Category: Fuel Cards

Creating a policy for secure fuel card transactions is a must for any fleet manager. Fuel cards make purchasing fuel easy and convenient across your entire fleet. However, just like any card, they are not exempt from fraud and misuse if not handled properly.

With multiple drivers in your fleet (each with their own card), you want to know that they all have an understanding of how to use their card properly.

By creating a policy, you give yourself that peace of mind. Giving drivers a document to sign that acknowledges their understanding of the proper usage of the fuel card can greatly reduce the risk of misuse.

What should this policy contain?

The aim of a policy for secure fuel card transactions is to create awareness for all the drivers in your fleet. When the driver is given their card, they should also sign the policy. It should outline the following:

Who can use the card?

This may seem obvious, but if you want to avoid fraud and misuse, it’s necessary to make this clear. Some fuel cards can be embossed with the driver’s name, and any transactions made with it will be in their name.

Therefore, it must be made clear that sharing their card is not acceptable, even with another company driver. This includes sharing the PIN number with someone. If someone else uses the card, invoices will still show that it was the card owner making the purchase, creating inaccurate and fraudulent records.

Also state in the policy that if the driver believes someone has had access to their fuel card, they must notify their fleet manager immediately to avoid further complications.

When can the card be used?

Ensure that drivers know when it is appropriate to make purchases on their fuel card. Make it clear if transactions that are not for business purposes will be classed as theft.

If your drivers solely use company vehicles, make it clear if filling up their personal vehicles with their fuel card is forbidden. If members of your fleet use their own vehicles, using their fuel card for non-business purposes can also be forbidden.

Of course, this all depends on how your business functions. The important thing is that drivers are aware of how your business expects them to operate. When your fuel card transaction policy makes it clear what is expected, there can be no excuses for misuse.

What transactions are permitted?

It is important the drivers are aware of what they are permitted to purchase on with their fuel card. If your drivers only use diesel vehicles, it is worth specifying that they must not use their card to purchase unleaded. This creates another layer of security against misuse.

Some fuel cards give users the ability to purchase additional goods other than fuel. Certain cards can be used to pay for AdBlue, car washes and other vehicle related items. Some cards can also be used to pay for toll road charges.

Make sure that the additional permitted purchases are made clear on your policy.

What else should be included?

It is advisable to write the policy from a first person perspective. For example, instead of writing “you must not share your card details with anyone”, you might write “I understand that I must not share my card details with anyone”. That way, when the driver signs the document, they are acknowledging their understanding of the policy as well as agreeing to it.

Include any additional information that you want drivers to know regarding their fuel card. What should they do if they lose their card? What are the consequences for policy violations?

Be as thorough as possible, as this will save you time and complications further down the line.

Find the best fuel card for your fleet

With a variety of fuel cards available, it’s important to find the best one to suit the needs of your fleet. Where is the most convenient place for you to fill up? How much could your business be saving on fuel costs?

These are all questions that will be answered when you get in touch with the team at Fuel Card Services!

If you’re looking for a good fuel card for your business, there are many things to think about. As well as the savings you expect to achieve on petrol and diesel and the convenience of the network, another factor may be the extra goodies and discounts that are available.

The UK’s major fuel brands all offer some form of loyalty scheme. And for Shell rewards, this is called Go+. This provides a range of benefits to fuel buyers across the brand’s network. As Shell’s range of fuel cards offer access to one of the UK’s biggest fuel networks – with the cards being accepted at almost half of the UK’s filling stations – this is something many firms should consider.

What are Shell rewards?

Shell’s Go+ scheme provides benefits every time you fill up at a Shell forecourt, or spend money at an attached shop. It’s been around since 2019 and is available on the Shell mobile app or with a physical card or key fob.

The rewards programme also offers you discounts on fuel after a certain number of visits, as well as a range of exclusive freebies to say thanks for being a customer.

You can earn Shell rewards every time you make a purchase at participating Shell stations, whether you’re using a fuel card or not. Drivers simply need to sign up via the Shell Android or iOS app, or register online to receive a Go+ card or key fob.

Michael Hominick, Shell’s UK marketing manager, described the Go+ scheme as a “pioneering and leading rewards programme” that gives back to drivers no matter how much they spend.

