Fast-fill CNG at Love's Dallas truck stop

Love's Oak Cliff facility is located about 15 minutes outside Dallas, TX, off I-20, which cuts east-west across Texas. It's a "180 degree" store with gasoline and one CNG pump out front for motorists, with diesel and two fast-fill CNG pumps out back for heavy trucks.

One of two "fast fill" CNG pumps located at the far end of the diesel fuel island at Love's Oak Cliff location. The smaller yellow nozzle at the left can fully top off the CNG tanks of natural gas-fired Class 8 tractor in a little over 30 minutes, while the larger black nozzle to the right can do it in 25 minutes.

Right now, CNG is selling for $1.99 per equivalent gallon at Love's Oak Cliff location, which compares to $3.85 per gallon for diesel. That nearly $2 per gallon difference is one many trucking fleets -- such s Saddle Creek seen in this photo -- are switching over to CNG.

Bill Cashmareck, the general manager of natural gas at Love’s for the last two years, says the company plans to continue expanding its fast-fill CNG network at its travel stops nationwide. Right now the company operates 320 locations across 39 states.

Jenny Love Meyer, VP-communications at Love’s, notes that providing more CNG refueling points in the "Texas Triangle" linking Dallas, Houston and San Antonio conforms to the range limits of natural gas-fired vehicles and makes hauling freight using natural gas fuels more feasible.

Jason Isaac, state representative for Texas District 45, says fleets and individual owners are now equally eligible for a state grant of $2,500 when they buy a natural gas-fired vehicle.

Jim Decker, Dallas terminal manager for Dillon Transport, notes that 200 units out of Dillion's 400 truck fleet now runs on CNG or liquefied natural gas (LNG). He adds hat 50 of those natural gas-fired units -- all using CNG -- operate out of Dillion's Dallas facility in mainly local bulk hauling operations.

One of Dillion's CNG tractors lining up for refueling at Love's new CNG "fast fill" pumps . Love's is selling about 2,000 equivalent gallons of CNG per day from its Oak Cliff location, a number expected to quickly hit 4,000 equivalent gallons per day as the fast-fill pumps ramp up to speed.

Left to right: Kendrick Jones, general manager of Love's Oak Cliff truck stop; Kirk Johnson, one of Love's district manager; and Bill Cashmareck, general manager of natural gas for Love’s.

One of the benefits of CNG cited by drivers is that the refueling process is cleaner, with no fuel "spillage" or odor getting on their hands or seeping into their clothing. "I don't go home at night smelling like a diesel pump," one driver told Fleet Owner.