Clean Energy Fuels Corp. has signed an agreement with the Hertz Corp. to build and operate a compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station on Hertz-owned property adjacent to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

The new Clean Energy CNG fueling facility, open 24 hours for public access, will support the expanding Hertz fleet of clean-burning CNG airport shuttle buses.

Hertz currently deploys CNG airport buses at its LAX location to transport its rental car customers to and from airline terminals.

"This new Hertz partnership will allow Clean Energy to build a much needed second public fueling station at LAX, while providing fuel service to a premier rental car company in the United States," said James Harger, Clean Energy chief marketing officer. "The transition by the airport industry and allied services from diesel to natural gas fuel for ground transportation is accelerating rapidly, in response to the need to curtail emissions, decrease fuel costs, and reduce dependence on imported oil."

"Introducing CNG shuttle buses and fueling stations to support compressed natural gas is an integral part of Hertz's stewardship of the environment," said Mark P. Frissora, Hertz chairman and CEO. "Partnering with Clean Energy reinforces our mission to minimize the environmental impact from our operations and we're excited to be able to support our shuttle fleet while also allowing other airport entities access to the CNG station."

The Hertz LAX facility will include public-access fueling islands for local fleets of CNG taxis and shared-ride vans, plus hotel, parking and rental car buses. A private Hertz island will be capable of fueling its internal fleet simultaneously. Station construction is expected to begin in March 2011, with the opening slated for early third quarter of 2011. By 2015, Hertz expects to have transitioned its entire LAX transit bus fleet to CNG.

Clean Energy already operates a public-access CNG station near LAX that serves light, medium and heavy-duty fleet vehicles in the area, including rental car buses for Hertz.