Starting every day with your fleet fueled and ready to go is a great way to improve efficiency. Whether you are looking to save on labor costs or gain more control over your fleet’s fuel spend, mobile fleet fueling companies can help.
Benefits of Mobile Fleet Fueling
This service could also be called fuel delivery, mobile refueling, or wet hosing depending on who you talk to. Regardless, mobile fleet fueling is where a fuel truck comes to your location during off hours and fuels your fleet while your vehicles are parked.
- Efficiency: By fueling up during downtime (e.g., overnight), your fleet can start the day with full tanks, ready to focus solely on the tasks at hand.
- Cost Savings: By eliminating the need for your drivers to spend time fueling, your business can reduce downtime. Services may also offer competitive fuel prices, which can lead to further cost savings.
- Accurate Reporting: Most mobile fueling services provide comprehensive fuel reports, detailing the quantity of fuel delivered, the vehicles fueled, and the time of fueling. This accountability helps in monitoring the fuel consumption and costs and can aid in better fleet management.
Potential Issues of Fuel Delivery
Despite the numerous benefits of using a mobile fleet fueling service, it is equally essential to consider the potential downsides.
Firstly, while mobile fleet fueling services pride themselves on their convenience, such systems can sometimes be unpredictable due to factors beyond control like traffic congestion, adverse weather, and equipment malfunctions. This could lead to delayed or interrupted services, which can subsequently disrupt a company’s operations.
Secondly, the cost may be prohibitive for some businesses. Mobile fueling services often require a premium charge for the convenience and efficiency of their services, which might not be economical for small businesses or companies with tight budgets. In these cases, a fleet fuel card may be a better solution.
Finally, there are environmental risks associated with mobile fleet fueling services. Accidental spills during fueling can lead to soil and water contamination. Although measures are put in place to prevent these occurrences, the risk remains.
Weigh the benefits against the potential drawbacks and risks, to ensure you make an informed decision that suits your specific business needs.
Mobile Fleet Fueling Companies
Use this directory of mobile fleet fueling companies to locate a regional partner. Most providers serve a large area around their main location and some operate nationwide.
Calculate Your Time Value Fuel Cost
Here’s a hypothetical example that illustrates how much time (and money) is spent fueling vehicles.
- Average fuel stop 20 minutes
- Value of truck and driver $70 per hour
- Three fuel stops per week 1 hour / $70 per week
- At 120 gallons per week $70 costs you an additional 58¢ per gallon
- Cost in lost time $3,640 per vehicle, per year
Plug in your numbers to get an idea of how much mobile fleet fueling can save your business.
Choose the Best Fleet Fueling Service
- Check references. We recommend checking 10 or more.
- Ensure they have insurance for fuel spills. And make sure they name you as an additional insured.
- Rely on electronic records. Choose a company that uses barcode readers. This records fueling data for each vehicle and prevents fraud.
- Use OPIS Daily Contract average plus markup/margin pricing. OPIS (oil price information service) is the most trackable fuel price and will ensure you’re paying a fair price. Alternatives would be retail or cost plus. Be sure to audit your monthly bill once you begin service to ensure you’re not paying too much.
