Why On-site Fleet Fueling? ROI for Small, Medium, and Large Fleets

Imagine you arrive at the fleet management dispatch office this morning, and all your vehicles have been fueled before the drivers arrived. You have a detailed report that clearly shows which vehicles were filled, the amount of fuel they received, and their current odometer reading. Now, you’re now ready to dispatch drivers! On your desk, there is a printed receipt accounting for each vehicle’s gallons fueled and odometer readings. If this sounds interesting, keep reading because on-site mobile fleet fueling, also known as wet hose fueling, can directly contribute to your bottom line by saving time and money for drivers, while also reducing the risk of fuel spills.

Fuel Management

Fuel costs are a required expense for fleet management. If your drivers handle fueling, the time costs are categorized as labor, not fuel costs. The more drivers there are, the more your ability to control costs is affected. If you have a tank and dispenser on-site, you rely on drivers to record their fuel usage. If you provide a fuel card, you lose control over their time spent driving to fill up their truck. With a card lock system, you get reports but still have limited control because drivers can fill a small tank, making it seem like they filled their entire truck. In comparison, an on-site fleet fueling system like BizSpeed’s goRoam app offers advantages, such as:

• Confirm delivery through GPS
• Record the starting and ending totals for each filled asset
• Maintain product integrity – preventing putting the wrong fuel type in a vehicle
• Automatically stop filled when it reaches a certain percentage of tank capacity
• Set pre-established meters for each asset
• Receive automated reports that provide detailed information on each unit’s filling

By using on-site fleet fueling, you gain real-time insights into fuel costs.

Fueling Headaches

If your fleet drivers have to fuel their trucks, it takes away valuable time that could be spent delivering your products or services. You’re also have to trust that the driver will accurately record the gallons and odometer without wasting time at the pump. Some common issues that arise from this include losing receipts, errors on receipts such as incorrect gallon recordings, miscalculations of miles per gallon, and the time and miles spent going to a gas station.

To solve these problems, wet hosing is a great option, especially when using BizSpeed’s goRoam fleet fueling software. This software is part of a comprehensive petroleum logistics solution that empowers you with data-driven logistics to grow your business while saving both time and money.

By reducing the time spent refueling and reducing wear and tear on vehicles, on-site fleet fueling can also help lower long-term maintenance costs. Overall, implementing on-site fleet fueling can be a smart investment for businesses looking to optimize their fleet operations.

On-Site Fleet Fueling Process

On-site fleet fueling is the best alternative to having your drivers handle fueling themselves. With on-site fleet fueling, your drivers begin their day with a full tank of fuel. This service offers significant benefits for fleets of all sizes, providing a great return on investment for fleets of all sizes.

Here’s how the fleet fueling process works:

• The fleet fueling driver arrives at your transportation facility and pulls up to the first vehicle. 
• Using the goRoam mobile app, they scan the vehicle’s barcode, which confirms the specific fuel type required for that fleet vehicle (dyed diesel, clear diesel, or gas).
  • goRoam verifies the GPS location of the asset, preventing drivers from using an order for one customer and driving to another to fill a different customer’s assets.
• Once validated, goRoam sends a wireless signal to the fuel meter, allowing the solenoid valve to open and fuel to flow. Without this validation, the meter remains closed.
  • If needed, the driver can record the vehicle’s odometer reading in the goRoam app.
• Then, they begin fueling the truck with the handheld device wirelessly reading the truck’s meter. This eliminates the need for the driver to go back and forth to their truck to write the meter readings down.
• The driver moves to the next vehicle, saving time, and repeats the same process of scanning the barcode, following the filling and validation procedures for each vehicle.
• Once all fleet vehicles have been fueled, the driver gets your signature on the handheld device and prints a clear receipt that includes details for each vehicle: vehicle ID, gallons, odometer reading, and fuel type. You also receive an email with the detailed unit filling.

By utilizing fleet management software, you gain accurate fuel tracking and management tools. This makes monitoring fuel expenses and controlling costs easier.

On-Site Fleet Fueling Benefits

Now, let’s provide an example to illustrate the return on investment (ROI) and areas of impact. The ROI is applicable regardless of the size of your company. For the purpose of this example, let’s consider you have a fleet consisting of 50 vehicles. On average, each vehicle consumes 20 gallons of fuel per day, and the fuel price is $4 per gallon.

• Driver time savings – Instead of paying your driver to fuel the vehicles, you can enhance operational efficiency by ensuring the vehicles are already fueled before the driver starts their shift. If it takes 15 minutes per vehicle to refuel, and your driver’s loaded cost is $25/hour, you would be spending $6.25 per driver for that task. When you multiply this cost by the fleet size of 50 vehicles, the total expense amounts to $312.50. Moreover, by eliminating the time spent on refueling, you also free up approximately 12.5 hours that could be used for deliveries or other productive tasks.
• Mileage costs (driving to the fuel station) – On average, the loaded cost per mile, which includes vehicle, labor, fuel, and other expenses, ranges from $2.50-3.00/mile. If your driver has to drive an extra 3 miles just to refuel, you end up paying an additional $9 in transportation costs. When considering your entire fleet, that’s $450. Additionally, each vehicle incurs an extra expense of $0.45 per gallon in transportation costs for that day. Reduce additional wear and tear on the fleet with on-site fleet fueling.
• Environmental key benefits – If you choose to have your drivers refuel at your facility using an on-site storage tank, you assume the environmental liability associated with the storage tank. Additionally, if your drivers accidentally spill while fueling, you would be responsible for environmental reporting and ensuring that your drivers are knowledgeable about handling hazardous materials (HazMat). However, opting for on-site fleet fueling significantly reduces safety concerns and environmental liabilities.
• Better fuel management – Fuel is a costly necessity needed to maintain daily operations. However, when it comes to reporting fuel usage, drivers can sometimes make mistakes or manipulate the numbers to improve their performance metrics. Removing the driver from the equation and implementing alternative methods can reduce theft and improve inventory control accuracy.
• Tax savings – If you have equipment or vehicles that remain in your yard, you can eliminate road taxes by obtaining detailed fueling reports on a per-asset basis. This is especially helpful in industries like refineries or food distribution, where many vehicles or trailers may never actually be driven on public roads. By doing so, you can avoid paying on-road taxes for vehicles that are classified as off-road.
• Organizational savings – Consolidating the fuel source streamlines paperwork. Better fuel management results from utilizing reports for planning, accounting, and vehicle maintenance.
• One receipt – Showing fuel usage per vehicle with correct odometer readings increases data metrics. 

This list only contains some of the benefits of fleet fueling. Read this article, and learn about additional ways that fleet fueling can benefit your company.

Next Steps for On-Site Fleet Fueling

If your vehicle fleet returns to the yard/depot, you’re a good candidate for on-site fueling. Many inexperienced fleet operators mistakenly think it is more expensive. However, the truth is that a fleet fueling service provides significant savings in both fuel and time. If you currently use a fuel card or have an on-site fuel tank with a meter, switching to an on-site fueling company will greatly improve your overall fuel efficiency, time management, and minimize risks.

Many different industries benefit from fleet fueling services, including:

• Foodservice distribution
• Armored car service
• Beverage distribution
• School buses
• Furniture delivery
• Lumber delivery
• Special needs and senior transport service
• Local delivery companies
• Car dealerships

If you’re interested in on-site fueling, it’s important to look for companies that offer features designed to automate the process, using mobile devices that electronically read meters. The most well-managed on-site fueling companies rely on BizSpeed’s goRoam.BulkDelivery handheld system.