ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Five new compressed natural gas (CNG) pickups have been put into service by the City of Asheville as part of the city’s alternative-fuel vehicles initiative, according to the Asheville Citizen-Times. “Methane-based CNG is one of the cleanest burning vehicle fuels available,” said Fleet Manager Chris Dobbins, as quoted in the Asheville Citizen-Times. “It not only reduces emissions by 70 percent, it helps reduce our dependence on petroleum. We’re happy to add these 2006 Chevrolet Silverado work trucks to the city’s Fire, Water, and Public Works Departments.” These vehicles are an addition to the city’s three CNG Hondas already in service. All the CNG vehicles are fueled at the city’s compressed natural gas station, the community’s first, which opened last November. The current cost of CNG is $1.74 per gasoline gallon equivalent. The station is open for public use 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.