README for “Alternative Fueling Stations 2008-Present” dataset. National Renewable Energy Laboratory; U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) [distributor] 2025-05-15 ---------------------------------------------------------------- LINKS TO DATASET ---------------------------------------------------------------- A. Dataset archive link: https://doi.org/10.21949/1520826 B. NTAD catalog dataset link (Current Year): https://doi.org/10.21949/1522011 ---------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY OF DATASET ---------------------------------------------------------------- The Alternative Fueling Stations 2008-Present dataset is from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT)/Bureau of Transportation Statistics’s (BTS's) National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD). For more information about the update cycle and data collection methods, please refer to https://afdc.energy.gov/stations/#/find/nearest?show_about=true. This dataset shows all station access types (public and private) and statuses (available, planned, and temporarily unavailable) by default. To view only publicly available stations, use the access and status filters. The U.S. Department of Energy collects these data in partnership with Clean Cities coalitions and their stakeholders to help fleets and consumers find alternative fueling stations. Clean Cities coalitions foster the nation's economic, environmental, and energy security by working locally to advance affordable, efficient, and clean transportation fuels and technologies. This data can be found on the Alternative Fuels Data Center: https://doi.org/10.21949/1519144. For more information about the data schema and data dictionary, please see https://developer.nrel.gov/docs/transportation/alt-fuel-stations-v1/all/#response-fields. ---------------------------------------------------------------- TABLE OF CONTENTS ---------------------------------------------------------------- A. General Information B. Sharing/Access & Policies Information C. Data and Related File Overview D. Methodological Information E. Data-Specific Information for: Alternative Fueling Stations 2008-Present [datasets] F. Update Log ---------------------------------------------------------------- A. GENERAL INFORMATION ---------------------------------------------------------------- 0. Title of Dataset: Alternative Fueling Stations 2008-Present [dataset] 1. Description of Dataset: The Alternative Fueling Stations 2008-Present dataset is from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT)/Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ (BTS's) National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD). For more information about the update cycle and data collection methods, please refer to https://afdc.energy.gov/stations/#/find/nearest?show_about=true. This dataset shows all station access types (public and private) and statuses (available, planned, and temporarily unavailable) by default. To view only publicly available stations, use the access and status filters. The U.S. Department of Energy collects these data in partnership with Clean Cities coalitions and their stakeholders to help fleets and consumers find alternative fueling stations. Clean Cities coalitions foster the nation's economic, environmental, and energy security by working locally to advance affordable, efficient, and clean transportation fuels and technologies. This data can be found on the Alternative Fuels Data Center: https://doi.org/10.21949/1519144. For more information about the data schema and data dictionary, please see https://developer.nrel.gov/docs/transportation/alt-fuel-stations-v1/all/#response-fields. 2. Dataset archive link: https://doi.org/10.21949/1520826 3. Authorship Information: Principal Data Creator or Data Manager Contact Information Institution: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Address: 15013 Denver W Pkwy, Golden CO 80401 Contact: service.center@nrel.gov Data Distributor Contact Information Name: National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD) Institution: U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), Office of Spatial Analysis and Visualization (OSAV) Address: 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, Washington D.C. 20590 Email: ntad@dot.gov 4. Date of data collection and update interval: This dataset is updated every day. 5. Geographic location of data collection: United States of America 6. Information about funding sources that supported the collection of the data: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), ---------------------------------------------------------------- B. SHARING/ACCESS & POLICIES INFORMATION ---------------------------------------------------------------- 0. Recommended citation for the data: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) [distributor]. Alternative Fueling Stations 2008-Present [datasets]. https://doi.org/10.21949/1520826 1. Licenses/restrictions placed on the data: These data are in the Public Domain. 