Keep up with fuel costs with the top 5 fleet cards for truckers
Fuel cards for truckers help you better manage the costs associated with topping up your fleet. They also help you keep your workforce in check. All in all, there’s less room for worry – and that gets a big tick from us.
It’s not as simple as picking a card and swiping away, though. For starters, not all cards are compatible with every gas station. And just because one seems to offer decent rebate rates doesn’t mean it’s a realistic rate for the scale of your fleet.
That hasn’t stopped other businesses from investing in fuel cards for truckers, though. 73% of small fleet businesses invest in a fuel card to cut fuel spend.
Now it’s time for you to join them. We’re here to give you the lowdown on the different types of fuel cards. We cover the best fuel cards for small businesses, the best fuel cards for national businesses, and even the best fee-free cards.
And we’ve done our research. We’ve used our eagle eyes to spy which cards offer the greatest perks, and scoured the net to see what everyone else is saying so you can cash in on the top deal. So what are you waiting for? Let’s save you money.
What's on this page?
- 01 | Best for national companies
- 02 | Best for small businesses
- 03 | Best for fee-free
- 04 | Best for coverage
- 05 | Best for very small businesses
| 1 | WEX FlexCard | Best for expanding businesses | |
| 2 | Fuelman Universal cards | Best for different card deals | |
| 3 | ExxonMobil Business Fleet Card | Best fee-free card | |
| 4 | Shell Fleet Navigator Card | Best for gas station coverage and national coverage | |
| 5 | BP Business Solutions | Best for one-man bands |
1. WEX Fleet FlexCard
According to WEX, over 400,000 companies use their fuel cards for truckers. That’s a pretty impressive figure.
In part, this is down to their 3¢ rebate rate per gallon. The rebate figure benefits small trucker businesses whose fuel usage per month is lower than larger national companies.
On top of a healthy rate figure, WEX offers a full fuel management reporting suite to help you keep track of your outgoings.
Another bonus to the WEX package is the gas station locator app, which guides your truckers to gas stations that accept the WEX fuel card.
So why is WEX the best fuel card for national companies? As well as the favorable rates, the WEX Telematics system provides an end to end fleet management solution .
Get to grips with your fleet activity, fuel use, expenses, and even driver behavior. Better still, report by region, business unit or cost center.
Read more: Full Wex Review
Pros:
- 400,000 companies use WEX
- Suitable for small, medium and large businesses
- WEX Fleet Card accepted at 90% of stations
- WEX FlexCard 3¢ rebate on every gallon of gas
Cons:
- Customer service can be hit and miss
- Benefits from WEX partner cards aren’t as good as going direct
2. Fuelman Universal Cards
Fuel cards for truckers don’t come more tailored than the Fuelman Universal Card selection. There are five different card options to choose from – a card for every scale of trucker business.
Cards start with the basic Advantage Card, which offers up to a 6¢ rebate at participating gas stations.
At the other end of the scale, you have the Platinum Mastercard, which offers the cash price for credit card purchases, plus a rebate of 3¢ per gallon – great if you don’t mind the overheads.
In addition to finding a card that best suits your company’s fuel spend scale, the Fuelman cards are pretty safe on the road, too.
While there are some gas station gaps in the Montana and New Mexico state areas, there’s full coast-to-coast coverage in the Lower 48.
Similarly to the WEX card, there’s also an app to help truckers find participating gas stations on the road. Plus, the back office suite helps you fine tune the admin process.
Read more: Full Fuelman Cards Review
Pros:
- Plenty of trucker cards to choose from
- Good coast-to-coast compatible gas stations
- Card benefits can extend to other business purchases
- Robust back office suite
Cons:
- App can be a bit unreliable
- A few gaps in coverage in the Lower 48
3. ExxonMobil Business Fleet card
10¢ per gallon rebate for the first six months? Go on then. Just bear in mind that you’re back onto the competitive 6¢ rate once the time is up.
