Fuel Card Basics: What Every Fleet Owner Needs To Know
If you are running a business that has a fleet of vehicles, the last thing you really want to be doing is going through all the drivers' fuel expense receipts and having to work out how much you owe each employee. So why not take the stress out of keeping your fleet fueled up by having a fuel card? If you've never considered this before, you may wonder how it could help you. Here are some things that you should know before you decide.
Fuel Card Basics
Fuel cards are a useful tool to have when you own a fleet of vehicles. The fuel card system allows you to fuel all of the vehicles without having to rely on each employee to have the money up front. The card will allow you to charge one single account which you can pay off monthly like you would with a credit card. This consolidates everything and makes it easier for you to manage.
Fuel Card Benefits
There are many benefits to instituting a fuel card system for your fleet. In addition to saving you hours of sorting through paperwork and the potential of dealing with accounting errors, opting for fuel cards will also save your employees the embarrassing situation of needing fuel and not having the funds available to get it.
With some fuel cards, you even have the ability to regulate how often your drivers are allowed to refuel. If they travel a set route every week, their refuelling needs will be predictable. By restricting card use to certain intervals, you can minimize the risk of fleet vehicles being used for personal purposes or the fuel card being used to fill up personal vehicles.
In many cases, you can also set up fuel cards so that drivers are only able to use them at certain stations. If you've worked out a discount rate with a particular fuel company, restricting your drivers to only using that company can save you substantially over time.
Fuel Card Considerations
The one thing you'll want to stress to your drivers is that fuel cards should be kept in the vehicle at all times. Discourage your drivers from carrying them in their wallets so that you don't risk lost or stolen cards.
Also, take the time to explore several providers before you select a card for your business. That way, you can be sure that you're getting the best possible deal before you sign.