California District Launches CNG Fueling Station

LODI, Calif. — A new compressed natural gas (CNG) station at Lodi Unified School District is fueling district buses and benefiting the community in other ways.

To install the CNG station, which has been in operation since last fall, Lodi Unified used funds from the California Energy Commission and the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District.

In a recent blog post, the Energy Commission reports that the station serves Lodi Unified’s 54 CNG school buses as well as light-duty support vehicles, and it has fueling capacity to meet planned fleet growth over the next five years.

“The CNG project has helped reduce fuel costs,” said Carlos Garcia, director of transportation for Lodi Unified. “Alternative-fueled vehicles help keep the air clean in the San Joaquin Valley, reducing the exposure of diesel fumes that can be harmful to students and the public.”

The other 36 of the district’s 90 school buses are powered by diesel and equipped with diesel particulate filters.

Beyond fueling Lodi Unified’s fleet, the CNG station serves as a backup for neighboring districts, businesses, and other local fleets, the Energy Commission reports.