Best Fuel Cards for Truckers in 2024

Updated 2/22/2024

The right fuel card can save truckers thousands of dollars a year.

To help you find the card that best suits your needs, we reviewed more than 17 of the most popular cards on the market. We break down the potential savings with each card, the network of fuel stops, whether the card is prepaid or not, associated fees, and more.

Additionally, our guide below covers everything you need to know about fuel cards including how they work, how they differ from credit cards, and what to consider when comparing options.

For those just looking for a quick recommendation, here are our top choices for truckers.

OTR Solutions
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Best Overall
44¢ per gallon average savings at 1,500 locations
Prepaid & Credit Options
TCS Fuel Card
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Best for fleets & owner operators
42¢ per gallon average savings at 1,200 locations
Prepaid Fuel Card
NASTC Fuel Card
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Best for small trucking fleets
28¢ per gallon average savings at 1,100 locations
Charge Card

Compare Cards

About the author
Scott Elgin of Elgin Trucking & TruckInfo.net
Scott Elgin has been in the trucking business since 1982, acting as both a motor carrier and a freight agent at Elgin Trucking Co. During this time, he has overseen thousands of units servicing the entire continental United States.

How to Find the Best Fuel Cards for Truckers

In addition to fuel discounts, trucking companies and owner operators should take the following factors into account when selecting the fuel card that is right for them:

  • Fuel type(s) needed – Does your fleet only take diesel or are you running a mixed fleet that also uses unleaded gasoline.
  • Locations – Most fuel cards only work at specific fuel stations so companies should be sure to find a card that works at locations along their typical routes. Companies that don't have set routes should either carry multiple fuel cards or opt for a card that will work at as many fuel stations as possible.
  • Credit access – Does the fuel card extend credit to users or will companies need to prepay for any fuel purchased on the card. It's also important to remember that not all cards extend credit lines in the same way. Some cards will need to be paid off every 7 days while others may only need to be paid off every 30+ days. While it's rare, some cards also allow companies to "maintain a balance" and only make interest on their credit line, similar to a typical credit card.
  • Fees – While fuel cards can save money by offering discounts, typically on the cash price at the station, fees can add up and cut into total savings. Card fees can come in a variety of formats including setup fees, monthly maintenance fees, transaction fees, account minimums, etc.

While every business is unique, the fuel cards selected below all offer deep discounts and have a large footprint in the US compared to similar cards.

The best fuel cards for trucking companies & owner operators

OTR Solutions Fuel Card

Best Overall

Pros

  • 44¢ per gallon discount on average at 1.5k locations
  • Accepted at 8k+ locations (TA Petro, Speedway, AMBest, Sapp Bros, Casey's, Road Ranger, and more)
  • No in-network fees
  • Credit options & prepaid options

Cons

  • Fees for non-network locations

The OTR Solutions fuel card offers the most competitive fuel card discounts available at more than 1.5k locations. Additionally, the card can be used at more than 8k locations nationwide.

In addition to the savings, another big advantage to the OTR Solutions fuel card is that credit options are available, which is rare for a card with discounts this big. For example, cards with similar discounts, such as TCS, only offer prepaid options.

OTR also makes it easy for truckers to optimize their routes while taking fuel prices into account with their free fuel finder mobile app.

AtoB Fuel Card

Great for Cash Flow Management  with Big Discounts

Pros

  • 5-43¢ per gallon discount on diesel & unleaded gasoline when using the AtoB Driver App (available on iOS & Android)
  • Universal card running on Visa network
  • Charge card with up to 7-day billing cycles
  • No credit check
  • No fees
  • Can also spend on repairs, parts, road tolls, insurance, and more

Cons

  • Because AtoB runs on Visa rails, may incur a surcharge on fuel that cancels out the 5¢ cent discount (some fuel stops charge an extra fee when paying by credit card)

When using the AtoB Driver App, fuel discounts average 10-15¢ but can get as high as 43¢. Without using the app, the fuel discounts may be minimal with AtoB because most fuel stations add a credit card surcharge (the card runs on Visa's payment rails). While the surcharge isn't ideal, the card can be used anywhere Visa is accepted which is another perk.

