Are you a fleet manager looking to simplify fuel management across your company? Consider assigning fuel cards. Fuel cards allow you to oversee your fleet and track driver purchases in real time. They also help you control costs and reduce fraud, but only if used correctly. Keep reading to learn how you can manage a transportation fleet with fuel cards in ten simple steps.
Why Trust FreightWaves Checkpoint
At FreightWaves Checkpoint, our goal is to give readers clear, data-backed insights into the tools and services that keep the trucking industry moving, including fuel cards.
We reviewed dozens of fuel card providers across the U.S., assessing key factors like average fuel discounts, network coverage, fees, security features, and account management tools. We also analyzed real-world driver and fleet feedback to understand how these cards perform on the road — from customer service responsiveness to ease of use and fraud protection.
Our in-house team of experts routinely reviews all content to ensure it is accurate, up-to-date, and genuinely helpful for truckers and fleet owners.
How Managing a Fleet with a Fuel Card Works
Using fuel cards can help simplify the decisions fleet managers face on a daily basis. Instead of relying on driver expense reports to manage fuel purchases, fuel cards can streamline the process for more efficient management and bookkeeping.
10 Steps for Better Managing a Fleet with Fuel Cards
As a fleet manager, you can better manage your fleet fuel cards when you follow these ten easy steps.
Step 1: Correctly assign fuel cards
Fuel cards allow precise spending monitoring, but disorganized card assignments complicate tracking and raise fraud risks. Properly assigning cards to drivers is essential to maximize the accountability and oversight benefits fuel card programs offer over reimbursements.
- Single cards assigned under driver names: Each driver has their own fuel card associated with them and their vehicle. This option is best for fleets with a low turnover rate.
- Single cards assigned under vehicle descriptions: Rather than being assigned to a person, this type of fuel card is assigned to a vehicle. So no matter who is driving that truck, they will use the fuel card. This option is best for fleets with a high turnover rate.
- Floating pin of vehicle cards: In this hybrid option, the fuel card stays with the vehicle, but each driver has a virtual PIN that allows them to use any card. This option is excellent for fleets where drivers change vehicles often, as it allows for more accurate tracking.
Step 2: Implement a driver fuel card policy
Any time employees purchase something on the company dime, there should be a policy in place to protect both parties. A formal document outlining your fuel card policy is essential for keeping drivers accountable for purchases made using company fuel cards.
Additionally, a driver fuel card policy ensures that drivers are fully aware of the rules regarding fuel card usage. If you’re struggling to draft a driver's fuel card policy, online templates can help.
Step 3: Set up fuel card management controls
Fuel card management controls are essential for minimizing fuel costs for your company. For example, if a driver only works Monday through Friday, they shouldn't have to purchase fuel on Sunday morning.
Alternatively, if a company vehicle’s tank allows for a maximum fill of 75 gallons, there’s no reasonable situation where they would need 80 gallons at one time. As a fleet manager, you can restrict fuel card use based on fuel type, fill volume, daily transactions, and more to ensure proper usage of the company's fuel card program.
Step 4: Set up purchase notifications
Fleet fuel cards may occasionally get declined at the pump. Fleet managers can learn the reason by checking the authorization report, which details why the card was refused. Understanding the cause, whether it's a driver error or card malfunction, helps determine if the card should be reactivated.
Step 5: Utilize fleet management reports
Every time a driver uses a fuel card, it creates a data point with valuable information that you can use when managing your fleet. All of this data can be used to create digital fuel expense reports, IFTA reports, and even fuel efficiency reports.
Step 6: Use API data
Some of the best fleet fuel cards utilize application programming interface (API) integrations to provide even more valuable data to help you manage your fleet. By automatically connecting your fuel data to GPS tracking or with your accounting department, you can create better reports and reduce the time spent manually inputting fuel reports into accounting.
Step 7: Set up departments for fuel invoices
Do you have more than one operating fleet or department that requires fuel reimbursement? If so, you can separate different fuel card categories on your invoices to organize the total costs by department. This will make accounting more manageable and give you a better overview of each department’s fuel usage.
Step 8: Utilize fuel card mobile apps to find the best fueling locations
Most fuel cards have a mobile app that helps drivers find a place to refuel that will accept their fuel card. These fuel-finder apps make locating gas stations much easier. As a fleet manager, familiarize yourself with the app so you can teach your drivers how to use it to find fuel.
Step 9: Watch for unusual spending patterns
Look for transactions that seem out of place — like fill-ups that exceed tank capacity, purchases outside of normal work hours, or multiple refuels in one day. These irregularities can be a sign of fraud or misuse, and most fuel card platforms let you flag them automatically.
Reviewing this kind of data regularly can help you catch small issues before they become expensive problems. Plus, it gives you better visibility into how your fuel program is working and where improvements might be needed.
Step 10: Deactivate cards that are not in service
In order for a fuel card system to truly benefit your business, there cannot be any unauthorized usage. Make sure you cancel any cards that are assigned to former employees or out-of-service vehicles immediately. That way, you can avoid the possibility of fraud and misuse.
FAQ
What can fuel cards be used for?
While fuel cards are mainly used to purchase gasoline or diesel, drivers can also use some cards to pay for vehicle repairs, parts, road tolls, insurance, and other related vehicle expenses.
What is a fuel card system?
A fuel card system allows employees to make authorized vehicle-related purchases using company-managed cards.
Are fleet cards worth it?
Yes, fleet fuel cards can be well worth considering for fleet businesses of all sizes. These cards can help your business reduce fuel costs, avoid fraudulent spending, and improve accounting processes.
