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Integrating Fuel Cards and GPS Tracking

Fuel cards, commonly referred to as ‘fleet cards,’ are a form of payment fleet drivers can use to purchase gasoline, diesel, and other types of fuel. Drivers have the option of using their gas cards to pay for other expenses, such as vehicle maintenance. Fleet managers can use fuel cards to monitor fuel purchases in real-time, create spending restrictions, and monitor expenditures. Fuel cards also allow fleet managers to set spending limits, as well as simplify their reporting requirements to the International Fuel Tax Association (IFTA).

One of the most beneficial aspects of fuel cards is the ability to receive reductions in the price of gasoline. When you buy fuel inside a certain network, you may be eligible for discounts or other rebates through a number of different fuel card programs. Often, the gas station will offer the fuel card provider a discount in exchange for referring their members there. Some retailers will lower the price per gallon of fuel they sell.

Fuel card data can be easily integrated into your fleet’s GPS tracking system, and gives you a complete picture of your fleet’s activity. This integration helps eliminate fuel card fraud, control costs, and complete IFTA reports.

Eliminating fraud

When reporting on transactions made using fleet gas cards, utilizing GPS tracking provides information on drivers and vehicles, the location, date, and time of filling, as well as the total amount of gallons pumped. The ratio of the volume of fuel pumped to the total capacity of the vehicle’s fuel tank is one of the most important data points.

Integrating fleet fuel cards and GPS monitoring data can help uncover fraudulent fuel card use in a number of different ways. For example, if a greater number of gallons were pumped than what the vehicle is actually capable of holding, this almost always implies that the person who was pumping the gas was either filling up their own vehicle or the car of someone else.

Fuel Card Transactions Report

Example Fuel Card Transaction Report

The location where the fleet gas card was used, as opposed to the location of the vehicle that the card is linked with at the time of the transaction, is another crucial piece of information that was uncovered by this reporting. Take, for instance, the case in which the fleet fuel card was used at a gas station while the vehicle in question remained parked in your yard. This makes it easier to determine whether or not the gas card was stolen or being used for unlawful purposes.

Controlling high fuel costs

The integration of GPS tracking and fuel cards also offers an overall cost breakdown of fuel expenditure. This reporting allows fleet managers to view information like:

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Cost per gallon

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Gallons purchased

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Total cost of fuel

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Miles per gallon

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Cost per mile

The compiled data helps paint a picture of overall fuel costs and helps identify areas where fleets can improve fuel cost management.

Reporting state mileage

If your vehicles cross state lines, you’re probably acquainted with IFTA reporting and how time-consuming it can be without technology like GPS tracking. GPS tracking simplifies the process of completing IFTA reports by displaying the distance traveled by each vehicle, broken down by state. Using fleet fuel cards in conjunction with GPS tracking adds the depth of knowing how much fuel was purchased in each state.

Integrating fleet fuel cards with GPS monitoring will provide a comprehensive overview of your fuel costs, assistance in identifying fuel card fraud, assist in regulating and eliminating unnecessary fuel expenditures, and automate the task of manually reporting on state mileage.

Learn more about how we integrate fuel cards with GPS tracking.

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