Fuel Cards???

[HRG Tree Services]

Hi Guys

I'm now on my third fuel card company! They promise cheap prices and it's all good for the first few months then slowly they bump the prices up! The last company I was paying 5p over pump price!! It's so frustrating I've now canceled them and am just using my debit card again but it's hard work when you've got 6 vehicles to fill up for the different teams! Anyone else had problems with fuel cards or can anyone recommend a good company? I'm really not bothered about cheap fuel I just want to pay pump price and just have the convenience of not having to go the petrol station every time one of the trucks needs filling up!!

[Buzzsurgeon]

How about setting up an account at your local filling station, they normally do a better price than forecourt advertised for account holders.

 

Look for a fuel depo on your local industrial estate where wagons fill, they are normally self service with a card on account

[Peter]

Get a bunded tank at your yard and buy in bulk?

[openspaceman]

Get a bunded tank at your yard and buy in bulk?

 

Difficult for petrol and the upfront cost is a killer buying 1000ltrs plus I only managed to save 6p/litre

[Peter]

Anyone running 6 petrol vehicles for tree work needs their head examining!

 

It's more about convenience than cost from the op, advantage being all trucks can be filled up every night, no running up and down to petrol station, maybe small saving over pump price.

 

Disadvantages security and upfront costs.

[Peter]

Plus if your running 6 trucks, say you get through a tank (50 litres) a week per vehicle on average, that's 15,000 litres a year.....

 

Fuel prices only ever go up, so buying a years worth in advance is going to save you more the longer you keep it, and diesel stores well.

[HRG Tree Services]

Sorry I meant Diesel just used the term Petrol station!!

[Paul Jenks]

Why shouldn't a company run 6 vehicles. We have 9 and this is set to rise.

The key advantage with fuel cards is the convenience, for which you pay.

We have changed cards in the past, but in the end it comes down to needing the trucks filled anywhere they go. Relying on the guys to fill up every night is not always an option, especially when the nearest station is several miles away.

Getting your own fuelling station has it's own drawbacks. Theft, internally and externally, safety, fuel quality, ( Solving Diesel Fuel Problems ), and keeping the area clean. Not to mention the stock, cleaning and security costs.

[HRG Tree Services]

What fuel card company do you use Paul?

[Paul Jenks]

Open A Fleet Fuel Card Account

Although the email notifications we have on the system shows .com as opposed to .co.uk

We have a card for BP and one for Shell in each vehicle.

Weekly VAT invoice and a monthly statement.