Best Fuel Cards For Truckers & Trucking Companies
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Fuel cards (also known as fleet cards) are unique payment instruments designed to help trucking companies save money on the cost of fuel and maintenance as well as monitor their workforce’s spending. A participating trucking business will provide its drivers with fleet cards to use when driving company vehicles on the clock. The drivers can then use these cards at any of the fuel vendors that comprise the network of locations that accept the card in question. Generally, these networks will cover over 10,000 gas stations nationwide, though a few such networks feature hundreds of thousands of individual gas stations.
Let’s take a closer look at the fuel cards that best fit your trucking business.
Learn More About Our Top Picks
| Company | Summary | Next Steps |
|---|---|---|
 Not Yet Rated | The ExxonMobil Business Fleet Card is a charge card and offers a rebate of between 1-6 cents per gallon, depending on the amount of fuel your company purchases per month. The card is accepted at over 95% of fueling stations in the US. There are no monthly or annual fees. | |
 Not Yet Rated | There are no monthly or annual fees. This card offers a flat rebate of 3 cents per gallon regardless of your company's total monthly fuel spending. The WEX FlexCard is a charge card, but it allows you to carry a balance if necessary. The card is accepted at 95% of US gas stations. | |
 Not Yet Rated | The Shell Fleet Navigator Card carries limited (and undefined) fees. The card offers a rebate of up to 5 cents per gallon, depending on your monthly fuel purchase volume. The card is not a charge card, so you can carry a balance from month to month. The Shell Fleet Navigator Card is accepted at 95% of US gas stations. | |
 Not Yet Rated | The Fuelman Simple Saver Fleet Card does carry monthly fees ($4-$12 per card, depending on your plan of choice). However, you can save up to 5-8 cents per gallon on fuel and 10 cents at select merchants. This card is usable at over 40,000 locations within Fuelman's discount network. |
Read more below to learn why we chose these options.
1. Best For No Monthly Charges
Exxon Mobile Business Fleet Card
Not Yet Rated |
|---|
Exxon Mobile Business Fleet Card Not Yet Rated | Annual Fee: $0
Purchase APR: |
|---|---|
- Annual Fee: $0
- Rewards: 1-6 cents per gallon, depending on monthly purchase volume
- Coverage: Over 95% of US fueling stations
The ExxonMobil Business Fleet card offers a rebate of up to 6 cents per gallon on your fleet’s fuel purchases, depending on the total gallons purchased per billing period. Additionally, there are no monthly charges associated with the card and no setup fees.
The ExxonMobil Business Fleet card’s rebate structure is as follows:
- Less than 500 gallons purchased during billing period = 1 cent per gallon
- 500 to 3,999 gallons purchased = 3 cents per gallon
- 4,000 to 6,999 gallons purchased = 4 cents per gallon
- 7,000 to 9,999 gallons purchased = 5 cents per gallon
- 10,000+ gallons purchased = 6 cents per gallon
The ExxonMobil Business Fleet Card is a charge card. As such, the card doesn’t carry an APR since you can’t carry a balance from month to month.
With the ExxonMobil Business Fleet card, you’ll be able to view all of the following from your online account:
- Card and driver details
- Payment history
- Available credit
- Manage invoices and payments
- Set restrictions on purchase types
- Set limits for transactions, gallons, and dollar amounts
- Set specific limits for time-of-day and day-of-week
- Receive notifications when expenses fall outside your company policies
One last note: ExxonMobil markets that this card is accepted at over 95% of US fueling stations. That means you can use the card at non-Exxon or Mobil locations (something that wasn’t previously possible).
Get Started with Exxon Mobile Business Fleet Card
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2. Best For Small & Mid-Size Companies
WEX FlexCard
Not Yet Rated |
|---|
WEX FlexCard Not Yet Rated | Annual Fee: $0
Purchase APR: |
|---|---|
- Annual Fee: $0
- Rewards: 3 cents per gallon
- Coverage: 95% of US gas stations
For a fuel card that will both help you save on fuel and cover fuel purchases nearly everywhere your fleet goes, check out the WEX FlexCard.
