Keep public cng pump at Albuquerque!! NOT to Clean Energy!

[cngacrossusa]

Hello ALL cng supporters,

During recent trip through NM, I learned from Plant Spvsr that Albuquerque, NM public cng pump (ONLY public pump in Albuquerque) is being solicited by Clean Energy to "purchase" the public cng pump. ARRGGHHH!! Never!!

This Albuquerque pump is terrific 2 hose public pump (3,000 psi and 3,600 psi) right in the middle of University of New Mexico campus. It's a bit hard to find the first time, but it's worth it as only $2 per gge and gives a good fill while only needing a credit card to purchase cng.

I've emailed the President of UNM (David Schmidly) and pleaded that he keep the sole Albuquerque public cng pump under the control of UNM and NOT do anything with Clean Energy. I plead each of you to also email to:
UNM President, David J. Schmidly
[email protected]
and ask him to maintain the public cng pump under complete control of University of New Mexico.

Thank you in advance for your help !!! Sincerely,
cngacrossusa
Go CNG !! Cleanest fuel on the planet (except for solar and wind).

[lovemygx]

Re: Keep public cng pump at Albuquerque!! NOT to Clean Energy!

Why are you so angry with Clean Energy? I use them in So Cal and find that they are more reliable than other fueling stations....

[CNGRULES]

Re: Keep public cng pump at Albuquerque!! NOT to Clean Energy!

cngacrossusa, if you are here in NM, you need to stop hating! You do not understand the situation here at UNM. CE has been working on a deal to begin marketing the use of the site to other fleets and consumers in order to save it from being shut down.

Clean Energy already owns the site and all the compression equipment at UNM, they have for years. UNM only owns the fuel dispenser. The reason for the transition is that the aging UNM bus fleet will eventually be retired and they do not plan to replace the units with CNG. CE has recently been expanding here in the state, we have seen them at clean cities meetings, they recently hired a dedicated a marketing manager for our state and they are working on plans to bring their vehicle upfit partners to the state. They manage the fueling station for the Santa Fe Trails transit system and the transit chairman spoke very highly of them at a recent transit advisory board meeting. We are welcoming them here, we could use a new conversion center, it would be great for the market.

The site already takes Credit cards and that is not supposed to change, (and their new rep here told me they will be offering $1.99 GGE fuel deals) at least it will ensure the survival of our only CNG station. They have plans to upgrade the site when more people start using it! Great!

Their NM rep also told me that they are working on a deal with Sunport airport to open the site to the public and begin accepting Credit cards at the site. I guess they are doing a big push for taxi cabs.

Let them be! I met their rep at the clean cities meeting some time ago and was very impressed, they plan on investing a good deal of money in our state and in the infrastructure. They are very nice and are supporting our fledling NM marketplace. We could use the help. You are way too negative!

[c2sox]

Re: Keep public cng pump at Albuquerque!! NOT to Clean Energy!

Why are you so angry with Clean Energy? I use them in So Cal and find that they are more reliable than other fueling stations....

Did you follow the "Clean Energy Sucks" thread, I think he expressed himself quite well and so did the few others. If not you missed out hopefully Curtis could resurrect it

Reading this stuff is informative not knowing about the industry.

[cngacrossusa]

Re: Keep public cng pump at Albuquerque!! NOT to Clean Energy!

Lovemygx,

Check the other thread topic of "Where did Clean Energy (the company) sucks thread go" as I had quite a few specific reasons. - - by the way, I did not start that thread but contributed some specific facts and beefs I had with CE. Hopefully, Curtis & John will restore that thread.

I've made nearly cross-country trips purchasing or driving cng vehicles and found that Clean Energy is monopoly gone bad!! For all other local gas companies or municipalities, I could get their fuel card with no problems or hidden fees ; MORE IMPORTANTLY, every single pump I used from NY to AZ was ALWAYS cheaper at a pump other than CE!! Further, Clean Energy card terms were the exact opposite . . hidden fee here, restriction there, etc. See thread in Colorado section for specifics.

The Albuquerque, NM issue is real. This is a CRITICAL stop on major highway across the country . . . what I would call a "gatekeeper" issue. We definitely do NOT want Clean Energy to get control of all public cng sites across the country, especially at gatekeeper locations, where cng drivers would be stuck with whatever CE is charging!!! Instead of Albuquerque, NM which already has a public cng pump, Clean Energy should be ADDING public cng pumps at locations in dire need of a public cng pump (since that town or city has NO public cng pump) . . . Examples:
Flagstaff, AZ
Blythe, CA
Yucca, AZ (former private pump at Ford Proving Grounds)
Amarillo, TX
Little Rock, AR
and the list could go on for days!!!

Please, I beg you, send emails to University of New Mexico and keep their public cng pump under UNM complete control - - - the cng pump is perfect just like it is!!! There is nothing that UNM in Albuquerque needs from CE!!!

