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State and local officials joined representatives from Ruan and U.S. Gain as they watched a Ruan compressed natural gas (CNG) truck break the ribbon to celebrate the grand opening of the newest GAIN® Clean Fuel CNG station in North America. The GAIN Clean Fuel station, located at 1205 NE Broadway Avenue in Des Moines, IA, is U.S. Gain’s CNG brand and will fuel Ruan’s fleet of recently converted CNG trucks.
Ralph Arthur, Ruan’s president of Dedicated Contract Carriage, said he is excited to have this station open.
“A lot of research and planning has gone into making the conversion from diesel fuel to CNG,” he said.
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“This is a significant next step forward for our company. We believe it's more than just good business; it’s a commitment to making our trucking operations part of the equation when it comes to the stewardship of the environment."
Ruan currently has 85 CNG tractors in the Midwest—and 100 nationwide—with plans to expand to additional units where there is a fit.
Jay Byers, CEO of the Greater Des Moines Partnership, congratulated Ruan for being a community leader at the grand opening.
“As you know, the Ruan family has long been a leader in the continued growth and evolution of Greater Des Moines,” Byers said. “That spirit of leadership is engrained in the company, and this is another example of Ruan serving as an industry leader and making Greater Des Moines an excellent place to do business. This is a big economic development win, but it is more than that. Ruan’s decision to convert some of its fleet from diesel to compressed natural gas again positions Ruan as a leader in making our community more environmentally friendly, which will benefit all of our residents.”
Other community leaders also support the new partnership.
“Not only will it be good for Ruan’s business by reducing fuel costs, CNG has much cleaner emissions than diesel fuel, which helps everyone by creating a healthier environment for those who live and work here,” said Des Moines Mayor Pro-Tem Christine Hensley at the grand opening. “This is a great example of what people, when thinking about the future, can accomplish when they act together.”
The new station will be incorporated into U.S. Gain’s network of Gain Clean Fuel stations throughout the North America. “Despite reduced oil prices, which have lowered the price of diesel fuel, we’re still seeing significant growth in the use of CNG,” said U.S. Gain General Manger Bill Renz. It is anticipated that in 2016, this facility will use the equivalent of 1 million gallons of diesel fuel.
Following remarks at the grand opening, Ruan professional driver Billy Wright showed the crowd of approximately 50 people how the trucks are fueled. Attendees also received a tour of the CNG compressors on site.
For more information on CNG, please see our white paper.