Driver Use and Perceptions of Refueling Stations Near Freeways in a Developing Infrastructure for Alternative Fuel Vehicles

There is growing agreement that refueling station location plans that aim to encourage public adoption of alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) should include sites near freeways in urban areas. Little is known, though, about the refueling behavior of early AFV adopters in these locations, which can involve travel on complex and congested roadways. To address this, an intercept travel survey collected data from 158 drivers of compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles who refueled at CNG stations near freeways in greater Los Angeles, California. Results show that these stations met refueling demand from across the majority of the metropolitan area, and the distribution of local and distant refueling demand was consistent except for the downtown station. Drivers also considered these stations to be safe and accessible. Nearly half of drivers did not include another local stop in conjunction with their refueling trip that required leaving and returning to the freeway. These respondents refueled on longer trips with lower fuel tank levels, while refueling at the station that minimized deviation. Refueling downtown negatively influenced refueling in this manner. These findings should be considered when recommending station sites near freeways in future AFV infrastructure plans.