One question I still seem to get asked quite a bit on the road is, "Is it much more difficult to fuel natural gas versus diesel?"  My answer to that question usually comes in two parts, a simple answer and a slightly more complicated one that follows.  Anyone can point out downsides of using alternative fuels, whether it is cheap diesel or lack of fueling sites available.  Being that I get to focus on making it a viable option for my operation, I like to explore the good, the bad and the ugly!
 
This station I fueled at recently, coincidentally had both CNG and LNG fuel pumps.  Mind you that even out of the 10-12 pumps total at this station, only 2 of them are dedicated to natural gas, making it the odd-ball at this station.  I began to look at the two different types of pumps remembering the question I get asked concerning filling difficulty.  As I recall the LNG trucks are usually in and out nearly as fast, if not faster than I am from start to finish.  This leads me towards the easy answer to the filling difficulty question in regards to natural gas, which is when I tell people it is as fast as diesel and just as easy once you know where the stations are.
 
As I look at the LNG pump though, I can’t help but to think of the second part of the answer that I usually give in vague detail.  It has to do with the difference in fueling mechanisms between the two similar, yet very different types.  As I look at the pumps the first thing that stands out at me is the fact that the hose for the fuel flow on the LNG pump is iced over from the previous truck that came through and filled.  As I inspect further, it is obvious that there is a lot more that goes on with a LNG pump in comparison to a CNG pump.  There is a grounding cable to ground your tractor, an air gun to blow away moisture, and the filling nozzle itself looks like something you might fuel a NASA shuttle with!  The safety instructions are far more complicated than the “hook it and go” method used for CNG, but for some people’s operation this is the most effective route when going natural gas.
 
I will admit that the ease of CNG fueling and availability of CNG stations in Southern California was a major deciding factor for me when deciding to take on CNG.  Now that I pay close attention to the fueling, I still prefer the simple fueling that CNG provides, which is probably even easier than fueling a diesel, since I don’t have to worry about a DEF tank.  Not that it was my only deciding factor against LNG, as the evaporation and bleed-off were also concerns I had for extended periods of parking the truck with fuel in it.  The fact that I am happy with CNG as my alternative fuel of choice will now be reinforced every time I have to look at the fuel pumps at this station and remember how thankful I am that I don’t have change into my personal protective equipment to fuel my truck!

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Jimmy Nevarez

Jimmy Nevarez is the Owner/President of Angus Transportation, Inc., based in Chino, California.  Jimmy pulls a 53' dry van hauling general dry freight for his own small fleet, operating on its own authority throughout all of Southern California and Southern Nevada.

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