Searching for the perfect fuel card for your business? You’ve likely heard of Fuelman, a FLEETCOR subsidiary that offers various types of fuel cards.
Perhaps you’re considering Fuelman because of the extensive coverage and range of flexible fleet cards they offer customers. You may also be tempted by the fact that local commercial fuel stations, national level retail gas stations, and truck stops accept the cards.
But is Fuelman worth it for your business? Read on for our Fuelman card reviews.
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Fuelman Card Reviews – Are They Worth It?
We’ll cut to the chase in case you don’t want to read this whole article. While Fuelman cards have some good benefits, the negatives outweigh the perks of these cards. It’s difficult for us to recommend Fuelman cards because of their hidden fees and hard-to-reach customer service.
What Is the Fuelman Fleet Card?
The Fuelman fleet card allows you to pay for gas and repair services. Usually, this is in the Fuelman network of gas stations and convenience stores across the US. Cards can be topped up with regular money and offer plenty of control—customize spending limits and restrict access control as much or as little as you want.
Fuelman fleet cards are accepted at 50,000 locations. At first glance, this number may seem high. But if we look at Fuelman’s competitors, they offer less coverage. However, what they lack in this area, they make up for in maintenance stations. There are over 20,000 maintenance stations that accept Fuelman cards. Most other fleet card companies don’t offer this feature.
How Is the Fuelman Card Coverage?
The Fuelman network of gas stations and maintenance places is decent. Fuelman calls these places Fuelman Discount Network. Usually, this is because their discounts and rebates work only on these sites.
This Discount Network includes 50,000 gas stations and 20,000 maintenance centers. In our opinion, this number is a bit disappointing. This is smaller compared to offerings from other fleet card companies.
For instance, you can use WEX cards in about 95% of the US gas stations. You can also use WEX cards in around 45,000 service centers. This is more than double what Fuelman offers.
How Much Does Fuelman Charge for the Cards?
Card rates can be the deal breaker, and Fuelman knows this. As a result, Fuelman doesn’t publicly quote the exact rates. Also, the company offers a range of cards, and rates can vary. Generally, you can expect to pay anything from $0 to $10 per month per card. Fuelman has subscription services for its cards. This isn’t very common with fuel cards, though the Universal Premium Fuel Card also offers this.
Delays to make payments also attract fees. Again, these fees can vary depending on how late you are and the card type. You will also pay an annual interest rate of around 15% to 20%. Failure to provide exact rates generally raises the issue of this company’s transparency.
Fuelman Pros and Cons
All fleet card companies have their strengths and weaknesses. Fuelman is no exception. Some of the pros and cons you can expect when using the Fuelman fleet card include:
Pros
- The Fuelman fleet card offers you good discounts tailored to your fleet requirements
- The rebates make the card great for non-profit and government fleets
- The special tax reporting makes it easier to manage reports for non-profit fleets
- You can customize the card to control where and how to use the card
Cons
- You need a credit rating of about 580 to qualify for the Fuelman fleet card
- Considering how mobile apps have evolved, the Fuelman mobile application is not very intuitive
- The company is not clear on the card pricing. That means you need to contact the customer representative to get the exact prices
- There tend to be hidden charges that aren’t listed on their website
- The coverage is still less compared to other fleet cards. The gas stations are not well distributed in states like Minnesota, Montana, and Massachusetts
Who Is a Fuelman Card for?
Fuelman fleet cards are ideal for anyone with a fleet of vehicles, and it’s also an EFS fuel provider. In most cases, it’s a fleet that pumps between 1,000 and 5,000 gallons per month.
Types of Fuelman Cards
Do you think you sound like the ideal Fuelman customer? If so, you’re probably wondering which of Fuelman’s fleet cards is right for you. Let’s take a brief look at each of the four types:
- Deep Saver Fleet Card: Best for mixed fleets that pump gas in cities. You can save 8 cents per gallon on diesel and 5 cents per gallon on unleaded. You can pump at any of the 40,000 sites in Fuelman’s Discount Network.
