Whether your own technicians inspect your CNG fuel systems or a vendor does it for you, someone has to be qualified to do the work, and eventually someone will ask you to prove it. A training certificate shows a technician attended a course. A certification shows they were assessed. If you want the second, you have to choose a certifying body.
Most fleets view NFPA 52 as a vehicle code. It comes up when a fuel system is being specified, or an upfitter cites it in a quote, and it gets filed away with the other things that govern what’s bolted to the chassis. That’s part of what it does, but the code also reaches your fueling equipment and the work done in your shop.
If you work in a Cummins authorized dealership, you’ve probably completed a lot of training over the course of your career. You may even be a Cummins-certified Master Tech. However, there’s an important distinction when it comes to the Cummins X15N engine.
It’s an unfortunate misconception that a cylinder is safe simply because it is no longer in use, but the reality is that technicians, fleet personnel, recyclers, or scrap processors could be harmed by a discarded cylinder that still has residual natural gas and pressure.
A recent project from the Atlantic County Utilities Authority (ACUA) continues to draw attention across the alternative fuels industry. Through a partnership with OPAL Fuels and South Jersey Industries, ACUA has been converting landfill gas into renewable natural gas (RNG) at its facility in Egg Harbor Township.
Incidents involving alternative fuel vehicles are rare—but when they occur, they tend to make headlines. In 2024, a CNG vehicle fire injured several responding firefighters. Initial concerns focused on the fuel system, but later findings indicated it had functioned as designed. Still, there are ways CNG safety training, communication, and situational awareness can help prevent similar outcomes.
Running a CNG fleet comes with no shortage of operational demands, and training in-house fuel system inspectors can feel like an added burden. In some cases, the issue may not be financial. Workforce shortages can make it difficult for some fleets to find qualified technicians with experience in alternative fuels, let alone meet all industry codes and standards.
Compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles are engineered with high-pressure fuel systems that must meet the appropriate industry codes and standards. Their level of complexity requires vehicle manufacturers and fleets to inspect these systems for quality control and safety.
Across the country, fleets are looking for ways to reduce expenses and modernize their operations. Government grants for natural gas vehicle projects have been an important tool in making that possible. These funding opportunities can cover substantial portions of the cost for purchasing natural gas vehicles, and, in some cases, even cover the building of CNG fueling stations to support them.
While hydrogen is gaining momentum as a clean energy source, many people in the transportation sector may not realize that natural gas is currently the largest source of its production. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) and its recently released Annual Energy Outlook 2025 (AEO2025), steam methane reforming (SMR) using natural gas is projected to supply over 80% of the U.S. hydrogen market through 2050!
