CNG Trucking’s Future: Kevin Campbell’s Boldest Move Yet

CNG is the “future of trucking,” says Wisconsin owner-operator Kevin Campbell

Kevin Campbell has built his trucking business around a fuel choice that remains uncommon among owner-operators: compressed natural gas.

The Wisconsin-based operator, named Overdrive’s October Trucker of the Month and a contender for the publication’s 2026 Trucker of the Year award, runs two 2016 Freightliner trucks powered by Cummins ISX 12G natural-gas engines. His current sleeper truck handles most of the work, while a day cab supports the operation.

Campbell says the decision has helped him control one of trucking’s largest variable expenses. While diesel costs pushed average fuel expenses for many truckers above 75 cents per mile during some months of 2026, Campbell’s fuel expense was about 46 cents per mile as of early October, according to figures cited from ATBS accounting data.

His fuel costs averaged about 50 cents per mile during most of 2025, while his business produced a net profit margin of nearly 52% in that difficult freight year. That compared with an average margin of about 42% for ATBS client owner-operators.

Those results do not represent a typical owner-operator outcome. Owner-operators commonly gross between $200,000 and $350,000 annually, but net income can fall to $60,000-$120,000 after fuel, insurance, maintenance, truck payments and other operating costs. ATBS clients averaged $64,524 in net income in 2024-2025, while higher-performing operators averaged considerably more.

Campbell’s advantage begins at the fuel pump. He reported an average CNG price of about $2.90 per gallon this year, compared with diesel prices that were above $5 per gallon for much of the period. When he purchased his first CNG truck in 2019, he said, natural gas averaged approximately $2.60 per gallon. In recent years, it has generally been around $2.80, with an increase of roughly 10 cents per gallon this year.

“It’s so much easier to run a business when you know your operating costs are going to be stable,” Campbell said.

He attributes part of the price difference to the domestic natural-gas supply chain. Natural gas is produced in the United States and, unlike diesel, does not pass through as many stages involving crude oil, refining, distribution and retail sales, he said.

Campbell’s operation, registered under the Team 1 RV name, has evolved significantly since he entered trucking as a second career. He spent nearly three decades in banking before moving into transportation. His first trucking work involved hotshot RV transport, followed by federal contracting, equipment hauling and Postal Service work. At the height of that operation, he ran as many as five trucks.

His move into CNG followed exposure to natural-gas trucks operated by Wisconsin mail haulers. Campbell said the equipment caught his attention as trucking conditions worsened in 2019, prompting him to purchase his first CNG-powered truck.

Today, his freight base is focused primarily on agricultural and industrial hopper work. He owns two dual-compartment, bottom-unloading hopper trailers and hauls grain, commodities and industrial granules throughout much of the Midwest. He works with direct customers and brokers, including freight sources serving farm markets and industrial shippers.

Customers and logistics providers interviewed about Campbell described him as dependable, responsive and consistent. Nick Halaschak of Cater Logistics said Campbell regularly delivers industrial granules on time and communicates well. Katelyn Spaulding of PT Brokers similarly described him as readily available for Midwest farm loads and willing to respond when problems arise.

The Cummins ISX 12G provides 400 horsepower. Campbell acknowledges that the 12-liter engine is not well suited to heavy mountain grades at a maximum gross weight of 80,000 pounds. His operating area is therefore concentrated in the Midwest, although he has traveled as far west as the Rockies and New Mexico and south to Florida during the winter.

CNG availability has generally been manageable, he said, except in the Dakotas. At times, he will add 40 or 50 miles to a trip to reach a fueling station. He also noted that some states offer incentives that reduce the effective fuel-tax burden, while others tax CNG at the same rate as diesel.

Operating a CNG truck requires different maintenance practices. The fuel is compressed to 3,600 psi before entering the truck’s tanks, and a regulator reduces the pressure for engine use. Campbell services one fuel-system filter twice a week by draining separated oil, replaces another filter annually, and has the tanks inspected by qualified personnel every three years.

He changes engine oil every 18,000 miles and said the oil remains relatively clean between services. The sleeper truck had 190,000 miles when he bought it and now has more than 965,000 miles. Campbell said repairs have included a rear main seal and an oil-pressure sensor, along with periodic overhead adjustments.

Campbell sees newer natural-gas technology, including Cummins’ X15N engine, as a potential improvement for long-haul applications. He has been unable to purchase a new X15N-powered truck because of limited allocation to smaller fleets, but said he is exploring a partnership to repower existing trucks or gliders with the engine.

For Campbell, the broader lesson is not simply to adopt CNG, but to examine every major cost in the business. Trucking’s narrow margins, rising debt and falling revenue have made cost control increasingly important, he said.

“I truly believe this is the future of trucking,” Campbell said of natural gas, while acknowledging that fueling infrastructure still needs improvement. His advice to other owner-operators is straightforward: understand the numbers, maintain the equipment carefully and be willing to consider alternatives that do not fit the usual industry model.