The main draw of the card is that businesses can  get a line of credit from AtoB without a credit check or personal guarantee. The AtoB card has weekly balance limits for its users, though they are increased quickly. One testimonial on the official website states the spending limit was increased from $1,600 to $2,500 within 10 minutes of requesting. According to the AtoB FAQ, the payment terms are net 0–7, depending on the card user’s financial health.

Additionally, because the company reports payment history to Experian, businesses can use the card to build their credit score.

Because there are no fees associated with the card, it is a great option for most businesses, even if it is only used as a secondary fuel card when needed.

Motive Fleet Card

Great for Cash Flow Management  with Big Discounts

Pros

  • 5-21¢ per gallon discount
  • Universal card running on Mastercard network
  • Charge card with up to 30-day billing cycles
  • No personal guarantee or credit check
  • No fees
  • Can also spend on repairs, parts, road tolls, insurance, and more

Cons

  • Because Motive runs on Mastercard rails, may incur a surcharge on fuel that cancels out the 5¢ cent discount (some fuel stops charge an extra fee when paying by credit card)

The Motive fleet card has some of the best fuel discounts on the market, which is particularly impressive because it operates like a charge card vs a prepaid card (which typically have the deepest discounts).

Additionally, the Motive fleet card has a wide range of spend controls. Fleet managers can set spending limits by category, purchase amount, store type, and more. Cards can also quickly be spun up, shut down, or paused in realtime.

Fleets that are also using the Motive ELD will benefit from enhanced fraud detection, which takes into account the vehicle's location, fuel consumption, and other factors. Additionally, Motive provides a dashboard for fleet managers to analyze fuel spend and consumption by vehicle and driver. IFTA reports are also automated.

While the Motive fleet card doesn't require a personal guarantee, the card is designed for businesses with a strong track record. To qualify, most companies will need to have either been in business for at least a year without credit issues or have been a Motive ELD customer for at least 6 months.

TCS Fuel Card

Best Fuel Card for Fleets & Owner Operators

Pros

  • 42¢ per gallon average savings
  • 1,200 locations (TA Petro, AMBest, Road Ranger, Roady’s Sapp Bros, Fuel City, Speedway, and more)
  • No activation, annual, or transaction fees
  • App and fuel management platform
  • Service & tire discounts

Cons

  • Prepaid card
  • Card is not universal

With deep discounts and a network of popular fuel stops across the nation and in Canada such as TA Petro, AMBest, and others, the TCS fuel card is a great option for trucking companies and owner operators looking for deep discounts on diesel. The only major downside of the TCS fuel card is that it is a prepaid fuel card so truckers worried about cash flow may need to look into other cards that offer a line of credit.

While it does require funds to be on the card for purchases, there are no balance minimums, maximums, or fees associated with having or using the card. Funds can be loaded onto the TCS fuel card by bank wire, Western Union, or ACH. 

Because the card is prepaid, TCS does not perform a credit score check on new applicants and the approval process typically takes 5-7 days. Once approved, the card is shipped in 3-5 days via FedEx (so it cannot be shipped to a PO Box).

NASTC Fuel Card

Best Fuel Card for Small Fleets

Pros

  • 28¢ per gallon average savings
  • 1,100 locations (TA Petro, AMBest, Sapp Bros, and more)
  • Charge card
  • No annual or in-network transaction fees
  • Discounted maintenance and tires

Cons

  • Must join NASTC or are already be a member
  • Card is not universal
  • Out-of-network transaction fees

NASTC stands for the National Association of Small Trucking Companies and their fuel card lives up to its name. The NASTC fuel card offers the deepest discounts for any fuel card that works like a charge card.

While they cannot boast of having the largest network on this list, 1,100 locations will be sufficient for many over-the-road truckers.

The biggest drawback to the NASTC card is that users must be active members of NASTC, which has an annual membership fee of $250. However, the membership has other perks such as the ability to sign up with BigRoad, an ELD provider with FMCSA certification, at no cost. Another partner is RoadSquad, which has no service truck dispatch fee for NASTC members.

