Author: Simon Pavey

Preventing fuel card fraud

Protect Your Fleet From Fuel Card Fraud

Posted on | by Simon Pavey

Fuel fraud is one of the biggest risks that fleet managers face during their operations. It is important for crimes of this nature to be prevented; fleets are already suffering due to increased fuel costs, so losing money to fraud could be catastrophic.

How to stop fuel card fraud

A number of simple steps can be taken when setting up your fuel card accounts to prevent yourself from being victimised by fraudsters.

1. Separate PINs for each card

Perhaps the most obvious security measure is setting up a separate PIN for each fuel card that only the holder knows. That way, you can be certain that the holder has been misusing their card if fraud is detected.

2. One fuel card per driver

On a similar note, assign a fuel card to a single driver and vehicle. Sharing fuel cards is not good practice as it becomes much harder to keep track of who purchased fuel for which vehicle at a specific time – fuel fraud can easily slip through unnoticed that way.

3. Set limits on each card

Setting a limit on your fuel cards are a great way to prevent fraud. These limits can dictate how much can be spent per day, or precisely which fuel type is allowed to be bought with the card.

Preventing external fuel fraud when on the road

Many fuel providers have steps in place to monitor transactions and detect unusual behaviour. This includes sophisticated CCTV coverage on at fuel stations, a dedicated and on hand expert fraud team, multiple anti-fraud checks on every transaction and alerts to quickly find out when a card is misused, based on parameters set by fleet managers.

Despite these efforts, it’s imperative that drivers are educated on how to avoid fuel card fraud. Below are some helpful tips to help you protect your company and your drivers.

  1. When leaving the vehicle, always lock it and take documents including the fuel cards with you as criminals know the perfect hiding places in which to look for valuable things.
  2. Never leave the keys to your vehicle in deposit or with service personnel of a facility you visit.
  3. Plan your stopovers before you leave and make sure you stop at reliable parking lots, considered by drivers as safe.
  4. When resting in your vehicle, keep the documents and the cards with you, and lock your vehicle from the inside.
  5. Do not underestimate any signs of burglary or third party visits to the vehicle. Even if nothing has been stolen, report this incident immediately to your company! In this situation, the data from the magnetic strip of your card could have been copied.
  6. Check that you have YOUR cards before setting off; when a vehicle is broken into, cards are not stolen, they are simply replaced. This is intended to delay the detection and reporting of the theft.
  7. Stay alert! Pay attention to whether someone is watching you or the vehicle during a stopover, trying to make contact in an intrusive way or asking about the route.
  8. If someone tries to persuade you to sell the card or make it available for the purpose of scanning data from the magnetic strip, please report it to your company. Such information will also be extremely valuable for BP, especially if it took place in car parks or in the vicinity of service stations.
  9. Protect the PIN code for your card and don’t write it down!

If you want to start saving your diesel & petrol bills, then look no further than Fuel Card Services. We help over 50,000 customers make smart decisions around paying for fuel by offering a number of various branded fuel cards.

Get in touch today and one of our dedicated account managers will find the best deals for your business.

luxfer Superform

Luxfer Superform: Fantastic savings with Fuel Card Services

Posted on | by Simon Pavey

Switching suppliers is never an easy decision to make; however, when customers move to us from other fuel card providers, we always go the extra mile to give them the very best experience possible. As such, it’s always fantastic when we hear from our satisfied customers and that’s been precisely the case with Luxfer Superform

 

Great savings and an easy switch

David Griffin, senior transport controller at Luxfer Superform, contacted us to offer his praise for the positive experience he’s had with us since moving to Fuel Card Services in July this year.

“We changed from our previous suppliers in July. The main reason for the change was due to price, and we are now saving about £1,000 per month on fuel costs.

“Since changing, it has also become clear that Fuel Card Services offer a better service than our previous supplier, as they would seldom get in touch to check if everything was okay.”

He added that our extensive network of filling stations up and down the country means the firm now has “a greater option of petrol stations we can use, which the drivers like”.

The company makes use of the BP and Shell fuel cards from Fuel Card Services for its mixed fleet of four vehicles. It has a monthly spend of approximately £3,800 and the firm’s drivers draw diesel fuel only.

Ellie Baker, brand manager at Fuel Card Services, comments: “Helping our customers to make considerable savings is all part of our company’s philosophy. We want to deliver the best deals possible to all of our clients and see them reap the rewards of cheaper fuel.”

older and younger drivers

Fleet operators warned about ‘perfect storm’ of older and younger drivers

Posted on | by Simon Pavey

Fleet owners have been warned they may need to alter the way they deliver road safety training, amid an increase in both older and younger drivers on Britain’s roads.

The advice comes from licence checking firm Licence Bureau, which said it is seeing millennial’s and even younger drivers entering the business driving workforce at the same time as rising retirement ages mean a boom in so-called ‘grey fleet’ motorists.

