The DOT occupies an important role in deploying fueling infrastructure. Without any funding, DOT expertise on road use and travel patterns, for example, can provide critical input to stakeholders developing best practices on fueling station siting. In terms of building out AFV infrastructure, many DOTs have focused on highway corridor fueling installations. If the DOT determines that corridor fueling is an effective investment, it has to overcome several obstacles. Because the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 prohibits commercialization of rest stops on all highways built with funds from the Highway Trust Fund, fueling infrastructure cannot be built along highway right-of-way unless fueling services are offered for free. Alternatively, the DOT can build at off-ramp locations.

• Determine early on whether DOE or FHWA has NEPA jurisdiction. Some projects may require NEPA processes under both DOE and FHWA. If a categorical exclusion is not feasible, the DOT should work to streamline the NEPA process and avoid redundancy.
• Justify the installation of fueling stations along highway rest stops. The agency should define the objective for installing fueling stations at highway rest stops. The major reason for installing fueling stations is to alleviate range anxiety. Moreover, although this has not been fully explored, free fueling can potentially be justified on safety grounds, similar to the way state DOTs provide a small amount of gasoline for stranded motorists.
• Arrange for the financing of electricity/fuel at rest stop fueling stations. Fueling stations along any federal highway rest stops are allowed if the fueling is provided free.
• Identify a process for installing fueling stations at off-ramp locations if the DOT prefers off-ramp installation. Convincing private businesses to host fueling stations may be difficult, especially if the business has to pay for any of the installation and/or operating costs. However, installing fueling stations may increase business at the location or brand the business as environmentally friendly.
• For example, consider coupling electric vehicle charging station installations with additional alternative energy infrastructure for highway rights-of-way (e.g., solar panels, biomass crops, and wind turbines).
• Prioritize sites promoting both corridor travel and daily driving.
• Prepare for public scrutiny. Without good locations and careful siting, fueling stations may go unused. Moreover, some of the best locations (i.e., public rest stops or popular businesses) may be unavailable.

The DOT has the necessary siting locations aligned in order to deploy fueling stations. The DOT also can educate local entities on its methods for finding fueling station locations. Finally, the DOT has a list of locations that are prime spots for fueling stations that it can publicize to fueling station installers.

Coordinating fueling infrastructure installation with other entities can help avoid redundancy of fueling stations within a location and maximize network reach and use.

• Communicate with other potential fueling station builders (e.g., private entities, local governments, other state agencies) that can help coordinate fueling station deployment. DOTs can also convene fueling infrastructure providers to discuss barriers to compatibility and interoperability. For electric vehicles, both cities and private businesses are installing charging stations.
• Encourage interoperability of charging networks by, for example, incorporating language on compatibility and interoperability in any grant funding opportunities. If the state has several different fueling networks, the DOT can encourage streamlined use of all the different networks.

Coordination and communication among stakeholders leads to a better-designed and user-friendly fueling network.

The DOT may be interested in building fueling infrastructure. As such, it will need to research the reasons as well as the best places for building infrastructure. Unlike cities and MPOs, DOTs are responsible for the entire state transportation system and must accommodate interregional and interstate travel, even if certain routes are relatively unused compared to others. For example, DOTs build and maintain rural routes despite the fact that dollar cost per passenger mile traveled is much more than densely populated areas. Similarly, AFV fueling along highway corridors will be much less frequent than in urban areas, but DOTs must balance promoting regional travel with the consumer demand for corridor fueling. Therefore, DOTs must coordinate with local entities to determine how it can best complement the local, state, and interstate fueling network.

• Determine the status of fuel station deployment in localities across the state. Governments, nonprofit foundations, and private entities may all be building charging networks in the state. Given that the DOT is responsible for state transportation, the DOT can coordinate build-out so that local fueling networks also form a coherent regional fueling network.
• Identify key travel corridors where there are “dead spots” in the AFV fueling network.
• Decide whether to focus on coordinating more local build-out in areas with high AFV densities, or connectivity.
• Conduct a literature search and/or ask organizations that have previously conducted driver behavior and AFV fueling studies about station siting. Some states and DOTs have already conducted their own station siting studies and developed best practices. Previous work on station siting can be refined and modified to fit a state’s unique situation.

