGRA president Trevor Heaven, service station owners have been forking out huge sums of money to keep the air pumps up and running amid constant misuse and vandalism from members of the public.

“We have now suggested that gas stations look at the possibility of charging to pump tyres,” Heaven told Auto yesterday.

He said that the proposed system would use tokens purchased inside the service station with each token allowing a motorist to pump all four tyres.

“We have come up with the option of using tokens [and] the cost will be minimal, about $20 per use,” said the JGRA president.

“Once you lift the lever you pump all four tyres and put it back, then it resets itself,” he added.

Heaven was however uncertain when the practice would become widespread, but said that two service stations are moving ahead with the idea.

“I am not aware of any station that has already installed the token-operated pumps, but I know one or two that are looking seriously at using them.”

One of the two stations strongly contemplating the move is located in Kingston, the other in Mandeville, but Heaven declined to give specific locations.

He insisted that the high cost service station operators face in maintaining the air pumps has spurred the drastic move. According to Heaven a single hose and valve attachment cost about $25,000 to replace while an air scale (pump) was priced in the region of $250,000 each.

The JGRA president placed the blame not only on errant motorists, but also on people who he said misused the pumps for purposes they were not designed.

“The trouble is a lot of the problems come from people other than the motoring public,” he said.

“Footballs and floaters do not have valves so they tamper with the chuck to get air in these things then they leave it like that,” Heaven charged.

He also accused truck drivers who he said often cut off the air hoses to use on the air compression system of their vehicles. “It is the same air hose that they use,” he said. “Those are some of the challenges that we face.”

For years motorists have complained about the widespread absence of air pumps at service stations.

In fact, as far back as 2006 the Observer reported on the absence of air hoses at pumps across the Corporate Area. At the time service station owners also blamed the lack of hoses on vandalism and said they were planning measures to protect the air pumps.

However, Heaven then stressed that although some members were in favour of a fee, this had not been accepted by the general membership of the association.

“It is a very sensitive thing and free air has been accepted as a standard,” he said.

But that position appears to have been blown out the window with the developing move by the service stations.

“It’s something we have discussed and have recommended going forward.

We have reached that point ,” Heaven said yesterday.