Like the ExxonMobil Business Fleet Card, the WEX FlexCard is a charge card — but unlike the ExxonMobil card, the WEX FlexCard allows you to carry a monthly balance when necessary. And while the FlexCard’s 3 cent rebate on every gallon of fuel purchased falls short of the maximum rate of the ExxonMobil card, it equals or exceeds said rate if you buy less than 4,000 gallons of fuel per billing period. As such, it’s a great fuel card for small and mid-sized fleets.
The WEX FlexCard is accepted at 95% of fuel stations nationwide. There are an additional 45,000 US maintenance locations that accept the card too. And while this card previously carried an annual fee, WEX has since eliminated it for this card.
In addition to the above features, WEX’s fleet management and fuel management services can, when used in tandem, help you save even more on fuel.
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3. Best For National Coverage
Shell Fleet Navigator Card
Not Yet Rated |
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Shell Fleet Navigator Card Not Yet Rated | Annual Fee:
Purchase APR: |
|---|---|
- Annual Fee: Unspecified “limited fees”
- Rewards: Up to 5 cents per gallon, depending on monthly purchase volume
- Coverage: 95% of US gas stations
If you’re looking for the fuel card with the maximum possible coverage, you’ll do well investigating the Shell Fleet Navigator Card.
This fuel card is accepted at fully 95% of gas stations across the US, including all 14,000+ Shell and Jiffy Lube locations. You’re exceedingly unlikely to be left high and dry by the Shell Fleet Navigator Card.
The card comes with spending controls and expense management systems on par with every other fuel card out there. What’s more, the Shell Fleet Navigator Card is not a charge card. Instead, the card is akin to a traditional credit card in that you can carry a balance from month to month.
The Shell Fleet Navigator Card also offers a rebate of up to 5 cents per gallon of fuel purchased each billing cycle, depending on the amount spent. Unfortunately, Shell doesn’t disclose the amount of fuel per month you need to buy before the 5 cent rate takes effect. Likewise, while the card doesn’t officially carry an annual fee, Shell states that the card may carry “limited fees” — though the company does not detail these fees.
Get Started with Shell Fleet Navigator Card
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4. Best For Rewards
Fuelman Simple Saver Fleet Card
Not Yet Rated |
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Fuelman Simple Saver Fleet Card Not Yet Rated | Annual Fee: $4-$12 a month per card
Purchase APR: N/A |
|---|---|
- Monthly Fee: $4-$12 per card
- Rewards: 8 cents per gallon on diesel and 5 cents per gallon on unleaded
- Coverage: 40,000+ locations
The Fuelman Simple Saver Fleet Card is a nifty card that can save you up to 8 cents per gallon on diesel and 5 cents per gallon on unleaded when you use the card at one of the 40,000+ locations in Fuelman’s discount network. You’ll also be eligible to save up to 10 cents at Pilot, Speedway, and Kwik Trip as well as 2 cents at other Fuelman locations.
This card does come with a monthly card fee ($4, $8, or $12 a month, depending on the plan you choose). However, this fee gets waived for your first six months. Depending on the plan you select, you can gain access to extra perks, such as a loyalty bonus, fraud coverage up to $25K per year (exclusive to the Plus and Premium plans), or up to 20% in maintenance savings (exclusive to the Premium plan).
Get Started with Fuelman Simple Saver Fleet Card
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Best Prepaid Fuel Cards
Let’s change gears here (get it?) and discuss prepaid fuel cards. Now, a prepaid fuel card is not the same thing as an actual fuel card. Essentially, a prepaid fuel card is just a gift card that can be used at a gas station, and, as such, it shares little in common with either fuel cards or credit cards. Nevertheless, prepaid fuel cards can be quite useful for the company whose operations involve a degree of road travel, and, therefore, I thought I should mention them here. These cards aren’t for mid-size to large trucking companies.
Shell Refillable Card
The Shell Refillable Card can be used at all Shell locations. Up to $300 can be loaded onto the card at one time. You can track the balance and your spending online.
If your company’s driving needs are limited and you want to make sure only fuel is purchased on the company dime, consider using the Shell Refillable Card.
ARCO PumpPASS Prepaid Gas Card
The ARCO PumpPASS prepaid gas card is nearly identical to the Shell Refillable Card, except you use it at ARCO stations. It is a good prepaid gas card to use on the West Coast where most ARCO stations are located.
If you’re a West Coast company with limited driving needs, you might want to give ARCO PumpPASS cards a look.
Are Fuel Cards Worth It?
