LA CROSSE, Wis. - Last year, Kwik Trip dipped its toes into the natural gas fueling station pond, and the success of that initial foray has fueled plans to open more such stations this year, Petrol Plaza News reports.

Thus far, sales have been strong at the convenience store chain??s nine natural gas fueling stations, located in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The chain will start building a dozen more in the coming weeks, with opening dates ranging from late spring to early summer.

"We'll continue to put stations in as we see market demand for [natural gas]," said Chad Hollett, director of warehousing and distribution for Kwik Trip. "The ownership of the company [the Zietlow family] has a great vision to create an infrastructure that hasn't really been seen before."

Fleets of heavy-duty vehicles and light-duty vehicle owners make up the customer base for natural gas fueling stations. "We're starting to see light-duty sales gain some real traction," said Hollett. "And that's true not just within specific markets, but the entire area [in which we have natural gas stations]. We are pleasantly surprised with the gains in the light-duty area."

Kwik Trip is focusing on making sure each natural gas fueling station replicates the customer experience at regular locations. "We want to make sure customers receive the same service as they would when purchasing gas or diesel," said Hollett. "That approach is paying dividends right now. All in all, the customer experience has been outstanding."