Kenneth Shriber

Seven reasons Speedway's eye-popping acquisition of Hess retail is "an excellent fit."

We love working with smaller fuel-distribution companies. They have unique personal dynamics. They bring many years of experience and knowledge to the table. For decades they have operated in their own sphere of influence, quietly and relatively immune to downward economic cycles. Yet once the owners of these companies decide to pursue a sale, something emotional (and perhaps physiological) happens.

With its supply abundance, significant price advantage and gasoline-like energy content to power readily available engine technology, how could compressed natural gas not become a dominant alternative to diesel fuel and gasoline?

Recently, I have given a lot of thought to a forward-looking reality of viable alternative transportation fuels sold at traditional U.S. retail gas outlets. To better understand the conclusions I reach in this column, it is important to be aware of what is possible today.