If you’ve ever driven a heavy-duty truck across the U.S. — especially through plains or mountain passes — you’ve probably seen diesel pumps at every exit, but far fewer for LNG. As someone who runs and supplies LNG refueling stations, I can’t stress enough how much where you put one directly determines if it makes money or turns into a white elephant. I’ve seen two stations that were built identical, with the same equipment, same price, same service contracts — one crushes its monthly goals and the other sits idle. The only big difference? Location. Let’s break this down like I’d explain it to a truck driver leaning on his rig mid-run, not a stuffy industry conference attendee. LNG Refueling Station
First up: truck routes and freight corridors. LNG is basically a no-brainer for long-haul heavy trucks because it’s way cheaper per mile than diesel, and it has more range than electric for cross-country runs. But if your station’s not on a route that drivers have to take, they’ll just detour 10 miles out to a diesel stop they already know. Back in 2021, we supplied a station for a client in a small, remote town in the Pacific Northwest — it was cute, had a great view of Mount Rainier, but it was 20 miles off the main I-5 freight corridor. Within six months, the client hit us up begging to move the station, because only local farmers used it, and farmers don’t have enough vehicles to make LNG worth their while. Fast forward to last year, another client of ours put a station right off I-40 in Texas, where 10,000+ heavy trucks pass daily. They hit 80% of their maximum capacity within three months. Why? That’s a route connecting Dallas, Houston, and Albuquerque — no way around it for cross-country freight. If you’re an LNG supplier, we always hammer home: don’t build where drivers don’t already have a reason to pass.
Next, access to industrial hubs. LNG isn’t just for trucks. A lot of our clients use it for backup power, fleet vehicles for ports, or even small industrial machinery — like construction or mining equipment. If your station is in a town with nothing but a few houses and a grocery store, you’re only capturing one customer type, and that’s not enough. Last year, we worked with a company that put a station in a suburban area near Chicago. They thought “suburban” would be good because truck drivers can stop on their way into the city, but there were no industrial warehouses nearby, no port facilities, no large construction sites within 15 miles. They barely made $5k a month on fuel sales, when a similar station 20 miles away, right by the Port of Gary, makes $40k+ a month. Why? Port trucks, warehouse fleet vehicles, and construction crews all need LNG, so they’re already driving through that area. Access to these big, high-volume users makes or breaks your station’s business. We tell every new client: scope out the industrial stuff first, not just how easy it is for a driver to turn off the highway. You need both, but industrial users are the repeat, high-volume money makers.
Then there’s competition and regional demand. LNG isn’t universal everywhere. Some states have way more heavy truck traffic than others, so LNG demand is way higher. For example, in California, a lot of fleet operators are switching to alternative fuels to meet emissions rules, so LNG stations there have way more customers than in a rural area of North Dakota where most trucks are light and run on diesel. But even in high-demand areas, too many stations in a small zone can kill each other. A few years back, we supplied three stations all within a 5-mile stretch near Los Angeles. All three were built the same time, all had the same fuel price. Within a year, two of them were running at 30% capacity because they split the same number of customers. Now, we tell clients: do a quick check for how many LNG stations are within a 20-mile radius. If there’s more than two, you’ll struggle to get enough business. But also, don’t ignore emerging demand — places that are starting to push for low-emission fuels, like parts of Florida or Arizona, where long-haul truck use is growing. We’ve had clients in those areas who built stations before the big freight shift, and now they’re the only game in town so they can charge a slight premium and still be busy.
Don’t sleep on local regulations and infrastructure, either. This is the part a lot of new station owners miss, and it can sink you before you even pump a gallon. Some cities have super strict zoning rules for fuel stations, especially LNG, because they’re worried about safety. If your city won’t let you build a station within 1,000 feet of a school or a residential neighborhood, that might not sound like a big deal — until the only spot that fits your footprint and route access is 800 feet from a elementary school. We recently had a client in Denver who tried to build a station near I-70, but the city changed zoning rules six months before construction started, saying fuel stations in that corridor were “too dangerous” and they wouldn’t approve permits. That set them back a year and cost them $120k in pre-construction fees. Also, access to natural gas pipelines is a huge one. LNG stations need a steady, affordable supply of natural gas to make the fuel, or to load it into trucks. If you’re a remote spot with no pipeline access, you’re gonna have to truck in LNG, which adds 20-30 cents per gallon to your costs. That price hike makes you way less competitive against diesel, so even if you’re on a great truck route, you’ll lose customers. We always help clients check pipeline maps first — that’s non-negotiable for long-term profit.
Another angle: customer visibility and convenience for stopover needs. Truck drivers don’t just need fuel — they need a place to park, grab food, use a restroom. I’ve seen stations that are on a great route, but they’re hidden behind a warehouse, or they only have a tiny parking lot that can fit two big rigs. Drivers won’t risk parking on the shoulder for an hour to fuel up, they’ll just go to the next stop. The Texas station I mentioned earlier? It’s right next to a Pilot travel center. Drivers know that spot, they can fuel up, grab a burger, sleep for a few hours — it’s a one-stop shop. So not only do they get LNG, but the station is part of a place drivers already trust. Compare that to a station in Wyoming that we supplied, that was on I-80, but it had no parking, no nearby restaurants — it only serves local garbage trucks. That’s a total waste of a great route. We always tell clients: if you can team up with a nearby travel center or truck stop, that’s a huge win. The convenience factor brings in way more drivers than just “here’s a pump off the highway.”
Let’s do a quick real-world example to make this stick. Last year, we helped a pair of trucking companies in Ohio build two identical LNG stations. One was in Cleveland, right off I-90, near a big warehouse district and within 10 miles of the Port of Cleveland. It had pipeline access, a 20-space truck parking lot, and it partnered with a nearby TA truck stop for food. That station’s average monthly fuel sales? $520,000. The other station was in a small town 30 miles south, on a backroad that only saw local farm and truck traffic. It had no pipeline access, so they had to truck in LNG, and no nearby truck stops. That station’s average monthly sales? $45,000. Same equipment, same price, same service — the only difference was location. That’s how big it is.
Now, if you’re thinking about getting into the LNG refueling business, don’t just pick a spot because it’s cheap or has a nice view. Think about where your customers are: long-haul truck routes, industrial hubs, places that have demand for low-emission fuels. Check competition, zoning rules, and pipeline access. And don’t sleep on convenience for drivers — if you can make their stop easy, they’ll come back.
We’ve been supplying LNG refueling stations for over a decade, and we’ve seen every location win and fail. If you’re scoping out a spot, need help assessing if it’s gonna work, or want to talk through equipment options that fit your location, hit us up to connect for procurement and business discussions. We’re here to make sure your station doesn’t end up being that white elephant we talked about earlier — we want it to be the one that crushes its goals.
Gas Steam Boiler References
- U.S. Energy Information Administration. (2022). Natural Gas Transportation Fuel Market Outlook.
- American Trucking Associations. (2023). Long-Haul Truck Fueling Infrastructure Report.
- National Propane Gas Association. (2021). LNG Station Location Best Practices.
- Federal Highway Administration. (2022). Heavy-Duty Alternative Fuel Corridor Assessment.
Xinxiang Huayuan Container Equipment Co., Ltd.
With abundant experience, we are one of the most reliable LNG refueling station manufacturers and suppliers in China. We warmly welcome you to buy durable LNG refueling station made in China here from our factory. If you have any enquiry about cooperation, please feel free to email us.
Address: No.2, South Road, Industrial Cluster Zone, Genghuang Township, Fengquan District, Xinxiang City, Henan Province
E-mail: cncd527@gmail.com
WebSite: https://www.huayuanequipment.com/
