Gas rationing solves the waiting game

Tom Speeches, pumping gas at Piccozzi’s service station on Bridge Street at 10:30 this morning described the first “odd morning” of gasoline rationing as “working like clockwork.”

“For the first time in 10 days there haven’t been crazy lines going in all directions,” Speeches said.

Suffolk County implemented a gas rationing policy effective this morning at 5 a.m., assigning days when drivers can buy gas based on their license plate number.

The odd-even policy means on odd numbered days of the month, only drivers with license plate numbers ending in an odd number will be sold gas; on even days of the month, cars with even-number-ending plates will be allowed to buy.

Vanity license plates without numbers will be counted as odd plates. The policy will not apply to commercial vehicles, taxis, limousines, or emergency fleets, nor will it apply to handheld gas canisters, according to a county statement.

Gas stations will be required to sell fuel only to drivers based on the odd-even license plate rule and out-of-state license plates will be subject to the same rules.

Today, November 9, is an “odd day.” Mr. Speeches said he had to turn away five drivers since opening this morning. “Four who were unaware of the policy and one who was unaware six is not an odd number,” he said.

O’s gas station, the only other filling station on the Island, was still without gasoline.