FREDERICK, Md. – Across the United States, gas stations provide drivers with the fuel to power their vehicles. Now, more of those retailers are providing diesel fuel for a growing number of passenger vehicles that run on diesel, according to Green Car Reports.

Around 50% of U.S. gasoline retailers have generally offered diesel, usually in urban settings with a large contingent of diesel delivery trucks and in rural locations to fuel farm equipment. According to Integer Research, the number of gas stations with diesel in North America has crested the half-way point to 55%. The highest number of diesel pumps is in Canada, which has 69% of stations with the fuel. The U.S. East Coast has the lowest number of stations with diesel pumps at 51%.

Diesel now often sits alongside main pump islands, rather than being off by itself. Steve Hansen with the Diesel Technology Forum pointed to a couple of factors that have contributed to more diesel pumps. One is that changes in underground storage tanks have required that retailers install newer, stronger tanks, often using only two of the usual three tanks for gasoline. Thus, a third tank becomes available for other fuel, like diesel. Hansen also predicted that diesel fuel’s profitability will top gasoline in the future, thus giving stations more of an incentive to offer diesel. Diesel also is not as volatile in cost as gasoline tends to be.

Overall, the North American stations offering diesel should continue to grow, probably at slower place. That will likely accelerate as sales of diesel light trucks and passenger sedans increase.