TravelCenters of America LLC, operator of the TA® and Petro Stopping Centers® travel center brands, has announced the opening of its first two LNG (liquefied natural gas) fueling lanes at its Petro location at I-10, Exit 57 (4325 E. Guasti Rd.), in Ontario, CA.

Additionally, TravelCenters has completed retrofitting five of its TA and Petro Truck Service facilities to bring them in line with industry standards and regulations for completing truck service repairs on both CNG (compressed natural gas) and LNG trucks. These locations are:

  • Petro Ontario, CA
  • TA Harrisburg, PA (I-81, Exit 77)
  • TA Baytown, TX (I-10, Exit 789)
  • TA Dallas South, TX (I-20, Exit 472)
  • TA San Antonio, TX (I-10, Exit 583)

 “We are very happy to be opening our first LNG lanes today,” shared Tom O’Brien, President and CEO of TravelCenters. “All of our LNG lanes, at Ontario and future locations, will be ‘super lanes’ in that the lanes are equipped with dispensers that allow pumping of LNG, diesel and DEF. This ensures that those lanes can be fully utilized while the demand for LNG ramps up over the coming months and years. Additionally, by locating the LNG lanes with the existing fuel lanes, we haven’t interrupted truck traffic flow, or reduced available truck parking spaces at these sites.”

TravelCenters is taking a prudent approach to the emerging natural gas market, basing site selection and construction of its LNG fueling network on demand, with sites being developed in phases along heavily traveled long-haul transportation corridors. TravelCenters plans to have ten more fueling sites open by the end of 2014.

TA and Petro Stopping Centers Truck Service facility retrofits will enable TA Truck Service and Petro:Lube facilities to provide the same maintenance and repairs on both CNG and LNG trucks as they do on diesel trucks. TravelCenters is working with NGVi (Natural Gas Vehicle Institute) on training to ensure that its technicians are fully trained on service procedures and safety precautions.

TravelCenters and Shell announced an agreement in April 2013, to construct and operate a network of natural gas fueling lanes at TravelCenters locations along the U.S. interstate highway system. TravelCenters and Shell will construct at least two natural gas fueling lanes for large over-the-road trucks, and related storage capacity, at up to 100 TA and Petro Stopping Center locations nationwide over the coming years, based on customer demand. Shell will supply natural gas fuel to these locations.