OKLAHOMA CITY --Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores has announced plans to open its first compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling site in Georgia, its most eastern location offering the alternative fuel to date.
The chain's Thomson, Ga., travel stop will be installing fast-fill CNG fueling by spring 2015, making it the 18th Love's location with the fuel offer. The new fueling site is being installed to serve a local fleet.
"Our network is rapidly growing largely because of customer demand," said Bill Cashmareck, general manager of natural gas for Love's. "Our initial CNG facilities in Oklahoma and Texas have been very well received and our customers are asking for it in additional regions. With this expansion, we can meet the needs of fleets and leisure drivers at a more competitive cost."
The anchor tenant, Werner Enterprises, Omaha, Neb., is said to be one of the top five largest truckload carriers in the country. Within the transportation industry, the company has been recognized for its sustainability efforts. It had approached Love's Travel Stops about adding CNG to the Thomson site as it began planning the purchase of eight CNG trucks for its local fleet.
"Love's has been a great business partner for many years as they've provided various services for our fleet," said Steve Phillips, senior vice president of fleet resources for Werner Enterprises. "Adding CNG at a growing number of locations, Thomson in particular, will help us run our business more efficiently, while also helping us uphold our commitment to clean, affordable and domestically produced energy."
The CNG fueling will be installed in-lane next to diesel and diesel exhaust fuel (DEF), and offer a fill rate of greater than 10 gallon equivalents per minute, filling up a 100-gallon-equivalent tank in 10 minutes or less.
Once open, the Thomson site will join other Love's fast-fill CNG fueling sites in Oklahoma, Texas, Ohio, Arizona, New Mexico and Arkansas.
Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores was founded in 1964 and is based in Oklahoma City. The family-owned and operated chain has more than 330 locations and 200 Love's Truck Tire Care centers in 39 states.
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