Top 5 Benefits of Fuel Cards for Freight Carriers

A freight carrier’s life on the road can be more complicated than it looks. In addition to sometimes spending days away from home, there are operating costs, hazards and fuel costs to manage.

Signing up for a great fuel card program can help. Whether you’re an independent owner-operator, a small fleet owner or have a large trucking company, a fuel program can save thousands of dollars on fuel bills each month.

Most carriers spend 20% of their expenses per month on fuel

This article explains how fuel cards work, and how individual carriers, as well as trucking companies, can benefit from a good fuel card program. By joining a program, you can keep your fuel expenses under control, even when there’s a sudden increase in fuel prices.

What Is a Fuel Card?

A fuel card is used as a payment card specifically for diesel fuel purchased at truck stops and travel centers. The two most common card options are: a fuel credit card or pre-funded fuel card.

1

Consistent fuel discounts

A fuel card lets carriers purchase diesel at discounted prices, which is a big advantage during spikes in fuel prices.
2

Centralized control over driver spending

A fuel program provides customizable purchasing control over use of the cards. A carrier or a fleet manager can decide when, where, what and how much fuel a driver can buy.
3

Consolidated, detailed tracking and reportingLoyalty Programs

Carriers and fleet managers can track, manage and control fuel expenses across multiple vehicles and drivers, eliminating the need for paper receipts. The administrator of the fuel card program will receive a single invoice detailed by drivers and vehicles. The fuel card program creates a record each time a vehicle filled up, including location and total cost, which saves time and ensures accuracy for International Fuel Tax Association (IFTA) reporting — the record includes all fuel receipts and volume by state.
4

Driver convenience and time efficiency

Fuel cards generally accepted at truck stops and travel centers nationwide, making them very convenient for owner-operators and fleet drivers. Each fuel card program has a broad network of fueling stops that are typically easily accessible on major routes, whether vehicles are fueled locally, regionally or nationally.
5

Secure payments

Fuel cards function much like credit and debit cards from a security standpoint — they require a PIN or some other authentication to process the fuel purchase. Only authorized users will be able to make fuel payments with the card.