 

Rising numbers at both ends of the spectrum

Indeed, according to the Department for Transport, the number of people aged between 60 and 69 with a driving licence has now reached the highest since records began. In addition, eight per cent more 17 to 20-year-olds had a licence in 2018, than was the case the year before.

Licence Bureau said this means the era of business drivers typically being 30 to 50 years old has now passed, so managers need to alter their safety provision accordingly.

Spokesperson Steve Pinchen suggested the scenario is something of a ‘perfect storm’, with different challenges at each end of the spectrum.

“The key is to ensure all company car drivers are treated as individuals and given access to the appropriate support mechanisms such as risk assessments, employee audits and road safety training,” he added.

Ellie Baker, brand manager at Fuel Card Services, comments: “This is an interesting new trend and one we agree is going to need addressing. For example, older drivers may need more regular vision checks, while the younger ones could benefit from resources on technology use behind the wheel. The main thing is to take a look now and get ahead of the issue.”

A blue sign with white writing saying Reduce co2

How to reduce your fleet’s Carbon emissions

Posted on | by Simon Pavey

The world of fleet has never seen such a period of change. With uncertainties around tax rates, the WLTP and changes with the ULEZ becoming 24/7. Reducing your fleet’s CO2 emissions should be a big priority. More changes are set to come in future years, so fleets need to be prepared.

Reducing carbon emissions is in the hands of the fleet managers. Whilst you still may be a few years away from switching to EVs, small changes within the existing system can make a huge difference without much capital investment, and no change is too marginal.

1. Review your vehicle habits

While it may seem obvious, innovation in your choice of vehicles should be the biggest change. Even now, many firms are in the habit of using petrol-guzzlers without paying attention to economic factors such as fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

Match the vehicle to the job: There’s no need to send out a lorry or van to deliver goods that require the horsepower of a bike. It’s a good idea to invest in a smaller vehicle for smaller deliveries, if you feel this may be something your fleet is prone to.

There’s no need to compromise on performance: there are many vehicles offering less than 160g/km and fuel consumption above 45mpg. A fresh assessment on this can contribute to long-term financial savings, as well as reducing CO2 emissions.

2. Review your fleet policy

Where can you update your policy? Could you challenge the status quo? Many fleets operate under systems that have been in place for years. It’s crucial to keep up to date in one of the fastest changing industries in the UK.

You should also set new internal standards for vehicles and putting progressive CO2 targets in place, setting the company up for long-term savings in the instance of future law changes and tax requirements.

Investing in the best possible sat nav systems will also prevent your drivers from wasting valuable fuel if they take a wrong turn. Even if your navigation system has been in place for years, exploring updated versions can make a huge difference.

3. Don’t be weighed down

Eliminating just 45kg of excess weight can increase fuel efficiency by up to 2%. Consider downsizing or leaving unnecessary items such as roof racks and tool boxes back at the depot.

4. Under pressure

The importance of monitoring tyre pressure regularly is often overlooked as a factor affecting emissions, but a small change can make a big difference in this area. Too little pressure can lead to a higher rate of rolling  resistance, making the engine work harder and consume extra fuel as a result. You should encourage your drivers to undertake regular checks on their vehicle, to make sure things like this are in check.

If you want to start saving your diesel & petrol bills, then look no further than our own BP fuelcard, for more information, click here: https://www.fuelcardservices.com/brand-bp/

Van theft

Fleet owners urged to take precautions as van theft soars

Posted on | by Simon Pavey

Fleet owners have been advised to do all they can to protect their vehicles from theft after the number of vans being stolen increased significantly last year.

According to research by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles using official police statistics, 32,056 vans were taken over the last four years, with almost 10,000 thefts in the past 12 months alone. This marked a four per cent year-on-year rise for 2018-19 and a 45 per cent increase since 2015-16.

In terms of areas most affected, the Metropolitan Police reported the most commercial vehicle thefts, but Leicestershire saw the biggest yearly increase. North Wales saw a doubling of van thefts and police records in West Yorkshire showed a 67 per cent rise.

Extra security measures may help

Volkswagen urged fleet managers to take extra precautions to look after their vehicles, such as fitting lockable racking solutions and storage boxes to house expensive tools that could tempt opportunistic criminals.

Tracking devices are also available that could allow owners to find out where their vans are and aid police in the event of a theft.

Other tips from the company included always parking in well-lit areas, positioning vans where their doors cannot be opened and adding security film to windows so thieves cannot smash them.

Volkswagen‘s David Hanna said: “Vans are the lifeblood of so many businesses and it’s not only the emotional stress of replacing the vehicle but also the days and weeks of letting customers down and the cost of replacing tools, often worth thousands of pounds, before you can get back to ‘business as usual’.”

Ellie Baker, brand manager at Fuel Card Services, comments: “It’s shocking to see on paper just how many commercial vehicle thefts are taking place up and down the country. We’d also advocate taking extra security measures to protect your vans if you’re in a position to do so.”