Multi Service OTR Fuel Card

Best Fuel Card for Large Fleets & Regional Trucking

Pros

  • Advertises ~5% in fuel savings per year but doesn’t get into specifics
  • If carriers have pre-negotiated rates with carriers, that can be ported onto the card
  • 1,200 locations (TA Petro, Pilot Flying J, Love’s, CIrcle K, Casey’s, and more)
  • Charge card
  • No fees

Cons

  • Doesn’t advertise built-in network discounts
  • Card is not universal

While Multi Service has in network discounts, they can also negotiate on your behalf with fuel providers and also port over existing discounts onto their fuel card. According to the official website, the negotiation results in a discount in 90% of cases. For a fleet that uses 60,000 gallons a year, the website states fuel savings go over $16,000. Since larger fleets or regional fleets that frequent the same smaller fuel stops will have more leverage to negotiate discounts, this will be a more attractive option for those trucking companies vs smaller carriers or owner operators.

The Multi Service reporting software provides regular reports that display all haul and truck details. It is compatible with 28 major trucking software platforms, including TMW, McLeod, and ProMiles. In cases of incompatibility, Multi Service offers customer support. The service directory points Multi Service users to the nearest available shower, parking, and restaurant.

Fuelman Deep Saver Fleet Card: Regular Package

Best Fuel Card for Hot Shot Trucking Companies

Pros

  • 8¢ per gallon on diesel & 5¢ per gallon on unleaded gasoline
  • 40,000 locations (TA Petro, Pilot Flying J, Speedy’s, Chevron, Circle K, Sinclair, Arco, and more)
  • Charge card
  • Additional rewards program that can be transferred onto a prepaid Mastercard

Cons

  • Smaller fuel discounts than other competitors
  • $3.99 monthly fee per card
  • Additional fees for late payments, minimum account size, credit risk, and optional services

While the Fuelman Deep Saver Fleet Card does not offer the largest discounts on diesel fuel, the card does offer discounts across a wide network of fuel stops for both diesel and gasoline, which is unusual. While many trucking businesses won’t see much value in this, hot shot trucking companies that run mixed fleets may find this to be a good option.

Fuelman Deep Saver Fleet Card comes with a slew of perks, one of which is the reward program — for each eligible gallon, the account receives one point. There is also the suspicious transaction alert system, as well as the detailed fuel and tax report.

The biggest downside to the Fuelman Deep Saver is the monthly fee for each card as well as additional fees that users feel aren’t properly advertised. If this card seems like a good fit, be sure to read the fine print.

RTS Fuel Card

Good for Cash Flow Management with Big Discounts

Pros

  • 25¢ per gallon average savings
  • 2,000 locations (Pilot Flying J, Sapp Bros, Casey’s, and more)
  • Prepaid card but offers a line of credit of up to $2,500 per truck per week
  • No annual fees
  • Discounts for US veterans
  • App and fleet management platform

Cons

  • Credit line of $2,500 per truck per week, beyond that needs to be prepaid
  • Card is not universal
  • $75 signup fee

Mostly known for freight factoring, RTS also offers a great fuel card for trucking companies worried about cash flow but that are still seeking deep discounts on diesel. Applicants do not need to factor invoices with RTS but those with cash flow issues can benefit from their services.

The card is accepted at more than 2,000 locations, including Pilot Flying J and others, but fleets using mixed fuel of diesel and gasoline will need to look elsewhere for their gasoline needs.

The biggest downside to the RTS card is that the card is a prepaid fuel card but they do offer a $2,500 line of credit per truck each week, which should be sufficient for most companies.

Wex Fleet CrossRoads Card

Good for Mixed Fleets

Pros

  • Up to 15¢ per gallon average savings on diesel
  • Can also be used to purchase unleaded gasoline
  • 12,000 truck stops (TA Petro, Pilot Flying J, Love’s, and more) and 95% of US gas stations
  • Charge card

Cons

  • No discounts on unleaded gasoline
  • The company isn’t fully transparent about fees
  • Reports of poor customer service online

The Wex Fleet CrossRoads Card can be a good alternative to the Fuelman Deep Saver card for mixed fleets that skew heavier on diesel purchases. While the card does not offer any discounts on unleaded gasoline, the discounts on diesel max out at nearly double that of the Fuelman.

The Wex card also comes with the ClearView program that is available in three varieties — Snap, Essentials, and Advanced. ClearView Snap provides a daily savings report delivered automatically. Essentials has activity detail breakdowns, and Advanced allows for direct communication with drivers through text or email.