2. Was data derived from another source?: No. 3.This document was created to meet the requirements enumerated in the U.S. Department of Transportation's 'Plan to Increase Public Access to the Results of Federally-Funded Scientific Research' Version 1.1 << https://doi.org/10.21949/1520559 >> and guidelines suggested by the DOT Public Access website << https://doi.org/10.21949/1503647 >>, in effect and current as of December 03, 2020. ---------------------------------------------------------------- C. DATA & RELATED FILE OVERVIEW ---------------------------------------------------------------- 1. File List for the bts_Alternative_Fueling_Stations_20250515.zip collection A. Filename: Alternative_Fueling_Stations_NTAD2008_Present.zip Short description: Compressed file folders containing the geospatial data for Alternative Fueling Stations 2008-Present dataset. File folders are classified by NTAD publication year and data vintage year or date respectively. B. Filename: bts_NTAD_Alternative_Fueling_Stations_DMP_20250515.pdf Short description: A PDF file containing the Data Management Plan that was created for current and future management of the data and associated files. C. Filename: bts_NTAD_Alternative_Fueling_Stations_README_20250515.txt Short description: The README.txt file that includes human-readable information about the data, variable definitions, contact information, and other contextual information. The file you are reading now. 2. File List for the Alternative_Fueling_Stations_NTAD2008_Present.zip collection. A. Filename: NTADXXXX_SHP_Final_Alternative_Fueling_Stations_XXXX*.zip or NTADXXXX_GDB_Final_Alternative_Fueling_Stations_XXXX*.zip Short description: Compressed file folders containing the geospatial data for Alternative Fueling Stations 2008-Present dataset. File folders are classified by NTAD publication year and data vintage year respectively. Geodatabase (GDB) folders contain all the necessary components to view and otherwise interact with their data. 3. File List for the NTADXXXX_SHP_Final_Alternative_Fueling_Stations_XXXX.zip collection. A. Filename: Alternative_Fueling_Stations.shp Short description: A shapefile containing the geospatial data for Alternative Fueling Stations 2008-Present dataset. This includes associated files with extensions .prj, .dbf, .sbn, .sbx, .shx. B. Filename: Alternative_Fueling_Stations.txt, Alternative_Fueling_Stations.txt.xml, Alternative_Fueling_Stations.htm, and Alternative_Fueling_Stations.shp.xml Short description: Text files containing key metadata and documentation information such as methodology, procedures, data dictionary, etc. ---------------------------------------------------------------- D. METHODOLOGICAL INFORMATION ---------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Description of methods used for collection/generation of data: The data in the Alternative Fueling Station Locator are gathered and verified through a variety of methods. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) obtains information about new stations from trade media, Clean Cities coordinators, the Submit New Station form on the Station Locator website, and through collaborating with infrastructure equipment and fuel providers, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and industry groups. Existing stations in the database are contacted at least once a year on an established schedule to verify they are still operational and providing the fuel specified. Based on an established data collection schedule, the database is updated on an ongoing basis. For many electric vehicle charging stations, the Station Locator imports data directly from charging networks on a daily basis. Learn more about the data collection methods at https://afdc.energy.gov/stations/#/find/nearest?show_about=true. 2. Instrument- or software-specific information needed to interpret the data: The data and documentation files can be opened with Esri ArcMap and any GIS software package. ---------------------------------------------------------------- E. DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION ---------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Alternative Fueling Stations data table This dataset is updated every day. Dataset Manager is contacted to verify changes to data resulting in NTAD update. The metadata is updated in the same manner. For the most recent data, please visit the NTAD catalog at https://doi.org/10.21949/1522011 A. Number of variables (columns): The data dictionary found in (PDF documentation) provides definitions for the variables B. Data Dictionary/Variable List: Because of the large number of variables, please refer to the Data Dictionary found within the file Alternative_Fueling_Stations.txt for names, definitions, and formats of variables. C. Missing data codes: None ---------------------------------------------------------------- F. UPDATE LOG ---------------------------------------------------------------- This bts_Alternative_Fueling_Stations_20250515_README.txt file was originally created on 2025-05-15 by Dominic Menegus, Geographer, dominic.menegus@dot.gov [Note changes or update to the readme.txt file, e.g.:] 2021-04-14: Original file created 2025-05-15: Revised document, including changes to dataset title and file organization