- Simple Saver: Best for interstate freight businesses. Generally, this is for a heavy fleet that pumps diesel at truck stops. Save 10 cents on purchases at Pilot, Speedway, and Kwik Trip, and 2 cents at other locations.
- Universal Premium Mastercard: Best for businesses that need a universally accepted fuel card. You can use this card wherever Mastercard is accepted. In other words, it works at roughly 160,000 stations across the nation.
- Public Sector Fleet Card: Best for non-profit fleets and businesses in government sectors. It offers rebates, special tax reporting, and simplified accounting. It also gives more control over fuel spending. Receive up to a 5-cent rebate per gallon depending on the number of monthly gallons pumped.
Businesses Best Suited for Fuelman Services
Fuelman fleet cards have decent network coverage and offer good discounts. But still, it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. Certain businesses generally benefit more from this service than others. Go through the following business options below and see whether this service is for you.
You Run a Non-Profit Fleet
Usually, non-profit fleets have different tax requirements from the normal fleets. This makes it challenging to get the right reports using the standard fleet cards on non-profit fleets.
The good thing is that Fuelman offers you the Public Sector card, which is tailored for non-profit fleets. This card gives you better control over fuel expenses and better rebates. Furthermore, the card provides special tax reporting, which simplifies the overall accounting needed.
You Operate an Interstate Freight Business
Some cards will land you into problems when operating interstate freight businesses. Usually, this is due to network limitations. That is not the case for the Fuelman network. The company has the Simple Saver option that is tailored for diesel pumping at truck stops.
You can save up to 10 cents per gallon of diesel when you pump at Kwik, Speedway, Trip, and Pilot. This is a similar savings that you’d get with cards like the Comdata fuel card. However, you only save two cents when pumping at other locations.
You Need a Universally Accepted Fuel Card
Sometimes, you just need a card to help you track the expenses and manage reports. That means you don’t want limitations on where you can get fuel.
Fuelman offers you a universally accepted card, the Universal Premium Fleet Card Mastercard. With this, you can fuel in around 160,000 gas stations which makes it a great card option for truckers. The downside is you might need to fuel outside the Fuelman’s discount network.
Your Fleet Fuels in Urban Areas
This card is your best bet if you have a mixed fleet that operates around the town areas. For this option, it’s advisable to go for the Deep Saver card. This will allow you to enjoy discounts for both unleaded and diesel. However, you need to fuel in the Fuelman’s discount network for the discount to apply.
Benefits of Choosing Fuelman’s Services
I know some customers have complained about the Fuelman’s services. But still, the company offers benefits that outweigh its weaknesses. After all, if all the customers are not satisfied, the company wouldn’t be in business. Some of the benefits of using Fuelman’s services include:
Gives Control of the Expenses
Even without fraud, drivers can spend money on convenience stores if you don’t control their spending. The card allows you to set spending limits. This helps to prevent excessive spending within a specific time frame or per transaction.
It’s also configured to work only at specific fuel stations within certain geographic regions. The card can only allow purchases of fuel and vehicle repairs. This prevents drivers from using the card for unauthorized expenses.
Helps Monitor Fuel Usage
The card generates detailed reports for each transaction. This provides information such as the date, time, location, and amount spent. This facilitates a clear overview of spending patterns and helps to budget and control costs.
This information is valuable for optimizing fuel efficiency. It also helps you make informed decisions about fleet management and helps you identify areas for cost savings.
You can also generate reports specific to each driver. This helps watch behavior and track performance and is vital for addressing fuel efficiency and policy compliance issues.
The Card Is Tailored for Your Needs
Businesses have diverse needs, and a single fleet card program might not meet all businesses’ requirements. Fuelman offers a range of cards, and you can choose one that aligns best with your business model.
Helps Minimize Fraud
Fraud is one thing that can bring a company to its knees. A company can lose hundreds or thousands of dollars through drivers that alter books.
There are a large number of transactions that occur with cash or bank cards. With fleet cards, you have a limited number of transactions to filter. This makes it easier to spot suspicious activity, such as purchases at unusual times or locations.