He said: “The more you spend as a customer, the more you save. And because the two things are so nicely linked together, the value exchange grows. If customers buy into both the fuel and the shop, they really see the maximum potential of the savings in the programme.”

How does the loyalty scheme work?

Unlike many other reward schemes you might be familiar with, you don’t earn points with Shell Go+. Instead, each time you complete a Shell transaction, you’ll earn a ‘visit’. Collect ten visits and you’ll get a discount voucher to spend on fuel.

To count as a visit, you’ll need to spend a minimum of £10 on petrol or diesel, or at least £2 inside the shop. However, the more you spend, the bigger the discount you could receive once you’ve completed ten visits.

The rewards aren’t just limited to once every ten visits. You can also enjoy discounts on a range of items in-store every time you fill up, as well as savings on Shell’s premium V-Power fuel.

What’s more, you can enjoy a range of surprise freebies. Mr Hominick said: “Shell Go+ is not just a transactional relationship, but a fun and engaging relationship with the content we send out about what we’re up to and getting customers to get access to movie premieres or money can’t buy prizes.”

What benefits are available?

In addition to vouchers to be earned every ten visits, the Go+ fuel card reward scheme offers a range of discounts on items at Shell stations such as food, drink and car care products. You can take advantage of these every time you fill up.

These benefits include ten per cent discounts on the following items:

• Hot drinks, including those from Costa Express
• Deli2go food
• Jamie Oliver Deli by Shell food
• Shell Helix motor oil
• Shell car or jet washes

What’s more, if you’re filling your vehicle with premium fuel, you can enjoy even more discounts. Users of Go+ reward cards can also get an extra £3 fuel reward for every 300 litres of Shell V-Power they buy. Of course, premium fuel won’t be useful for every driver, but if it benefits your car, this can offer another advantage.

You can also get additional benefits if you’re a Shell Energy customer. If you get your energy or broadband through the firm, you can also enjoy an additional three per cent off fuel at participating forecourts, up to a maximum of 60 litres per month. This is in addition to all the other Shell Go+ rewards, which are all still available.

How to use Shell rewards

The easiest way to take advantage of these rewards is to use the Shell app. All you have to do is load up the app and scan the barcode with it when you pay, and your discounts will be applied and your visit added.

Within the app, you can also gain access to your exclusive rewards.

However, if you’d prefer not to use a smartphone, there are alternatives available. By registering on the website, you can request a Shell Go+ card or key fob, which will be delivered to your home, usually within two weeks. You can also still access freebies and other officers through the brand’s website.

Choosing the right fuel card for your needs

In order to take full advantage of the rewards on offer, it also pays to use a Shell fuel card. We have a few options available from this brand, depending on your usage needs. These are:

• Shell One – This offers fixed weekly prices for diesel and petrol, with access to nearly 50 per cent of UK forecourts. You can also enjoy up to 10p per litre discounts on diesel at motorway sites.
• Shell Multifuel – For fleets needing the widest coverage, this pump-price diesel and petrol fuel card is accepted at more than 3,800 sites nationwide.
• Shell CRT – Ideal for fleets running HGVs and LCVs, this fixed weekly price diesel-only card offers even bigger savings at hundreds of HGV-friendly core sites.

If you’re unsure about which fuel card is best for your business, get in touch with our team today. They’ll be happy to help with friendly, impartial advice on what options will be best for your business’ unique needs.

With so many fuel card locations and options out there, it’s common that the question is asked, ‘where can I use my fuel card?’.

Where you can use your fuel card depends on the type of vehicles your fleet drives and where. You might just need localised cover, or national access, depending on where your business operates. You might already know what kind of coverage your fleet needs, but we would recommend requesting an audit from your current fuel card provider to make sure you have the correct coverage for your needs.

Supermarkets and inner city

If your fleet is mostly cars or vans and completes inner-city journeys, a fuel card that can be used at supermarket fuel stations could be the ideal solution. Some providers also allow you to collect supermarket points with your fuel card, which can be a handy bonus. For inner-city fuel stations that aren’t part of supermarkets, you can also choose a fuel card that allows you to use independent fuel stations based on networks.

