Clean Energy Fuels Corp., a natural gas fuel for transportation provider, has opened what it says is its first public natural gas station in the state of Oregon on Interstate 5 in Central Point, outside of Medford.
According to Clean Energy Fuels, the addition of this station enables customers to drive from San Diego to Seattle utilizing Clean Energy’s “America’s Natural Gas Highway.”
The station, located in the Pilot Travel Center Plaza at 275 Peninger Rd., dispenses both liquefied natural gas (LNG) and compressed natural gas (CNG) and is open to the public 24/7. Matheson Trucking, a U.S. Postal Service-contracted carrier, is using the station for its California-to-Seattle runs.
“The addition of this station allows us the strategic advantage of being able to rely on natural gas throughout our entire distribution system,” said Joshua Matheson, vice president of operations for Matheson Trucking Inc. “With an annual fleet distance of close to 36 million miles, we are always looking for ways to reduce [greenhouse-gas] emissions; and being able to use natural gas, specifically for our Los Angeles-to-Seattle runs, will help us do just that.”
Earlier this year, Clean Energy expanded its relationship with Fred Meyer Stores, a division of The Kroger Co., in Oregon by providing the large grocery retailer with Redeem renewable natural gas for its fleet of heavy-duty trucks.
Clean Energy also announced the opening of a private station in Wilsonville for longtime customer Republic Services, the nation’s second-largest solid waste management company. The station is supporting the addition of 16 CNG solid waste vehicles, bringing the total number of natural gas vehicles operated by Republic Services in Oregon to 35.
“Our natural gas fueling infrastructure continues to grow as more and more fleets and consumers turn to natural gas,” said Chad Lindholm, vice president of sales at Clean Energy. “By opening stations like Central Point and connecting the I-5 corridor, we can offer our customers the fuel and the infrastructure they need to make the transition to alternative fueling as seamless as possible.”
