PennDOTT Signs Trillium CNG to Build 29 Transit CNG Stations

Trillium CNG, a provider of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and CNG fueling stations, has been selected

by Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) for the department’s CNG transit fueling

station Public-Private Partnership (P3) project. PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards explained that

Trillium will design, build, finance, operate and maintain CNG fueling stations at 29 public transit agency

sites through a 20-year P3 agreement.

Trillium CNG, which includes Larson Design Group of Williamsport, is to build the CNG fueling stations at

transit agencies around the state during the next five years. The $84.5 million station implementation

program calls for the following rollout: 2016 – 3 stations, 2017 – 13, 2018 – 3, 2019 – 6, 2020 – 1, and

2021 – 3 stations. Some of the stations will include a public refueling facility. In addition, the firm will

also make CNG-related upgrades to existing transit maintenance facilities.

“The department is excited to partner on this project that will bring benefits for the state, our transit

partners and the public for years to come,” Richards said. “The project’s aggressive schedule means that

we’ll realize cost, environmental and operational benefits quickly.”

As part of Trillium’s proposal, CNG fueling will be accessible to the public at seven transit agency sites,

with the option to add to additional sites in the future. PennDOT will receive a 15 percent royalty,

excluding taxes, for each gallon of fuel sold to the public, which will be used to support the cost of the

project. The team has guaranteed at least $2.1 million in royalties over the term of the agreement.

PennDOT also expects transit agencies and the department to see significant savings due to the project.

Based on current CNG, diesel and gasoline prices as well as fuel usage, agencies can save a total of more

than $10 million annually. Due to these expected savings, transit agencies’ sustainability is increased and

dependency on state operational subsidies is reduced. After 10 years, the department estimates that

the project will pay for itself with the estimated $100 million in savings.

“With Pennsylvania’s natural gas resources, this project will not only bring efficiencies for transit

agencies and the state, but we’re also helping establish a foothold for the CNG transportation market in

areas that may not have seen this opportunity for some time,” Richards said.

Using the P3 procurement mechanism allows PennDOT to install the fueling stations faster than if a

traditional procurement mechanism was used for each site, resulting in significant estimated capital cost

savings of more than $46 million. When the project is completed, the fueling stations will supply gas to

more than 1,600 CNG buses at transit agencies across the state.

Trillium CNG, headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, was recently acquired by Love’s Travel Stops &

Country Stores, Inc. of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

NGS INDIA