No one likes the idea of monthly charges hanging over their head – unless the perks are worth it! Good news is, ExxonMobil have done away with the monthly charges, making this one the best fee-free fuel card for truckers.
The only concern is the geography of the ExxonMobil gas stations. If you own a smaller scale trucker business that works along the East Coast, this is a great piece of plastic to have in your back pocket. Anywhere east of Mississippi and you may struggle.
Like the other cards in our top five, ExxonMobil has a great back office system that helps you manage your fleet. You can even track which vehicles need servicing – great for your MPG!
Read more: Full ExxonMobil Review
Pros:
- No monthly overheads
- Good back office suite
- Exception-based reporting
- Great East Coast gas station compatibility
Cons:
- Interstate coverage is sketchy
- Cuts back to 6¢ max after six months
4. Shell Fleet Navigator Card
The Shell Fleet Navigator card is the best fleet card for gas station coverage.
Compatible with 95% of gas stations across the US, your truckers will never worry about running dry.
This fuel card has another trick up its sleeve, too. Fuel and vehicle maintenance go hand in hand, which is why Shell have teamed up with Jiffy Lube to offer card holders discounts on vehicle supplies.
In addition to their competitive rebate rates, Shell offer a complete back office suite to help you manage your fleet.
You can set purchasing limits if you want to tighten your fuel spending, and customize your reports so they reflect the data you want to see. It’ll even flag up opportunities to save cash.
Of course, like most fleet cards for truckers, rebate rates vary depending on your fleet size. The larger your fuel spend, the better the rate you’ll receive.
Read more: Full Shell Review
Pros:
- Set a variety of limits
- Discounts at Jiffy Lube locations
- 24/7 customer service
- Data points out opportunities to save
Cons:
- Fees and rebate differences apply
- Rebate rate isn’t as high as other suppliers
5. BP Business Solutions
What makes the BP Business Solutions card the best fuel card for very small fleets?
If you want a touch more control over your truckers on the road, this card from BP may be the ideal solution. Smaller businesses with casual working operations will benefit – especially if you rely on contractors.
This is because the fuel card enables you to eliminate unauthorized purchases. You can also put purchase restrictions on the card during non-business hours.
Because there are no monthly fees , you don’t need to worry about overheads. Although because of that, the rates aren’t quite as good as paid trucker cards.
Lastly, you can request new cards as and when you need them, making this a great card for expanding businesses.
Read more: Full BP Card Review
Pros:
- No monthly fees
- Discounts at Jiffy Lube locations
- Real-time data activity
- Use in fueling locations that accept Mastercard credit cards
Cons:
- Offers less control than BP Business Solutions Plus
- Coverage not as high as other fleet cards
Next steps
Now you know how each of the top fuel cards for truckers can benefit your business, it’s time to discover which one is the best match for your needs.
Click the button below and we’ll send you to a questionnaire. All you need to do is fill in a few details and up to four of the most favorable suppliers will be in touch to discuss your requirements.
FAQs
1. Can you invest in a personal fuel card?
To ensure your business accounts don’t become out of sorts, you should invest in a separate personal fuel card.
Companies such as ExxonMobil supply personal cards. Or, look into signing up for a credit card that offers bonuses for gas purchases.
2. What are the best fuel cards for small businesses?
Make sure you do your research thoroughly. Usually the less fuel you buy, the lower rebate percentage you’ll receive.
While most fleet cards are competitive, watch out for ones that offer a lower rate. Or make sure they even it out by not charging monthly or annual fees.
3. Who offers fuel cards with discounts?
All fuel card suppliers offer fuel cards with discounts, although these often vary depending on the size of your fleet and the amount of fuel you purchase. Companies like Shell team up with stores such as Jiffy Lube for discounts on vehicle products.
Other cards will offer discounts on business supplies as part of the package. For example, the Uber Freight fuel card gives you great deals on new and used Navistar trucks and spare parts.
