With fuel costs eating up over 20% of a trucking company’s annual expenses on average, finding ways to control and reduce this significant expenditure is crucial. One strategy many fleets utilize is employing fuel cards, which provide cost savings and supply chain efficiencies.
TCS Fuel Cards is one popular option, used by thousands of trucking companies in the U.S. and Canada. But is it worth the hype, and can it actually save you money? Let’s see if the TCS Fuel card could be the right option to keep your finances safe and your reporting and analytics organized.
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TCS Fuel Card Reviews – Overview
The TCS Fuel and Fleet card provides trucking fleets with massive rewards through a controlled and secure fuel card. It’s suitable for trucking enterprises and small business owners alike, with fee structures and comprehensive rewards systems in place.
The TCS fuel card helps you save lots of money on diesel fill-ups. The TCS fuel card also makes service visits easier to manage. The owner-operators set up parameters for the use of the TCS fuel card. This ensures drivers always have what they need with far fewer chances for misuse.
There’s one card available, and it provides the same discounts and rewards whether you’re an owner-operator or a fleet owner. To use the TCS fuel card, simply swipe it at a fueling center and enter the required information.
You can set up your exact parameters or work with the company to design a plan that works for your circumstances. No hidden fees exist, and extra cards are free, no matter how many you need.
The company wants to level the playing field for the little guys, so it offers solutions no matter the size of your fleet. One truck or a hundred — the savings will still happen.
Key Takeaways on TCS Fuel Cards
Here are the main highlights I’ve found with TCS cards:
- Load the card through a variety of transaction types
- In-network fueling savings of up to 63 cents per gallon
- Easy options for owner-operators to fleets
- Company will work with you to customize your card
- Service discounts at TA centers
- No fees and cards are free for any number of users
Fuel Pricing for TCS Customers
TCS offers one type of card. At first, this might seem like a deal breaker compared to other fleet companies that provide a variety of cards. The good thing is that this one card is customizable. It also has different price offerings, depending on how you customize it.
Their pricing falls into three categories:
- Cost Plus Price: Cost Plus price refers to the cost of one gallon of leaded fuel. It includes the pumping fee, costs of freight, and taxes. It’s what the vehicle is paying for a gallon of leaded fuel plus a few cents. For instance, if the price is $2.50/ gallon, you might need to pay $2.55/gallon.
- Retail Minus Price: This is the price for clients using a fleet fuel card or paying in cash. It’s usually the lowest pump price. This price usually includes a discount per gallon of leaded fuel. For example, if the cash price is $2.50, you might to pay $2.45.
- Best of Both Prices: This pricing generally works when owner-operators are fueling in gas stations in the company’s network. As the name suggests, this pricing means owner-operators enjoy the best fuel prices. This can be the Cost Plus Price or Retail Minus Price. The downside is that you have to fuel in the in-network fuel stations.
Savings and Discounts
We’ve talked about pricing in general, and let’s talk about the discounts now. As of Q3 of this year, owner-operators can save up to 42 cents per gallon with the TCS card.
Owner-operators will also not pay for transaction fees in the in-network fuel stations. This can be a huge saving if you have a large fleet. On top of that, owner-operators will enjoy tire and vehicle service discounts. Again, these discounts work in the over 1,500 fuel stations in the TCS network.
TCS Fuel Card Features
Before choosing a particular fuel card, we recommend reviewing the features that the card includes to make sure that you’re signing up for a card that you’ll benefit from. Here are the main TCS fuel card features.
Safety and Security
Here’s one of the most vital features: security. TransConnect Services understands that most clients prefer a fuel card that reduces business fraud. As a result, security is a priority for TCS. For instance, owner-operators will have year-round access to their dashboard.
This dashboard is specifically configured as a personalized account management website. It has snapshots on computers, tablets, and smartphones. This ensures you can access the account almost anywhere, anytime.
Another great feature is the PIN number. This gives owner-operators added fuel management control. Typically, owner-operators can use this PIN to set fuel transactions and road purchase limits. Like any other service, you need to keep your PIN safe. Otherwise, you’ll compromise the security of your management processes.
Transparency
Transparency is one of the significant factors to consider when choosing a fuel card company. For instance, a company that lacks transparency might have hidden charges.
The best way to avoid this is to check the customer reviews. Based on the customer reviews, TCS is pretty transparent with everything. The company gives you full account management control. It also lets you know where the discounts do and don’t apply.
