There are many reasons that a fuel card to a fleet is a no brainer. Lower costs, access to more services, and a convenient way to keep track of fuel costs. There are also reasons why fleet owners would rather steer clear, and keep on truckin with the fuel costs coming out of pocket. We have talked to fleet owners, and asked them “what are the biggest reasons you would say NO to a fuel card?”. We have put together these 5 reasons that fleet owners would rather say “no” to a fuel card.
1. Costs associated with using a fuel card – You know the saying “there’s no such thing as free”. This is one of the first things that comes to mind when using a fuel card. Many fleet owners would rather just keep paying out of pocket, than putting more money in a card company’s pocket. On paper this sounds like a good idea, more money in your pocket, none in a fuel card company’s pocket, but that’s on paper. In the real world carrying cash to fill up is dangerous, and can lead to being mugged in a parking lot, and losing the money for fuel. A credit card is an option, but with swipe fees there aren’t any savings to be had.
The solution is with Truckers Solution. We charge a small transaction fee to use the card, but instead of using it to make ourselves rich, we rebate it back to our members at the end of each quarter. Our members wind up not paying anything for the convenience of this card!
2. Overspending – It can become very easy to let the amount on the card slip your mind. You have a million other things you’re thinking about on the road, so the last thing you’re focusing on is how much fuel you’ve put on the card. Fleet owners stay wary of cards, because they know that there is the potential to overspend.
Using a fuel card from Truckers Solution can save the stress of having to worry about overspending. Let’s say John Doe is on his way back home from a thousand-mile haul. He’s thinking about being at home with his wife and kids, not if the card is spending past his budget on diesel. The Truckers Solution fuel card cuts John Doe’s overspending by letting him set up limits. Now he’s not overspending on fuel, and it gives him one less thing to worry about.
3. Fear of Interest Rates – If you have a credit card, then you know how interest rates work. The same concept applies to fuel cards. There is an interest rate, and if you leave a balance on the card, then interest can become quite costly. Many fleets would rather say “no” to the card, than deal with the costs of interest.
Let’s say that our “friend” used a fuel card or credit card for diesel. He fills up on the way back to Dallas, from dropping off a load of cheese in Wisconsin, and leaves the balance on the card, while he waits to get paid. Our driver friend is going to wind up eating that interest, as well as having it hurt his credit score. Just like that the interest has made this simple fill up a financial liability.
If Joe had used a Truckers Solution fuel card he wouldn’t have had to eat those interest rates. That’s because instead of punishing their members, Truckers Solution works with them to provide a solution that does not stick with them with a bad credit score, or ridiculous fees.
4. Too many cards to keep up with – In the mind of a fleet owner, a fuel card means that it’s something that they will have to monitor constantly. The more drivers in the fleet, the more fuel cards to have to deal with.
For the Truckers Solution card, it puts the fleet owner in the driver seat. One card rules the rest of the fleet cards. This means a fleet owner can set limits, budget, turn off and on cards without needing to deal with an individual card.
5. Employee Fraud – Let’s face it. Not all employees are the most trustworthy. It’s in the mind of a fleet owner that a fuel card is a way for a dishonest employee to rip off the boss. This fear has been going to rest, since fuel card companies are coming up with innovative ways to safeguard against employee fraud.
Truckers Solution has made employee fuel card fraud a thing of the past. All that you must do as an owner is set a limit on the card for your employees. No more fraud, so it’s one less thing to have to keep an eye on!
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