Comdata Mastercard

Good for Mixed Fleets

Pros

  • Up to 25¢ per gallon at TA Petro, 10¢ per gallon at Pilot Flying J, and 8¢ per gallon at Love’s
  • 40,000 fuel stations and service centers available, though not all stations offer a discount
  • Charge card
  • Universally accepted anywhere that takes credit cards
  • Ability to send cash to drivers
  • Additional perks like discounts on hotels & reduced wait times at CAT scales

Cons

  • $50 setup fee, a $5 monthly fee per card, reports of fees that some users feel aren’t properly advertised
  • Reports of poor customer service online

Similar to the Wex Fleet CrossRoads and the Fuelman Deep Saver, The Comdata Mastercard can be used to purchase diesel as well as unleaded gasoline. While the card doesn’t offer discounts on gasoline, it offers deeper discounts than the Wex and Fuelman alternatives depending on the fuel stop.

The fuel card is a comprehensive payment solution that provides ample cash and credit to truck drivers. The card controller can set authorized recipients and send funds electronically using associated products, such as Comcheck Mobile and OnRoad. Driver payroll deposits can be automated.

Truck drivers have access to recurring cash balances refilled by the card controller, allowing them to withdraw and use cash as needed. There is also a 20% discount on stays in all participating hotels and reduced wait times at CAT scales.

Fleet One EDGE Card

Good for Small to Midsize Fleets

Pros

  • 15¢ per gallon average savings
  • Discounts at 4,500 fuel stops and accepted at 12,000
  • Charge card
  • Discounts on major tire brands, wireless plans, repairs, and more

Cons

  • Fees for transactions at out-of-network locations, fees that users feel aren’t properly advertised
  • Reports of poor customer service online

The card is tailored for fleets of up to 50 trucks and comes with a wide range of perks in addition to the 15 cents on each gallon of diesel. Such perks include discounted tires, with average savings of $100 per tire, and additional savings on wireless plans, hotels, and more. While not a universal card, it is accepted at over 12,000 fuel stations. 

The card provides automatic preparation of IRP and IFTA fuel tax reports. Users are also enrolled in the Bestpass tolling network to simplify toll tracking and eliminate windshield clutter.

The Permits module handles receiving and forwarding all trucking permit requests. Tractor and trailer information is automatically updated in the system. For payments, checks and MoneyCodes can be issued instantly for seamless payments using the internet, the app, or a phone call.

The Best Fuel Cards for Small Business

Coast Fleet Card

Best Small Business Fuel Card

Pros

  • 2-6¢ per gallon discount on all fuel (diesel & unleaded gasoline)
  • Universal card running on Visa network
  • Charge card
  • No personal guarantee or credit check
  • No fees
  • Can also spend on repairs, parts, road tolls, insurance, and more

Cons

  • Because Coast runs on Visa rails, may incur a surcharge on fuel that cancels out the fuel discount (some fuel stops charge an extra fee when paying by credit card)

While Coast can be used by trucking fleets, their primary focus is on small businesses in construction, limos/taxis, healthcare, and local delivery. The Coast fleet card doesn't offer heavily discounted fuel like some competitors but it does have a few advantages compared to most other cards.

First, the Coast fleet card is accepted anywhere that takes Visa, which makes it convenient for fleets that need to fill up at a wide range of stations. However, these purchases may incur a credit card processing fee, which can eat into the fuel discounts provided. Second, the Coast fleet card comes with a complete expense management platform that enables managers to set spending controls, analyze costs, and automate fraud prevention. For example, the card can limit spend to just fuel at stations or it can be enabled for users to spend on maintenance, repairs, etc.

Another major draw for small businesses is that Coast is a charge card that doesn't require a personal guarantee.

Shell Small Business

Best for Businesses near Shell Stations

Pros

  • 5¢ per gallon average discount on diesel & unleaded gasoline
  • 13,000 Shell locations
  • Businesses can carry a balance on the card

Cons

  • Only works at Shell
  • The company isn’t fully transparent about fees
  • Reports of poor customer service online

While there are fuel cards with bigger discounts available, the Shell Small Business card is unique in that it does not require businesses to pay off their bill at the end of the billing cycle. Instead, they can carry a balance when cash flow is tight.