Knowledge of fueling needs helps fueling station installers (including the DOT itself) and fueling station network providers optimize the location of equipment.

Understanding consumer behavior – from the point where a consumer is trying to decide what car to buy up to when an AFV driver is fueling on a daily basis – is crucial for determining where and what kind of fueling network should be built. Information can be shared on a national or multi-state level, within the state, and with local municipalities.

• Collect and analyze information on consumer concerns regarding AFV purchases. In particular, consumer attitudes regarding fueling may help the DOT build fueling infrastructure in locations that would incentivize AFV purchase. Regarding highway corridor charging, no research currently exists as to what extent corridor fueling would encourage consumers to purchase AFVs. The DOT could partner with marketing firms to create surveys that help the DOT understand what kind of infrastructure and where would be most effective in encouraging new AFV purchases.
• Use internal staff or contract with a university or private entity to collect and analyze driver behavior data. Driver and fueling behavior, in contrast to consumer surveys, yields important information about people who already own an alternative fuel car.
• Identify outstanding research questions. Account for privacy protections and concerns from participants.

Original data and studies on driver behaviors would help stakeholders understand how to optimize fueling station deployment location and fueling station type in addition to vehicle technologies. Knowledge from these studies will also better prepare all DOTs to install effective and sustainable AFV fueling stations.

The DOT can install fueling stations to form a network if they have funding and the appropriate technical knowledge. Some state DOTs have focused on fueling along highways because state DOTs are interested in facilitating statewide travel as opposed to focusing on one area or region.

• Check whether the DOT has clarified its role in fueling infrastructure and research fueling network needs, identified funding sources for supporting AFV deployment, and scoped out ways to install fueling infrastructure on or near highway rights-of-way. Without funding for installing fueling stations, the DOT can help other agencies or private entities site and install fueling stations.
• Explore project financing from multiple parties including banks, the government, and corporations.
• Determine the most cost-effective and appropriate fueling stations to install based on fueling needs and available funding. For example, AC Level 1 and Level 2 chargers can require many hours to fully charge an electric vehicle depending on the vehicle type. While DC fast charging takes much less time to charge, stations could incur demand charges from the electric utility, making the price of electricity expensive. Moreover, the location of the charger determines the suitability of various charging station types. For example, Level 1 and Level 2 chargers should be located in areas where the driver would be willing to spend at least a few hours, such as workplaces, shopping centers, etc. DC fast-charging can be located in areas where drivers spend less time, as fast-charging can charge a vehicle with a 24 kWh battery pack to 80 percent in under a half-hour.
• Consider offering a mix of various charging stations.
• Select the legal arrangement for project delivery, including organizing and financing fueling station design, construction, operation, and maintenance. Project delivery of fueling stations can follow the Design-Build-Operate-Maintain model, which is especially useful for fueling stations funded by grants. In this model, the DOT develops the conceptual plan and contracts the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of the fueling station. The contract can allow the private contractor to charge money for charging.
• Identify available contractors for siting and installation of equipment.
• Develop a long-term plan for fueling station maintenance and legal contingencies in the case of the need for ownership transfer. The market outlook for fueling infrastructure businesses is uncertain. The DOT should have contract terms for what happens if the contractor is unable to operate the fueling station. Contractors that have a diversified business outside fueling infrastructure may have a better chance of providing services for the long term.
• Monitor and track the use of fueling stations after they are built. In addition to collecting data on station use, the DOT should physically monitor the stations to prevent vandalism, or require the contractor to do so in the contract.
• Be prepared for stations to have low use at first. Station usage may be infrequent so long as AFVs hold a very small market share.
• For electric vehicle charging stations, consider only installing the conduit for a charging station. The DOT could solicit bids for who gets to install and operate charging stations using this wiring. Only installing the conduit reduces project costs and allows for more time to select the appropriate charging station for that spot. Unused conduit is also less visible than an unused charging station.

Over time, the DOT is contributing to a popular, efficient, and cost-effective charging network. Moreover, with the experience of installing fueling stations, the DOT can see future links between transportation and low-carbon fuels, and is prepared to work more closely with entities like electric and natural gas utilities.