ARCO Gas Cards Review: Are They Right for Your Fleet?

Looking for quality fuel at fair prices? ARCO can offer that. Find out more about their fuel card program and their services in our ARCO review

Businesses Served

For years, credit cards were a no-go zone for ARCO, and that reluctance to take credit cards kind of continues to this day. However, businesses and commercial clientele have a golden ticket that allows them entry to their cost-saving fuel card program.

In contrast to other fuel card companies like Sunoco and ExxonMobil, which offer a plethora of fuel card options, ARCO only offers two. Between them, however, they offer effective ARCO business solutions that exist on a local or national level.

Fuel Cards Offered

ARCO’s two business solutions are the ARCO Business Solutions Fuel Card and the ARCO Business Solutions MasterCard® card. Both cards share a number of features including:

• Acceptance at all ARCO locations
• Assignable PIN numbers for added security
• Online monitoring and reports (including exception-based reporting)
• Purchase restrictions (by purchase type, geofencing, and dollar or gallon limits)
• full-time account access.

ARCO Business Solutions Fuel Card

The ARCO Business Solutions MasterCard, issued by FleetCards USA and backed by MasterCard, betters the above by offering additional key features.

First, it’s accepted at any filling station that accepts MasterCard.

Second, it allows drivers to make maintenance purchases.

Third, it offers more comprehensive reporting than the Business Solutions Fuel Card.

In short, from our ARCO review, we can summarize that the Business Solutions Fuel Card is best suited to local and regional carriers, while the ARCO Business Solutions MasterCard® affords a greater degree of freedom to companies whose service area extends beyond places covered by ARCO stations.

ARCO Business Solutions MasterCard

FAQs

Where are ARCO stations located?

ARCO operates nearly 1,300 filling stations, stretching from Lynden, Washington in the Northwest to Tucson and Drexel Heights in the Southwest.

Stations tend to be clustered on or near the interstates, especially the I-5 and 505, I-80 and 280, I-15 and I-40, but also extending to US Highways such as 50 and 395, and major state highways like the 99 in California.

Finding those stations can be a bit of a challenge, as app users report inaccuracies with the distancing.

Alternatives are available — including the ARCO website and third-party apps.

Is ARCO fuel high quality?

According to a Consumer Report study, ARCO is one of the top fuel companies for high quality gas. Use your fuel card to purchase high quality fuel that won’t clog up your engine.

Are there any fees to consider?

ARCO’s Business Solutions card has a per-card issuance fee, however this can be waived in certain circumstances. The Business Solutions MasterCard has a ten dollar fee per card, per month. However, this is waived if your business purchases more than 5,000 gallons per month – granted, it can be a high bar to clear! Additional fees are tacked on for paper statements, but switching to online statements eliminates that concern.

Our Methodology: How Did We Find the Best Fuel Cards?

Five researchers carried out in-depth research into US fleet cards according to a comparison framework designed by our research team leader. For each card we've asked these questions:

• How convenient is it to use?
• How helpful is it for managing fuel expenses?
• What can it do to ensure your company's funds are secure?
• What extra benefits do you receive from using it?

We've also broken down each card by fee structure, fuel type, network coverage and more to offer you the easiest choice.

Conclusion

While ARCO doesn’t offer as many fuel cards, or as many filling stations, as many of its competitors, it’s still a viable option under certain circumstances. If you’re a local or regional business operating mostly within range of ARCO stations, consider the ARCO Business Solutions Fuel Card. If, on the other hand, your business primarily operates on the West Coast with occasional forays farther afield, the ARCO Business Solutions MasterCard is worth a closer look. For other companies and fleets that operate primarily outside the ARCO coverage area, it would be worthwhile to explore other options.