Gain Clean Fuel to Open CNG Station in South Texas

Photo: C.A.T. International

Gain Clean Fuel has partnered with FastFlow CNG to build and manage a co-branded compressed natural gas fueling station in South Texas.

The station is located in Laredo to meet the CNG fueling needs of C.A.T. International, a North American carrier, and other trucking fleets with an alternative fuel station to support CNG trucks in the area. The station is scheduled to open in Sept. 2016.

“This site will complete the network of CNG stations we need to fuel CNG trucks on our routes,” said Daniel Goyette, C.A.T. president. “We have successfully added CNG to our fleet over the past year and have seen substantial savings in emissions.”

Nearly a third of C.A.T.'s fleet of 350 tractors have been converted to CNG. This station, along with four additional Gain Clean Fuel stations that opened last year in Toronto, Ontario; Coteau-du-Lac, Montreal; Charlotte, N.C., and Scranton, Penn., as part of the partnership, will be combined with the existing Gain Clean Fuel North American network to provide C.A.T. access to a reliable and quality source of CNG.

FastFlow CNG is partnering with Gain on the new location, using the company's experience in the Texas market to provide fleets with a CNG fueling option along U.S. Highway 83, a well-travelled lane connecting the U.S. to Mexico.

“We're excited about the opportunity to partner with Gain Clean Fuel to provide C.A.T. a site that will close the loop on their CNG fueling needs,” said Matt Russell, IFS marketing director. “FastFlow CNG has served this region to help build America's energy independence by providing high quality CNG stations and we look forward to the additional opportunities that come with partnering with Gain Clean Fuel to be part of a recognized nation-wide CNG network.”

U.S. Gain, a division of U.S. Venture, is a CNG provider offering fleet operators access to Gain Clean Fuel. Its fuel stations are strategically located for carriers along major shipping corridors and provide access to fast-fill CNG stations. C.A.T. is a truckload carrier offering service between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico.

Related: Natural Gas Stations to Cross 39K by 2026

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TP-8617 Designed to Pinpoint All Leaks

The Tracerline EZ-Ject A/C and Fluid Kit TP-8617 is a leak detection kit designed to pinpoint all leaks including refrigerant, oil and other fluids.

The main component of the kit is the Opti-Pro cordless, true UV LED leak detection flashlight with a 100,00-hour LED service life. The flashlight features 100-watt lamps to provide optimal fluorescent dye contrast and responsiveness from up to 15 feet away.

The kit contains an EZ-Ject universal, co-solvent free, multi-dose A/C dye cartridge that services up to 14 vehicles. It also includes a 1-ounce bottle of Dye Lite All-In-One oil dye, a 1-ounce bottle of Dye-Lite water-based dye for coolant leaks, an EZ-Ject A/C dye injector with hose and coupler, and fluorescence-enhancing glasses.

All of these tools come in a carrying case for easier storage and retrieval. The dyes do not need to be flushed out and can safely stay in the system.

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Black Lives Matter Protests Shut Down Highways

Some truckers found themselves in a sticky situation over the weekend as protesters angry about recent police killings tried to block highways, and in some cases succeeded. Photos show protesters climbing on top of tractors and trailers in some locations.

The shooting deaths of Philando Castile in St. Paul, Minn., and Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, La., have, as ABC News put it, “set off a tumultuous chain of events and ignited a fierce debate over police tactics and race relations that continues to roil communities across the nation.”

In St. Paul late Saturday night, protesters caused an hours-long shutdown on part of I-94 west of downtown. Hundreds of protesters were spread across the eastbound and westbound lanes, according to published reports, with many throwing objects at police, who eventually used smoke to help disperse the crowd. About 50 protesters were arrested on I-94 and some police officers were injured.

In Memphis, Tenn., I-40 was blocked in both directions for about four hours Sunday evening after more than 1,000 people occupied the bridge over the Mississippi River.

Demonstrators in Oakland, Calif., blocked traffic along Interstate 880 Thursday night. Although the California Highway Patrol issued an alert around 9 p.m. asking drivers to use alternate routes, and commercial trucks were given permission to use Interstate Highway 580 on a temporary basis, some trucks were still stuck in the mess.

In Baton Rouge, La., police kept a group of protesters from entering I-110 late Sunday after a lengthy standoff. Some 30 to 40 people were taken into custody for trying to block a highway. One striking image of that confrontation, of a woman in a dress being confronted by police in riot gear, has gone viral on social media. Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said at a late weekend news conference that he didn't believe using riot gear to push protesters away from highway ramps was overly aggressive, according to the Associated Press.

In Southern California late Sunday night, protesters shut down a major intersection and blocked traffic on the 405 Freeway for several minutes.

In Atlanta Friday night, police kept protesters from entering the Interstate, but one local trucker on his regular route was caught in the downtown protest. WSB-TV2 in Atlanta spoke by phone with Chris Golden, who used the opportunity to promote his business as a recording artist. Footage showed people climbing on top of his truck and trailers, but Golden was supportive of the protesters, saying it was “all about unity,” noting that black and white protesters were both involved, calling it “a beautiful sight.”

On social media, some truckers said they wouldn't be so understanding and suggested they would not stop for protesters.

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Why wouldn’t you?

It can be difficult for fleets to measure fuel economy gains in the 0.5% to 1.5% range. And that is the range they can expect to see if they switch from 15W-40 engine lubricant to low-viscosity 5W/10W-30 lubricants.

This was one of the findings of the Confidence Report on Low-Viscosity Engine Lubricants that we recently released. Low-viscosity lubricants serve to reduce engine mechanical losses; that's how they save fuel.

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