Fuel is one of the largest ongoing expenses for any carrier. Managing fuel costs efficiently can significantly impact your profitability, and fuel cards are an essential tool for achieving that.
What Is a Fuel Card?
A fuel card, sometimes called a gas card, is a specialized credit or charge card designed for fuel purchases. These cards often provide per gallon discounts, credit terms, and detailed expense tracking tools to help carriers control spending.
Advantages of Fuel Cards
- Fuel discounts ranging from 0.10 to 0.40 dollars per gallon at participating truck stops
- Wide nationwide acceptance at major fuel stations
- Online dashboards and mobile apps for tracking purchases and generating reports
- Spending controls and alerts to prevent misuse
- Additional perks such as maintenance, tire, lodging, or roadside assistance discounts
Some fleet cards are accepted at the majority of fuel stations across the United States, providing flexibility wherever you operate.
Popular Fuel Card Options
There are many fuel card programs available to owner operators and small fleets. Popular options include DAT One Fuel Card, WEX Fleet Card, Fuelman Diesel Card, RTS Fleet One, TCS Fuel Card, Comdata, TVC Pro Driver, Fleet One EDGE, Shell Fleet Card, and BP Business Solutions.
Each card has its own network coverage, discount structure, and fee schedule. Some offer deeper discounts at specific truck stop chains, while others provide broader acceptance nationwide.
Compare programs carefully to determine which card aligns best with your routes and operating needs.
How to Choose the Right Card
- Evaluate where you operate and whether the card offers discounts along your routes
- Review monthly fees, transaction fees, and discount structures
- Understand credit requirements and repayment terms
- Check for integration with load boards or factoring services if applicable