I can virtually guarantee you that CE will immediately RAISE the price at Albuquerque if they get control of it. Now Albuquerque is only $2/gge while it is under the control of University of New Mexico. Currently, the lowest price in the country that CE has is $2.29 (all of CO & TX), but is early 2008 reduction from $2.49 which was CE previous price in CO!! NY state-wide price by CE is $2.48 (all CE did there was take over network of cng pumps that New York State had already built)!!

[CNGRULES]

Re: Keep public cng pump at Albuquerque!! NOT to Clean Energy!

Once again, CE has been operating the station for UNM for SEVERAL YEARS, and that is the reason the pump is still working so well. UNM has never operated the station, ever.

They have never had complete control of it and have had a good working relationship with the CE folks for YEARS.

Do your research before you do this kind of stuff! I just emailed the pres to tell him I fully support the move. CE has done a great job with the site up till now. Let them grow the market, they seem good at that.

[cngacrossusa]

Re: Keep public cng pump at Albuquerque!! NOT to Clean Energy!

Cngrules,

Thanks for some of your "information" . . . at surface it might sound good that Clean Energy is "promising" to do the things you mention in Albuquerque.

However, if CE has been there for years, what have they been doing?? There is NO NEED for UNM to hand over the keys of the university to CE!!

The very reason that UNM is there with just a credit card needed to purchase public cng (at a reasonable $2/gge price) IS THE VERY REASON that the UNM public cng site should stay just like it is!! The land for that pump is OWNED BY STATE of NM and any profits from it should go to UNM . . .and NOT Clean Energy! Why in the world would UNM get rid of it just at the time that cng is taking off and greater profit/cost savings await UNM by keeping it!! Individual cng users in Albuquerque (and any cng drivers coming thru the state like me), NEED to have an option other than CE!! Finally, what I saw of the size of UNM fleet, there is no problem justifying the UNM public cng pump just on their own vehicles!! If UNM doesn't have enough cng vehicles, then give the local Honda dealer a call and get a bunch of Honda Civic GX (dedicated cng) cars over there!!

Turn CE loose on idea of taxi cabs using CNG, and CE can build ANOTHER public cng pump near the fleet of taxi's, AND only charge $2/gge and only need a VISA/MC to purchase public cng . . . yea, right.

Further, if CE really wanted to help New Mexico, then CE would be building a new public cng pump in Gallup, NM which is the next CRITICAL point on Interstate 40 that crosses New Mexico. When CE does that and only charges $2/gge and only need VISA/MC to buy public cng, then I'll cut them a little slack.

[CNGRULES]

Re: Keep public cng pump at Albuquerque!! NOT to Clean Energy!

the reason they wouldnt build a station in Gallup, NM is that there are no people there, i wouldnt expect the company to build a station just so you can use it, i have heard their presentations and they have a good business model. It goes like this: we do everything, we market to all the local fleets, you get CNG at a price thats lower than gasoline. Sweet.

The UNM site is smack in the middle of the city (and ABQ is not that big) we dont need another site, I would prefer they just upgrade the site we already have. Its right off the highway and close to the airport, perfect for taxi cabs in the city.

And UNM is not making much money on the site right now because very few people use the site. Based on their presentations, when CE does a marketing push to drive volumes to the site, they pay royalties to the land owner. So the benefit to UNM is a new GROWING revenue stream where again: someone else does all the work, they get a cheap fuel price for their buses and a new revenue stream. That is a good deal for our Lobos!

Anyway all this is actually irrelevant, CE is the ONLY CNG company in NM. PNM is out of the business here. CE operates and maintains all of the 13 + (all private except UNM) sites in the state. And they do a good job. They have a small team of dedicated techs to keep the sites working.

Your telling an academic institution to manage a fueling operation? Why wouldnt the academic institution just let the experience private CNG company manage the site and PAY them for all the fuel they sell.

[cngacrossusa]

Re: Keep public cng pump at Albuquerque!! NOT to Clean Energy!

Cngrules,

It's always easy to smile & be happy when the lobbyist is giving you candy and paying for your lunch. However, once the "dust settles" and you see what language was in the "bill that passed Congress" you see the pork that the lobbyist built in for their company!! CE is setting up UNM for the bait and switch!

I don't have any problem paying CE a reasonable maintenance fee for maintaining the Albuquerque pump, or paying them repair fee if something breaks ; however, there is no need to hand that pump over completely to CE!! I was just there a month ago, and there were no Clean Energy signs anywhere on pump. The sign to direct you to the pump was mediocre at best (maybe 1 foot by 3 foot sign with 4 inch letters) on University Boulevard and only on one side of the street.

