Drivers are the most important part of your fleet. Their actions can affect both the profitability and sustainability of your company. Therefore, it is very important that you keep them in the loop when it comes to your company’s processes. This is especially true when utilizing fuel card services. If you don’t keep your drivers well-informed, they may not understand the card’s uses and limitations. Here are three tips to share with your drivers about your fuel card services.
It is helpful to initially lay out clear expectations and guidelines. If every driver is informed at once, then no member of your fleet will feel like he or she is being singled out. Consider having a fleet-wide meeting to discuss your fuel card processes internally. At this meeting you’ll first want to inform your drivers of which gas stations and rest stops fall within the fuel card coverage network and which don’t. There is nothing more disappointing to a driver than to exit the interstate and pull into a truck stop to then realize his or her fuel card is unacceptable.
The fuel card that you choose to incorporate into your processes will most likely have preset spending limits put in place by you. It is important to inform your drivers of the reasons behind this. Whether for keeping the company within budget or for rewarding your drivers with a set bonus, let your drivers know the reason because this will help encourage them to use the card to its full potential. Also, communicate to your drivers what the card can be used for. In addition to fuel, you may have set your card processes to allow for drinks and snacks on the road. In contrast, there may be items for which your company chooses to forbid fuel card spending. Let your drivers know that these items are off limits and if funds are used inappropriately, they will be reprimanded. Sometimes unforeseen events occur, so you and your drivers need to establish clear processes for authorizing expenses that are beyond the normal scope. For example, you may wish to allow for spending if a tire blow-out occurs and your driver needs and emergency repair.
The ability to record data is one of the greatest benefits to fuel card services. Talk to your drivers about the data that is collected. This may be information regarding truck performance based on gathered gas mileage numbers. Because of this, remind your fleet that it is important to register odometers at each fill-up. If your drivers realize that the ultimate goal is to assess truck needs, so as to make them run more smoothly, then they are more likely to be on board with record keeping. Your mechanics will thank you for logging what your fleet’s trucks need. It will help them do their jobs better, as monitoring helps prevents issues.
If you’re on the market for an easy-to-use fuel card, look no further than the fuel card services from Fuelz. With over 40 years in the fleet fuel management business, we understand what fleet managers and drivers need when it comes to a fuel card. The Fuelz Fuel Card is accepted nationwide to help your fleet run more efficiently. For more information on how to incorporate our fuel card services into your company’s processes, contact us today at 855-GO-FUELZ.