The card can be used to purchase discounted diesel and unleaded gasoline at 13,000 Shell stations and the card also gives users a 15% discount at Jiffy Lube.

Wex Fleet FlexCard

Best for Small Business Tight on Cash

Pros

  • 3¢ per gallon average discount for the first year or 6,000 gallons
  • Discount on diesel & unleaded gasoline
  • Businesses can carry a balance on the card

Cons

  • The company isn’t fully transparent about fees
  • Reports of poor customer service online

Like the Shell Small Business card, the Wex Fleet Flexcard also allows businesses to carry a balance at the end of the month rather than paying off their bill in full. While the Wex Fleet FlexCard offers a smaller discount on fuel than the Shell Small Business card, the card can be used anywhere .

Like other Wex cards, the card has no setup or monthly fees but users online have reported getting hit with early termination fees.

Other Cards Reviewed

  • Convoy Fuel Card – Offered by the digital broker, Convoy; Average savings of 42¢ per gallon; either prepaid or a 7-day credit line through a third party
  • OOIDA's Truckers Advantage Fuel Card – Cost plus pricing at Sapp Brothers, Quick Fuel and independent in-network truck stops, and a 14¢ per gallon discount off the pump price at TA/Petro locations
  • CFN Fleetwide Fuel Card – Estimated average savings of 20¢ per gallon at CFN locations but can be used at select truck stops and gas stations; credit line of 3, 7, 15, or 30 days
  • Pilot Flying J  Axle fuel card – No fuel discount although they do have a rewards program that drivers can use to buy showers, foods, and other items
  • Voyager Fuel Card – No fuel discount but they offer credit lines of 3, 7, 15, or 30 days

What is a fuel card?

A fuel card, also known as “fleet card” or “fleet fuel card,” is a type of payment method that provides trucking companies with fuel management capabilities, saving money at fuel stations. Most fuel cards look like a typical credit card or debit card.

They are used by trucking businesses and truck owner operators to buy fuel. Depending on the card, can also be used to pay tolls and purchase maintenance-related accessories.


Fuel Card Benefits

Fuel cards have a range of benefits including:

  • Fuel discounts – Many fuel cards, and all of our top rated cards, offer a fuel discount at the pump. This can range anywhere from a few cents per gallon to 40+ cents per gallon.
  • Spend controls – Compared to cash or credit cards, fuel cards allow fleet managers to have more oversight of their drivers’ spending habits. Many fuel cards allow fleet managers to set spend limits on the card or limit the types of purchases drivers can use the card on, even at approved fuel stations. For example, many cards can be restricted to just fuel and won’t allow drivers to purchase snacks or drinks. Depending on the card, fleet managers can also limit the number of total transactions within a certain time period or limit the size of any one transaction.
  • Automated reporting – Most fuel cards will provide a dashboard that allows fleet managers to track spend by driver, vehicle, and location. Additional information can include vehicle location and mileage, time between refueling, estimated MPG, and other metrics. Many cards will also simplify or automate IFTA reporting.
  • Help with cash flow – While some fuel cards are prepaid, most are charge cards and a few will even provide a line of credit to businesses so that they can carry a balance when cash is tight. 

For fleets, the benefits of fuel cards scale up with the company. If the trucking company adds 5, 50, or 500 new vehicles to its fleet, the card issuer will provide additional cards, keeping expenses and record-tracking manageable.

Who uses fuel cards?

Fuel cards are designed for public and private enterprises, including trucking and logistics companies of all sizes, including owner operators and government agencies. Fuel cards are attached to a registered entity and are not for personal use. For personal use, individuals should look into gasoline credit cards.

How do fuel cards work?

Fuel cards look just like any credit or debit card and may be equipped with a microchip for swiping the card on point-of-sale terminals. The driver might need to enter other information, such as personal ID, vehicle ID, and mileage for maintenance and accounting purposes. All transaction records are automatically processed and safely stored for later review.