All UNM needs is more cng vehicles in their own fleet, and some education to the general public in Albuquerque and across NM that UNM has a terrific little public cng pump!! The local Honda dealer can get involved to promote cng and terrific Honda Civic GX. However, no need to change anything on the arrangement of UNM public cng pump . . . period.

[CNGRULES]

Re: Keep public cng pump at Albuquerque!! NOT to Clean Energy!

The local honda dealer here SUCKS, they wont help you get a gx. And they know nothing about CNG. And guess who all of us go to when we need help here finding vehicles? Clean Energy. They helped me find a company in CO to do a conversion for me and ship the unit down here. Guess who is promoting the use of CNG in the City? Clean Energy. Go to any clean cities meeting and who is the ONLY one promoting CNG? Clean Energy. Next time you come use your fuel station, why dont you spend some time in the actual market here and you will quickly learn these guys are doing everything they can to grow this market. And we dont need you bad mouthing them. Call the UNM guys, call santa fe trails, call ABQ ride, call the Citys alt fuel director, guess what? They all love CE. Because they are busting their butt to get some new CNG projects off the ground here.

I dont know what the sign has anything to do with it? Why are you blaming CE for the sign? Why is that not UNMs fault? Why do you get to pick on CE like this?

And UNM does need more cng vehicles in their fleet, but guess who is going to help them get them? Clean Energy. They are financing vehicles for tax exempt goverment fleets, and they are able to claim the tax credits and pass them back to governements and universities in the form of discounts and reduced intererst rates (comes from same presentation i mention above). University fleet managers are have it tough as it is, they need help to get these vehicle incorporated into the fleet and there is only one company I know of who is helping here.

Stay out of our state until you have some idea of what you are talking about. And stop trying to interferce with a smart company. Until you live in ABQ for a while and have some idea about what our market is like, stay out. NM has one of the weakest CNG programs anywhere and there is only one entity I see doing anything to help, CE.

We NEED private industry to help come up with this kind of stuff. I dont want to go back to the days when the sites were owned by PNM and they sucked and you only had 50-50 shot of getting fuel. CE has done a good job here. UNM is not going to buy any CNG vehicles unless they get some help and CE provides that help.

You have no right to flog them like this. They are doing some great stuff for our state. What have you done for us lately? Except call UNM and tell them not do the smart thing. {personal attack deleted by moderator}

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[CNG-UNIT]

Re: Keep public cng pump at Albuquerque!! NOT to Clean Energy!

Right on CNGRULES!

I am CE stockholder and I think the company is great. I thought I was alone in the dark here. cngacrossusa clearly hates them and doesnet pull any punches.

And cngacrossusa, lets say the evil CE comes in and does raise the price from the current $2.00 to $2.30. If you fill up once a week then the CE takeover cost you $15.60 for the year. Thats 15 jr. bacon cheeseburges at Wendys, pretty hefty. Your still saving hundreds compared to gasoline. Isnt that a decent trade off to have them manage the site and have a marketing staff on the ground to get MORE CNG vehicles into the NM market. Vehicles that will help support the site with or without UNM. If they are indeed paying them a royalty then it will be a good deal for UNM. And maybe we will all get lucky and CE will just keep the price at $2 GGE.

I'll tell you what, if CE takes over and raises the price, I will send you a check for $15.60. And since the site already takes credit cards you cant use your usual $100 deposit argument that you love so much. Now can you stop? (probably not, huh)

[Curtis]

Re: Keep public cng pump at Albuquerque!! NOT to Clean Energy!

Oh Boy, cng-unit has an ally. Round 2 is on and it's 2 to 1 against cngacrossusa! I don't think we'll miss the other (missing )thread as much as we thought. This is just a war looking for it's own forum! Someone... make some popcorn.

[CNG-UNIT]

Re: Keep public cng pump at Albuquerque!! NOT to Clean Energy!

Curtis your awesome man, you crack me up.

[c2sox]

Re: Keep public cng pump at Albuquerque!! NOT to Clean Energy!

Too bad we didn't count scores from the start based on the points pointed out, it'd be interesting to see who's ahead....LOL

Curtis, I thought you were anti CE yourself. I think cngacrossusa needs back up, though he is still standing pretty well for himself.

Keep up the banter guys, I like hearing both sides of the coin

[Curtis]

Re: Keep public cng pump at Albuquerque!! NOT to Clean Energy!

Too bad we didn't count scores from the start based on the points pointed out, it'd be interesting to see who's ahead....LOL

Curtis, I thought you were anti CE yourself. I think cngacrossusa needs back up, though he is still standing pretty well for himself.

Keep up the banter guys, I like hearing both sides of the coin

I'm not a fan of big oil, or big cng, when they both set themselves up to put the bottom line (in the guise of doing the public good) ahead of the public good. These three gentlemen all make valid points, however if you think any one of them needs my backup... you've been sniffing too many methane fumes.