Do Fuel Cards Save You Money? 5 Ways Fleet Fuel Cards Boost Your Bottom Line

Are you wondering if fuel cards are worth the investment for your trucking operations? With fuel costs consistently ranking among the biggest expenses for trucking companies, finding ways to save money on every gallon can make all the difference to your profit margins.

This article explores whether fleet fuel cards truly save you money and highlights five proven ways these specialized payment solutions can boost your bottom line while enhancing operational efficiency for owner operators and trucking businesses of all sizes.

Key Takeaways:

• Fleet fuel cards can save you money through discounts averaging 5-25¢ per gallon

• Beyond fuel savings, cards provide expense tracking and spending controls that prevent unauthorized purchases

• Fleet cards help improve cash flow by offering credit options without requiring extensive credit history checks

• Most cards provide management tools for both small businesses and operations with five or more vehicles

• The right fuel card program eliminates transaction fees, monthly fees, and annual fees that eat into your savings

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What is a Fleet Card?

Fleet cards—also called fuel cards—are specialized payment solutions designed specifically for vehicle and fuel expenses. Unlike traditional credit cards, fuel cards offer trucking-specific benefits focused on helping you save money while better managing fuel spend.

The right fleet fuel card acts as more than just a payment method—it's a comprehensive financial tool that helps trucking companies streamline their administrative, reporting, billing, and payment processes while providing substantial savings at the pump.

Top 5 Ways Fleet Cards Can Save You Money

How do fuel cards work to save you money? There are five major ways that a fuel card can save you and your trucking company money. But, not all fuel cards are created equal—to find the best business fuel card, look for the gas card with the most cost-saving features before signing on the dotted line.

#1 Discounted Fuel

The primary fleet card benefit—arguably—is to provide professional fleet companies with discounted fuel rates. Fuel discount card providers typically offer a fuel discount upwards of five cents per gallon off of retail fuel prices.

However, it's important to beware of misleading discount offers, which are easily offset by some fleet cards' additional fees and fine print, like:

• Operational fees – Administrative charges like monthly fees, ACH fees, per-transaction fees, replacement gas card fees, and charges to add new cards and users.
• Penalties – Charges for late payments hidden in the fine print, exceeding credit limits, and purchasing fuel at an out-of-network gas station.
• Limits on discounted gallons – The maximum number of discounted gallons fleet fuel card users can purchase per statement period—after which they must pay full retail fuel costs.

While some fuel cards may seem to offer better discounts than their competitors, they may not actually save you money in the long run if they charge excessive fees or restrict purchases to in-network locations. The best discounts come from cards that offer transparent pricing with minimal fees.

With diesel fuel and regular gas prices remaining volatile, even a few cents per gallon can translate to significant annual fuel savings for vehicles covering thousands of miles.

#2 Decreased Risk of Overdraft Fees

If you're struggling with sub-optimal cash flow, you know that running out of cash can be an expensive proposition.

A secondary function of fleet cards is providing drivers with a line of credit for fuel and other vehicle-related purchases, freeing up drivers' cash for expenses that can't wait, like:

• Payroll
• Loan payments
• Insurance premiums
• Regulatory costs, like licensing fees and tax payments

Using a fuel card can decrease your likelihood of incurring fees as a consequence of low cash flow, like bank overdraft fees, late payment charges, and penalties for bounced checks. When you have a safety net for fuel purchases, you can continue making deliveries and paying your bills on time while you await incoming client payments.

Many fleet cards provide credit options without requiring extensive credit history checks, making them accessible to small business owners and owner operators who might otherwise struggle to qualify for traditional credit cards.

#3 Spending Limits

Fuel cards can help you streamline, monitor, and control your spending. Cardholders can set spending limits on their own cards and any cards issued to employees or subcontractors.

And this isn't just useful for fuel cost control. Cardholders eligible for non-fuel purchases, like maintenance, parts, and consumable products (e.g., wiper fluid and motor oil), can also set limits on these costs. This can help them (and any additional cardholders on their account) stay on budget.

Fleet owners can also use spending limits to allocate their available credit per statement period. For instance, if a driver has a $5,000 limit per week, they can limit weekly fuel spending to $4,500 and weekly non-fuel transactions to $500, keeping them from overspending.

