There are so many different types of fuel cards these days, that it can be difficult to determine which one is best for your company. There is often some confusion around what a fleet card is and what it does, and how it could be of benefit to your business.

Explaining fleet cards

Essentially, a fleet card is a corporate gas card. Now, that doesn’t mean that they’re only applicable to Presidents and CEOs of major corporations. In fact, fleet cards are beneficial to any organization that owns and operates a fleet of vehicles.

What do fleet cards do?

A fleet card helps an organization keep track of their operating expenses, and since gas prices often fluctuate, it allows them to budget their variable costs more effectively. In addition, companies can be assured of more security, as they are able to place security controls on the card which makes drivers accountable for when, where and how they purchase fuel. Furthermore, a fleet card can help an organization manage their fuel expense budget, because by using a fleet card, they no longer have to deal with the hassle of employee reimbursement and cash transactions.

Fueling transactions

Eliminating employee reimbursements by using the fleet card helps protect companies against fraudulent fueling transactions. Your employees can no longer request reimbursement for an expense and claim a lost receipt. If you adopt a fleet card program for your company, you’ll be able to go through a wide range of fuel management options and choose which are most suitable for your business. So, if you need stricter controls on the cards, you can choose that.

Fleet cards also come with a wide variety of reporting options. Your company can choose to get maintenance and vehicle reports, (which will help you schedule and budget for vehicle repair.) You can also get account activity and summary reports so you can track total expenditures for your company. All in a convenient package, without the irritation of dealing with reconciling your balance sheet with missing receipts and with unexpected and unexplained costs.

How do fleet cards work?

Simply decide which options are best for you, issue cards to your employees and enjoy the freedom of a stress free operating structure.
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Transport Trucks

When you hear the word fleet, your mind automatically conjures up a picture of a group of gigantic transport trucks zooming down the highway. But actually, a fleet is any large group of vehicles owned and operated by the same company. You could own a fleet and not even know it.  To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of industries that might need or have a fleet, so that you can start taking advantage of the opportunities that fleet ownership can bring. So, aside from the transportation trucking industry, what are the other possible businesses that might have a fleet?

Sales

Many organizations send their sales representatives out in the field with company owned vehicles. Because the company usually owns the vehicle and pays for all expenses related to running and maintaining the car, the company is actually in the business of fleet ownership. They might not be aware of it because they’re not technically in the transportation industry.

 Sales fleet

Trades

Electricians, plumbers, roofers and many other trade workers are constantly going to other out of the office locations to do their jobs. It’s almost a guarantee that they’ll need to bring their tools with them and will need a fairly large vehicle in which to transport them. These vehicles are most often owned by the company that employs the worker, and the company is usually responsible for the repair and upkeep. Although it probably doesn’t occur to them, company’s that own trade vehicles are also in the business of fleet ownership.

Professional Services

‘Flower’ is not usually an image you picture when you think of the word fleet, but if you’ve ever taken delivery of a bouquet, or had a package delivered to you, chances are the person bringing your goods drove a company vehicle to make the delivery. And, because the company usually has more than one person making deliveries for them at a time, and they are also usually responsible for the vehicle’s expenses, they also participate in fleet ownership in addition to their main business.

Flower Delivery

Landscape

The people who design and build our beautiful gardens need to tote a lot of materials around with them to effectively do their job. A lot of their work is quite messy, and the company they work for typically supplies a van to their employees. Most of these businesses are a decent size, and they often have quite a few crews in their employ, therefore they possess and run a small fleet of landscaping vans.

So, in effect, it’s possible to be in the fleet ownership industry, and not even realize it. I’m sure most of you didn’t realize the above industries were in the fleet business in addition to their regular work. Can you think of any other businesses that don’t fit the stereotypical idea of a fleet, but that are actually in possession of one?

Driving a transport truck

Driving a fleet transport truck is serious business. Drivers deal with unfamiliar roads, unpredictable weather, nighttime driving and sometimes, loneliness. The most important thing for everyone on the road, including the transport driver, is to keep safety as the number one priority. With that being said, there are things that drivers can do to ensure their truck is in top working order and thus decrease the chance of an accident.

Windshield washer fluid cap

Before drivers go anywhere, they should make a list of things to check on before they begin their journey. It’s imperative that the truck they are driving has met all its regular maintenance inspections and has been cleared by a mechanic. Beyond that, the driver should test the brakes themselves just to ensure they are in good working condition. The levels of the fuel and oil gauges should be verified, and although often overlooked, it’s crucial to ensure the windshield washer fluid receptacle is full. You never know when you will be driving though a dusty or slushy area, and running out of windshield washer fluid in the middle of it could lead to a very dangerous situation.

Obviously, fleet transport trucks are used to transport goods. Therefore, it is imperative that drivers check the cargo portion of their truck and make sure that their load is secure. It’s not enough to take the word of the people who loaded the truck, because they aren’t the ones that are out on the roads. Double-check that all cargo is fastened in tight as it would be really distracting and dangerous to hear items sliding around while you’re driving. Any equipment that is loaded improperly or missing should be reported to the dispatcher. You should also have a walk around your truck and check out all of your tires. If any of them look deflated or bald, you should either fill them up with air or change the tire completely.

Transport truck tires

Inside the cab, the driver should check that they have an adequate supply of road flares, that their first aid kit is well-stocked and that they have a fire extinguisher that is in good working order. Once the seat is arranged into position, drivers should move the mirrors so they can see out of them properly. One never knows if they have been moved since the fleet transport truck was last driven, and it is imperative this is done before setting out on the road! The driver should have someone stand outside the truck to help check the lights. A blown brakelight would be very unsafe on the road and could lead to an accident.

Although fleet transport truck drivers are not expected to be mechanics, they are responsible for doing an inspection of their truck before leaving to go on any trip. If they find anything wrong, it is their job to report it, so someone qualified can fix it. It’ll keep themselves and everyone else safe on the road.