WASHINGTON, D.C. – In order to ensure a positive safety record of storing compressed natural gas (CNG) onboard motor vehicles in the United States, the U.S. Department of Transportation requires that all CNG cylinders be inspected once every three years or 36,000 miles (whichever comes first) and sometimes more often under special circumstances. Currently there are two common types of inspection for CNG motor vehicle cylinders. The first is a general visual inspection, which can be performed by any service technician, filling attendant, vehicle owner, etc., who can look for gross signs of damage; this type of inspection may be performed any time during the life of the cylinder with no required inspection schedule. If damage is found during a general visual inspection, contact a certified cylinder inspector immediately. Certified cylinder inspectors may be found following the link on CSA America Web site www.webext.csa.ca/cng/cngmain.asp#searchinspector. The second type of inspection is to be performed by a certified cylinder inspector. The certified inspector is trained to perform a detailed cylinder inspection by attending a two-day training course and passing a written test provided by CSA America. CSA America is a standards writing body in the United States for appliances and accessories fueled by natural, liquefied petroleum, and hydrogen gases. The detailed inspection may be performed by any person who takes a CNG cylinder course and passes the certification test. A list of training courses may be found at www.cleanvehicle.org/technology/cylinder.shtml. The National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium’s (NAFTC) CNG Cylinder Safety Inspection and Certification course provides technicians, fleet managers, and automotive instructors the opportunity to learn how to inspect CNG cylinders and become a certified cylinder inspector through CSA International. During this two-day course, participants learn about the four different types of CNG cylinders and specific procedures required to inspect them. More information can be found at www.naftc.wvu.edu/curriculum/courses/description/cylinder.html. A scholarship is available through the Clean Vehicle Education Foundation (CVEF) to qualified individuals wishing to take the Cylinder Safety Inspection and Certification Course. The scholarship covers both the course fee and CSA test fee, although the scholarship funding requires that the participant successfully pass the test. For more information, visit cleanvehicle.org/technology/cylinder.shtml#5.