Motorways

If your fleet or drivers mostly travel via motorway or A-roads, a supermarket fuel card probably isn’t suitable for your fleet. You can instead choose a fuel card that includes motorway sites or A-road locations, so your drivers needn’t leave the motorway to purchase fuel and can conveniently continue their journeys between filling up.

HGV sites

For fleets that specialise in haulage relying on HGV sites, a fuel card with access to HGV fuel stations is probably the optimal solution if you’re looking for the best option for saving time, especially when there’s a delivery deadline to meet. HGV sites are usually strategically placed on major trunk roads like A-roads and motorways for convenience when it comes to your fleet.

Which fuel networks are available to me?

Of course, which locations you can use with your fuel card depends entirely on the networks that are activated on your card. The main fuel networks are:

• BP
• Esso
• Shell
• Keyfuels
• Texaco
• UK Fuels

However; certain cards may give you access to a combination of specific networks on one card, or even all of them if you depend on independent or motorway fuel stations to fill up your fleet. These are sometimes known as flexi fuel cards and give you much more control over where your drivers can use their fuel cards.

How can I find out where my nearest fuel station is?

If you do decide on a specific network, your drivers might not automatically know where the next fuel station is, especially if they are travelling in unfamiliar parts of the country. Check out our pump locator to locate the nearest fuel station compatible with your fuel card.

If you want out find out more about how a fuel card can save your business up to 10p per litre, contact us today and join the 10,000+ customers who have joined Fuel Card Services.

Keeping company vehicles fuelled and on the road throughout the year is a crucial part of running an efficient business fleet and there are many different options available to a fleet manager. The two most popular and effective methods are either fuel cards or fuel bunkering. However, every company is different, so which option is best for your business? We’ve compared the benefits of both options to help you make the decision that will benefit your business the most.

Bunker Fuel

When we use the term bunker fuel, we are referring to bulk fuel that has been purchased by a company to be used by their fleet. Generally, the company in question will store and dispense fuel themselves and have access to refills from varying commercial sites, depending on the supplier.

Each type of bunker fuel that can be provided is completely different from each fuel supplier. Diesel is the most popular as it’s used by most fleets for larger vehicles, however, other specialist fuels can also be made available such as GasOil Plus for diesel tractors and many other varying types

The benefits of bunker fuel

First of all, there is only a one-off initial setup cost for your fuelling system, however, this would be a costly outlay. Bunker fuel prices can also be very reasonable as bunker fuel is purchased at fixed commercial rates, avoiding any surprises due to fluctuating fuel prices.

Fuel Cards

Fuel cards are a quick a convenient way for businesses to pay for fuel bought at roadside filling stations. A fuel card is uses similarly to a credit/debit card and they enable your drivers to refuel their vehicles whilst on the road, allow you to monitor the spending details and pay for fuel in one payment.

The benefits of a fuel card

Fuel cards offer a tremendous range of benefits. They allow you to monitor the amount you are spending on fuel with handy monthly reports, helping you to better manage your fuel consumption.

Fuel cards offer you more control over purchases. You can decide, manage and adapt your fuel cards to be used for specific fuels or other purchases, depending on the needs of your business.

Fuel cards also offer a massive saving in administration time. Fuel Card Services for example will send you a single HMRC compliant invoice, reducing the time spent on collecting receipts, sorting through invoices and collating your business mileage.

Bunker fuel vs. fuel card prices

The fluctuating cost of petrol, diesel and other fuels is a common occurrence which can have an impact on your business fuel expenditure. A range of factors can affect the price you pay for your fuel, such as the price of crude oil, gas shortages or alternative fuel sources and new types of vehicles (such as electric vehicles) becoming available on the market.

Choosing the right fuelling option based on the number of vehicles your business operates, the geography your business covers and your monthly fuel expenditure could lead to saving your business time and, most importantly, money. Therefore, your fuelling decisions should be based on the benefits that align with your company needs the most.

If you’re interested in finding out more about how fuel cards can save your business money and the specific benefits they offer for businesses and employees a lot, contact us and one of our friendly fuel card experts today.