The fuel card also requires the driver’s identification details. The system then automatically notifies you of the transaction. When drivers know their identity will be recorded and notifications are sent, they are less likely to commit fraud.
The Card Has Decent Coverage
Another factor to consider when choosing a Fuelman fuel card is the coverage. You don’t want a fuel card that is only accepted in a few gas stations hundreds of miles away. This can increase the chances of running out of fuel before reaching the next site.
As mentioned before, these cards are accepted at a decent number of gas stations and maintenance centers. There are better cards if this is one of the most important factors for you, but in general, you’d be fine with the coverage from Fuelman.
Helps You Save Money
Fuelman offers different discounts and rebates. These discounts generally depend on the Fuelman fleet card. For instance, using the Deep Saver fleet card can help you save up to five cents per gallon on unleaded. You can also save up to eight cents per gallon on leaded fuel.
Getting discounts on diesel is great because it’s the most widely used fuel type for most fleets. Even if you save as little as two cents on the Simple Saver Fuelman fleet card, it’s still better than nothing.
What Fuelman Customers Say
This Fuelman review wouldn’t be complete without looking at the opinions of people who use the cards. We looked into both the positive and negative Fuelman credit card reviews. So what do actual Fuelman customers say?
Customers are less than pleased with their experience using fuel cards. Reviews on Fleetcor’s Trustpilot page reviews are far from stellar—and far too many for our liking.
It’s plain to see why the company only has a 3.5/5 TrustScore. Currently, 60% of the reviews are negative 1-star reviews, with customers highlighting shady business practices.
Some of the most common complaints are that speaking to a Fuelman agent on the phone is impossible. This can be an issue, especially when there is a card security problem. Another common complaint is that the company cancels credit cards for no reason.
What gets complained about the most is the hidden fees the company charges. For example, some reviewers report that Fuelman charges a minimum quantity for “account maintenance” if gas prices fall under a certain amount. This fee is never mentioned when you sign up for the service, showing a concerning lack of transparency from the company.
Their Better Business Bureau page isn’t much better, with over 300 complaints.
Fleetcor has recently been made the subject of a class-action lawsuit for predatory fee practices speaks volumes about its business ethics.
Criteria Used to Review and Rate This Fleet Card
We went through the Fuelman website and reviewed their different card offerings. We also deep dove to try to understand their pricing, and found several sections to be unclear.
We went through various customer reviews to see what customers say about Fuelman. While the card works well for some, several customers had complaints about hidden charges.
Finally, we looked at Fuelman cards compared to others to get an idea of the service offerings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Fuelman Charge a Fee?
Yes, Fuelman usually charges a fee for their cards. The fees usually go to around $10, plus an annual interest fee of around 15-20%. You might also need to pay late fees in case you delay making payments. There are also account maintenance fees.
How Does the Fuelman Fleet Card Work?
It’s a credit card you can use to buy fuel at specific gas stations. You can also use it to pay for maintenance services at specific repair shops. Each Fuelman fleet card is tied to a specific vehicle in a company’s fleet. The tracking is in real-time through an online portal. This portal shows details on where, when, and how much was spent on each Fuelman fleet card.
How Long Does It Take To Get a Fuelman Fleet Card?
It usually takes 1-2 weeks from starting the application to getting your cards. This includes processing your application and setting up your account online. It can also take time to ship the cards. Adding a new vehicle profile to your online account is usually instant. New cards arrive within 3-5 days via standard shipping.
Bottom Line
So, do we recommend Fuelman fleet cards for businesses?
We can’t deny that these cards do come with some excellent advantages. We also like that Fuelman offers a wide range of options that satisfy the needs of any fleet. Plus, the rebates are fantastic, and features like the 10 cents off purchases at Kwik City can quickly add up if your fleet is large.
But any potential excitement about these offerings quickly disappeared when we took a closer look at the overwhelmingly negative customer reviews. It’s difficult to recommend them, given the amount of criticism they receive for severe issues like predatory fees.