Start with your lanes
Map the routes your trucks run and the stops they use today. A program is only as useful as its coverage on those lanes. A deep discount at stops your drivers never pass saves nothing.
Understand the discount structure
Ask whether pricing is retail-minus, cost-plus or a rebate, whether it changes by location, and when the savings reach you. Then price a real month of your fuel under the offer.
Driver controls
- Product limits, such as diesel, DEF and reefer fuel only.
- Gallon and dollar limits per purchase and per day.
- Location and time-of-day limits.
- Driver and truck identification on every purchase.
Reporting and fuel tax
Interstate carriers file IFTA returns that need fuel purchases by state. A program that records the state, gallons and price of each purchase saves hours at the end of every quarter. Ask what reports come standard and how they export to your accounting.
Fraud and payment security
Ask how the program prevents skimmed or shared credentials, how fast you see each transaction, and how a suspicious purchase is stopped. Methods without a plastic card remove the skimming risk entirely.
Questions to ask any provider
- Which stops on my lanes are covered, and at what price?
- What fees apply, per card, per transaction and per month?
- How do controls work, and who on my team can change them?
- What reports are included, and do they cover IFTA?
- What are the billing terms, and what happens if a payment is late?