The ability to set limits and restrict purchases based on merchant type, time of day, or dollar amount helps prevent employee spending that falls outside company policy—saving you more money through tighter spending controls.

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#4 Fraud Protection

Fraud risks are an unavoidable part of virtual payment solutions, but the fraud protection offered by traditional credit cards doesn't always address risks specifically related to professional driving.

Fraud can lead to a variety of financial impacts, such as:

• Increased insurance premiums
• Lost cash
• Increased debt or financial obligations
• Payroll, bill pay, and accounts receivable disruptions that can occur during resolution

By implementing enhanced prevention measures, such as PIN numbers, photo ID verification, and vehicle authentication, offered by fuel card companies, drivers can reduce the risk of fraud incidents and their associated costs.

Lost or stolen cards can be quickly deactivated, and many fleet card programs offer better protection against unauthorized purchases than standard credit cards—a crucial feature for trucking operations where multiple drivers might need access to fuel cards.

#5 Decreased Administrative Costs

Fuel card providers often provide auxiliary services that can help owners keep administrative costs down. Let's explore a few examples:

• Data entry – Instead of collecting paper receipts, jotting down your odometer every time you fill up, and manually calculating your MPG, fleet card companies use your statement charges to automatically populate spending data.
• Report generation – Purchase data can be used to generate reports that owners would otherwise have to compile manually. For fleet managers in International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) jurisdictions, this function significantly reduces the time investment in quarterly IFTA reporting.
• Billing and payroll – With the help of fleet card tools, owner operators no longer have to use separate (and expensive) software to handle client billing and employee payroll. They can complete these functions in just a few easy steps with the help of the fuel card software they're already using.

The ability to easily track and monitor fuel expenses through digital dashboards means you'll spend less time on paperwork and more time focusing on your trucking business. This improvement in operational efficiency can save you a significant amount of money in administrative overhead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much can a fuel card save you per year?

The average savings from using a fleet fuel card range from $500-$3,000 annually per vehicle, depending on mileage, the specific fuel card program, and how efficiently you use the card's features.

Are fuel cards worth it for small businesses with fewer than five vehicles?

Yes, fuel cards can be particularly valuable for small businesses by providing fuel discounts, expense tracking, and cash flow management that would otherwise require more sophisticated accounting systems.

Do fleet fuel cards require a credit check?

Some fuel cards require credit checks, while others offer options for businesses with limited credit history. Cards like AtoB provide solutions for a range of credit profiles.

Can fuel cards help with maintenance costs too?

Many fleet cards extend discounts beyond fuel to include maintenance discounts at partner locations, helping you save money on regular vehicle service and repairs.

What happens if fuel cards are lost or stolen?

Most fuel card programs offer immediate deactivation of lost or stolen cards, limiting your liability and allowing quick replacement without disrupting your trucking operations.

How do fuel discounts compare between different card programs?

Discount rates vary widely between programs, from 3-25¢ per gallon, but the true value depends on network size, additional fees, and whether the discount applies at your preferred fueling locations.

Can I still save money with a fuel card if I don't have perfect credit?

Yes, many fleet fuel cards are designed specifically for trucking companies and owner operators with varying credit histories, offering pathways to build credit while saving on fuel costs.

Are there hidden costs that offset fuel card savings?

Some cards charge annual fees, monthly fees, or transaction fees that can reduce your actual savings. Always read the fine print and calculate total costs before selecting a fuel card program.

Fleet Owners Save Big with AtoB

So, do fleet fuel cards save you money? If you choose the right card, they certainly can make a smarter choice for your business.

In your search for the perfect fleet card solution, look for companies that charge low (or no) interest charges, provide numerous management tools, and use advanced fraud protection measures to protect your hard-earned cash.

AtoB meets all of these criteria and then some. We offer state-of-the-art administrative tools, and you can use our Visa-powered fleet fuel cards anywhere that Visa is accepted—even at your favorite mom-and-pop truck stops and gas stations.

For businesses wanting maximum flexibility, hybrid approaches combining different card types might make sense. Some trucking companies use specialized fuel card programs for their primary fuel purchases while maintaining traditional credit cards as backups.

Owner-operators looking for optimal savings with a fuel card program can rest easy by choosing AtoB. With transparent pricing, no hidden fees, and robust expense tracking capabilities, AtoB fuel cards provide the features you need to save more money with each fill-up.

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