Fuel Cards vs Credit Cards

Credit Card
Fuel Card
Pros
  • Universally accepted
  • Can leverage the line of credit for 30-60 days before paying interest on purchases
  • Most cards will offer the the “cash price” at fuel stops plus an additional discount
  • Spend controls
  • Spend analysis
Cons
  • Most fuel stops include a surcharge for credit card purchases
  • No discounts beyond the credit cards rewards program
  • Limited spend control
  • Limited spend analysis
  • Most can only be used at specific locations (though some are universal)
  • Most are prepaid or have short lines of credit (though some have longer lines of credit)

While most businesses will benefit from a company credit card, there are unique advantages to also leveraging a fuel card when fuel is a significant portion of operating expenses. For trucking companies and owner operators, this will definitely be the case but many small businesses, such as construction companies and landscapers can also benefit from a company fuel card.

Credit cards are accepted across a range of vendors for various goods or services. They provide funds without the user having to plan ahead through a line of credit with 30–60 days deferred payment. If the cash flow is limited, the user can also maintain a balance.

The downside of credit cards is that they do not offer fuel specific discounts and most fuel stations will add a surcharge for anyone paying with a credit card. There are also no spend controls or spend analysis.

Types of Fuel Cards

When comparing fuel cards, fleet managers, owner operators, and small businesses should be aware of how different fuel cards are set up and the advantages to each type of fuel card.

Fuel Type

While all of the fuel cards the top fuel cards listed below can be used to purchase diesel fuel, others can also be used on unleaded gasoline and may even offer a discount. For mixed fleets that may have vehicles requiring both types of fuel, selecting a card that can be used for diesel and gasoline will be important.

Credit Line

Fuel cards offer varying amounts of credit, from none to working like a typical credit card. Fuel cards can be broken down into three categories depending on how credit is offered.

  1. Prepaid fuel cards – Money is placed on the card in one installment and spent as the user wishes. Functionally, these operate in a similar fashion as debit cards. These typically offer the biggest fuel savings.
  2. Charge cards – While these cards extend a line of credit to truckers and other businesses, the balance spent must be paid in full by the end of the billing cycle. Most fuel cards have a short billing period of around 7 days.
  3. Credit line with balance – These cards are rare and function as a traditional credit card, where businesses can draw on a line of credit and then “carry a balance” if cash flow is tight and they are unable to pay off the full balance at the end of the billing cycle.

Fuel cards that offer a credit line or operate like a charge card may request a personal guarantee. Business owners that have poor personal credit or that would rather not commit to a personal guarantee can either select a prepaid card or opt for a card like AtoB that doesn’t require a personal guarantee.

Payment Rails

Fuel cards can either run on payment rails that are specific to fuel stations or on credit card rails, like Visa or Mastercard.

While fuel specific payment rails can only be used at specific locations, they typically offer larger discounts and most fuel stations will also offer the cash prices when paying with these cards.

On the other hand, a fuel card that leverages a network like Visa will be usable everywhere but companies will typically pay more because many fuel stations will add a credit card surcharge, even if it’s technically a fuel card. Fuel cards built on top of Visa or Mastercard also typically have smaller discounts.

A few cards, such as the Comdata Mastercard, offer the best of both worlds, with fuel specific rails for fuel stations and Mastercard rails for everywhere else.

Fuel Discounts

Fuel discounts are offered either at the point-of-sale or the fuel discounts are rebated to companies at the end of the billing cycle. Functionally, this has little impact on cash flow unless the fuel card uses a prepaid method and a rebate model, which is unusual.

Fuel discounts can be calculated either by giving companies a discount from the list price or by using a “cost plus” method that adds a small fee on top of the price the fuel stop paid the supplier. Most publicly available fuel cards will offer a discount from the list price but some of the cards offering larger discounts will also utilize the cost plus method at certain fuel stations when it is advantageous. From the driver’s perspective, there is no difference beyond the price charged to the fuel card.

Can fuel cards save money?

Yes, fuel cards provide discounts on fuel and the spending controls they offer also prevent internal mismanagement.

The business owner or fleet manager can often place the following limits:

  • Total spend
  • Spend per transaction
  • Location
  • Time of day
  • Purchase category (allow fuel and maintenance but not snacks at the fuel station)

The data gathered by each driver’s card then feeds into vehicle management software, providing an overview for each driver in terms of:

  • Fuel purchased
  • Distance traveled
  • Fuel price
  • Fuel cost per mile traveled


How much money can a fuel card save?