Let’s move on to the larger question of whether or not fuel cards are worth getting in the first place.
If your business uses two or more company vehicles for travel, and your company purchases over 1,000 gallons of fuel each month, it may be worth it to get a fuel card. This is true for the following reasons:
- Fuel cards come with in-depth purchasing controls to ensure your employees are using the company card for driving-related expenses only
- Advanced analytics can improve your drivers’ efficiency
- Monthly/annual fees tend to be small or nonexistent
- Save money, both on gas purchases and on repair/maintenance costs
- Advanced GPS apps that point the way toward in-network gas stations and service centers
Of course, the fact that fuel cards can only be used to purchase fuel and repair/maintenance services means that fuel cards are much less flexible than credit cards. Additionally, rewards programs associated with fuel cards tend to be more limited than those of credit cards, as only certain gas stations participate in said rewards programs.
Also, consider the fact that most fuel cards are charge cards. That means you won’t be able to carry a balance from month to month, giving you less leeway when paying your bills. Also, the fuel cards that do allow you to carry a balance never come with an introductory 0% APR offer. In fact, fuel cards just about never offer any signup bonuses.
What To Look For In A Fuel Card
Here’s what you need to keep in mind when looking for a fuel card:
- Get a card that fits your location. Many fuel cards can only be used at certain gas station chains or within networks that cover certain regions of the country and not others. Look into exactly where a fuel card can be used before deciding on one.
- Get a card that fits the amount of fuel you purchase each month. Many fuel cards offer rebates on fuel purchases, but these rebates are often tied to how much fuel your company buys each month. Try to determine how much fuel per month your company will be using before getting a fuel card. This way, you can find the card with a rebate program that best caters to your fuel “sweet spot.”
- Understand how the fuel pricing works when considering a fuel card. Some fuel cards allow you to batch your fuel purchases after a certain length of time. That means you may be able to pay less than the price listed at the pump, but this pricing scheme can also come with its own fees and requirements. Be sure to understand how the pricing works before obtaining your fuel card.
Final Thoughts
Trucking companies have their own particular financing needs, just like any specialty industry. The fuel card is one of the tools by which your business can save on the cost of fuel and keep employee spending under control.
To learn more about how to set up your trucking business for growth, let Merchant Maverick lend you a hand.
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A Last Look At Our Top Picks
- Exxon Mobile Business Fleet Card
Summary - The ExxonMobil Business Fleet Card is a charge card and offers a rebate of between 1-6 cents per gallon, depending on the amount of fuel your company purchases per month. The card is accepted at over 95% of fueling stations in the US. There are no monthly or annual fees. - WEX FlexCard
Summary - There are no monthly or annual fees. This card offers a flat rebate of 3 cents per gallon regardless of your company's total monthly fuel spending. The WEX FlexCard is a charge card, but it allows you to carry a balance if necessary. The card is accepted at 95% of US gas stations. - Shell Fleet Navigator Card
Summary - The Shell Fleet Navigator Card carries limited (and undefined) fees. The card offers a rebate of up to 5 cents per gallon, depending on your monthly fuel purchase volume. The card is not a charge card, so you can carry a balance from month to month. The Shell Fleet Navigator Card is accepted at 95% of US gas stations. - Fuelman Simple Saver Fleet Card
Summary - The Fuelman Simple Saver Fleet Card does carry monthly fees ($4-$12 per card, depending on your plan of choice). However, you can save up to 5-8 cents per gallon on fuel and 10 cents at select merchants. This card is usable at over 40,000 locations within Fuelman's discount network.
Jason Vissers
Jason Vissers is a writer and cereal chef from San Diego. He graduated with a Political Science degree from San Diego State University in 2001. He's been writing about website builders, crowdfunding sites, online lenders, and credit cards for Merchant Maverick since 2015. Additionally, Jason can't eat raisins.
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looking for commercial fuel cards. please contact
This comment refers to an earlier version of this post and may be outdated.
Hi Kathy,
We don’t actually offer fuel cards, we just review them. But we’ve done a lot of research here to help you find just the right fuel card for your business needs. We’d suggest using our review as a starting point, and encourage you to reach out to any of the fuel card companies that we’ve recommended here, if you think they might be a good fit for your business.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this post and may be outdated.
This is quite informative article on fuel cards. Thanks for sharing the article.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this post and may be outdated.