|
Establishing a fleet fueling policy makes sense. After
all, fuel is usually the single largest variable expense
for a fleet of any size. A fleet fueling policy–carefully
planned, implemented and enforced–can be a company's
most effective tool in the battle to cut unnecessary
costs.
Thanks to a revolution in the electronic
capture of fueling data at the pump through the use
of electronic fleet fueling cards, fleet managers now
have timely, accurate data they can use to battle waste
and abuse.
If a driver makes a purchase outside
parameters set by the manager–e.g., the driver
buys premium rather than regular gasoline–this
information is recorded instantly and appears on a regular
billing statement along with the individual driver and
vehicle number. Through the use of tools like Exception
Reporting and purchase alerts managers can enforce cost-saving
policies quickly, not weeks after the fact.
For many, highlighting problem areas is the most cost-effective,
accurate and efficient way to implement, manage and
enforce a successful fleet fueling policy. With Exception
Reporting, fueling information is funneled through the
company's policy parameters and is sorted to show where,
when and by whom fueling policies are being disregarded.
Here are 6 basic guidelines you can use to build an
effective fueling policy:
- Enforce limits at the time of
purchase. The most effective way to enforce a fleet
fueling policy is to set limits so that purchases
outside the limits are not even allowed. For example,
if you restrict transactions to two per day, the third
transaction will be declined at the point of purchase.
More on how this works.
- Restrict non-fuel products and
services. Many fleet managers find it helpful to place
restrictions on the kinds of products drivers may
purchase. This helps to control costs, quality and
consistency.
- Control the location, days, and
times of purchases. Frequent fuel purchases made with
the company card outside of business hours are a sure
sign of waste and abuse. Make sure your drivers purchase
fuel only during business hours, look for fuel purchases
that exceed tank capacity, and eliminate multiple
purchases in a single day whenever possible.
- Mandate one or more fuel brands
to help control quality, consistency and the cost
of fuel and service your drivers purchase. Take a
close look at fueling stations in your area, and select
those that offer the best quality for the best price.
Click here
for a directory of Wright Express accepting sites.
- Encourage drivers to fuel at locations
with pay-at-the-pump. Drivers will save valuable time
and get on the road faster by patronizing only pay-at-the-pump
locations.
- Stipulate the desired grade of
fuel for each vehicle. Every time a driver fills the
tank with a premium or mid-grade fuel, the company
wastes as much as 10¢ to 25¢ more per gallon - or
approximately $2 more per tank of gas.
This graph, based on data from a
real fleet, demonstrates how misuse declined after a
customer instituted a fleet fueling policy with the
assistance of Wright Express. The customer saved tens
of thousands of dollars by identifying problem purchases
quickly and working with drivers to eliminate them.
Once you have established a good, comprehensive fleet
fueling policy, the next step is to communicate the
new policy clearly to every driver in the fleet. Let
them know that all fuel purchases will be monitored
and that all exceptions, especially repeated infractions,
will need to be justified.
Wright Express can help you take a critical look at
your fleet, identify the areas where you have the most
problems and work with you to establish a fueling policy.
To find out more about the Wright
Express Universal Fleet Card, apply
now, request
more information or simply call 1-800-395-0812.
|