While fuel savings will vary widely depending on the fuel card, several popular fuel cards offer discounts ranging from 30-40 cents per gallon.

However, the general rule of thumb is that, the higher the fuel discount, the more restrictive the fuel card. Such cards can still provide tremendous savings depending on a company’s routes but companies must plan ahead. Many truckers also elect to carry multiple fuel cards in case they need to fuel up at a station outside the network of their primary fuel card.

While some fuel cards only offer discounts of a few cents per gallon, for trucking companies the savings can still add up to a significant dollar figure over the course of the year. The average class 8 truck uses almost 12,000 gallons of fuel each year. With diesel prices rising above $5 a gallon in 2022, the typical trucker will spend more than $60,000 on fuel over the course of the year. 

The table below displays expected savings for a truck that consumes 12,000 gallons of fuel over the course of a year while the price of fuel averages $5 per gallon.


Fuel Discount
Total Savings
Savings as % of Spend
3¢ per gallon
$360
.6%
4¢ per gallon
$480
.8%
5¢ per gallon
$600
1%
8¢ per gallon
$960
1.6%
10¢ per gallon
$1,200
2%
15¢ per gallon
$1,800
3%
20¢ per gallon
$2,400
4%
25¢ per gallon
$3,000
5%
30¢ per gallon
$3,600
6%
35¢ per gallon
$4,200
7%
40¢ per gallon
$4,800
8%

In addition to fuel discounts, drivers can increase their MPG to save on fuel by implementing the following habits:

  • Accelerating slowly
  • Observing the speed limit
  • Reducing idling
  • Keeping tires properly inflated
  • Addressing engine issues early
  • Using the recommended grade of motor oil
  • Planning trips to avoid traffic

Popular Fuel Apps for Truckers & Small Business

Mudflap

Free app that works with any credit or debit card to replace a fuel card, providing savings of up to 50¢ per gallon. The user chooses the location, picks a refueling spot through the app, and shows the received code to the cashier. The payment goes through Mudflap and the receipt is delivered to the user’s email address.

There are no signup or transaction fees with Mudflap and it includes mom&pop stores that are normally ignored by fuel cards. Usable only for diesel purchases but on more vehicles compared to a fuel card, including RVs and pickups. Mudflap also supports Visa and Mastercard-powered fleet cards.

User reviews praise Mudflap for transparency, ease of use, and savings that reportedly go up to 80¢ a gallon. The average rating is 4.81 out of 5 stars across 843 reviews.

Fuelio

A free app that tracks mileage, fuel consumption, and service costs for any vehicle. Users can schedule maintenance and review the vehicle’s repair and refueling history. Those who like to tinker with vehicle data can import theirs into Fuelio using an open source Fuelio Converter, export it as CSV files, and back it up to Dropbox and Google Drive.

User reviews sing glowing praises to the app’s simplicity and thoroughness. There is an entire community behind the app, resulting in translation to 40 languages and crowdsourced information on gas prices. The average rating is 4.6 out of 5 stars across 114,000 reviews for the Android version.

Fuelbook

Free app that provides fuel prices and other information relevant to truck drivers across the US. The prices are updated every 4 hours on the basis of all intervening fuel card purchases from 5,000 participating truck stops.

Google Play Store reviews lament the April 2022 revamp/rebrand that apparently hampered the app. Users complain that the app keeps crashing and that it forgets their choices. The average rating is 2.6 out of 5 stars across 1,000 reviews.

GasBuddy

A collection of useful trip-planning tools in one app:

  • fuel logbook
  • fuel insights
  • vehicle recalls
  • gas price map
  • outage tracker
  • trip cost calculator

GasBuddy covers 150,000 gas stations in all 50 states and Washington DC, providing fuel prices and information on amenities at the chosen refueling spot. The blog provides fuel price analysis and predictions based on recent gas purchases using the associated credit card powered by Mastercard.

User reviews are overwhelmingly negative, complaining about meager discounts, suspicious transactions on the card, and non-existent customer support. The card allegedly has a $75 daily limit, past which the discount does not apply. The average rating is 1.58 out of 5 stars across 287 reviews.

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