Roadside Assistance
Minimizing downtime in a fleet business is crucial. You don’t want your drivers to spend hours stuck on the side of the road.
Very few fuel card companies will stand by you when things go south. Luckily, TCS is one of those companies that is ready to assist you. It has roadside rescue equipment, trailers, or trucks available year-round, 24 hours a day. Enrollment for this service is automatic and free for TCS fuel card holders. When you need help, just contact the company, and the team will be dispatched.
General Service Discounts
Vehicle maintenance is key, and the TCS fuel card gives you discounts when you service your truck in TA Service Centers. This applies to general services, along with discounts on tires. We’ve seen similar features like this on other cards as well, such as Pilot fuel cards.
Customer Service
It can be frustrating when you can’t reach the customer support of your fuel card provider whenever you have an issue. Unlike several card companies, TCS has excellent customer service, and it’s really easy to speak to an agent. This helps you deal with an issue immediately as it happens.
Card Ownership Cost
One of the things we love about this card is that TCS card doesn’t charge you to sign up for a fuel card service. There is also no annual membership fee or hidden charges. Most card companies have some sort of additional fee, so this is a great perk with TCS.
Coverage
Generally, the TCS fuel card is acceptable in around 1,500 stations in the US and Canada. Some of these places include PWI, Roady’s, Road Ranger, Sapp Bros, AMBEST, Fuel City and TA Petro. This coverage is a little disappointing, especially when compared to the coverage you get from cards like WEX or even Fuelman fleet cards.
Customization
Another aspect you will love about the TCS fuel card is flexibility. You can customize this fuel card to meet your expense requirements. For instance, you can set the limits for fuel and repairs.
This involves setting when and how the payments are made. You can make the TCS fuel card safer by setting controls for when a trucker on your team can purchase fuel.
The Benefits
The TCS card saves you money at the pump by working with over 1,500 in-network fuel stations. The convenient app makes it simple for your drivers to find an in-network center. Here’s a quick run down of the TCS fuel service benefits.
- The average savings for drivers that stick to these approved fueling stations is up to 42 cents per gallon. This passes on massive savings to the company.
- The savings discounts work through what the company calls “better of” pricing. Whether it’s retail-minus or cost-plus, your drivers will receive the better of the two fuel discounts. They only need to fuel at an in-network service center.
- Service and tire purchases made at TA Service Stations also offer serious fuel discounts. These fuel discounts apply to many brand names and well-known tire and parts companies.
- The full-service stations and places for truckers to stop are located in places with good convenience stores. These locations also have other comforts as they fuel up or receive services on their truck.
- It’s convenient and easy to manage the fuel card through the website or mobile app on your smartphone.
The Downsides
Even the best fuel card company has weaknesses. TCS fuel company is no exception. The difference is that their weaknesses are not bad enough to scare customers away.
- TCS fuel card is specifically for trucking fleets, so if you operate a different kind of fleet company, TCS may not be ideal. Generally, this is because most savings happen on diesel fuel at specific fueling centers with in-network status.
- If your driver doesn’t make it to in-network service centers or find a TA maintenance center, the TCS fuel card cost savings are reduced. This requires your drivers to keep track of where they are and how close individual fueling stations are to receive the full benefit.
- The app makes it easy for drivers to find service centers. However, the app needs to connect with the servers, which can be an issue when in remote areas.
What People Say
Most trucking companies find the TCS card easy to use, and drivers enjoy the savings…when they can get to in-network service centers. The TCS card does make setting limits easier, but owner-operators have to set it up to load through ACH transactions to avoid loading fees.
This may be a deal-breaker for some who want something that operates more like a credit card. However, according to Facebook and Better Business Bureau reviews, most people have had a good experience with the process from start to finish and would continue using the card.
Comparing TCS Fuel Card With Other Fuel Card Providers
TCS fuel card is one of many fuel cards in the United States. There are other card providers, and each company has strengths and weaknesses. The following comparison table gives you a quick view of TCS versus its competitors.
| Features | TCS Fuel Card | WEX Fuel Card | Fuelman Fuel Card |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coverage | Over 1,500 in-network locations | Around 95% coverage nationwide | Over 60,000 locations nationwide |
| Card Types | 1 customizable card | 2 different cards | 4 different cards |
| Discounts | Save up to 42 cents/ gallon of leaded fuel | Save an average of 15 cents/ gallon on truck stop locations and travel centers | Save 5-10 cents/ gallon of leaded fuel depending on the card type |
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are the TCS Fuel Card Charges?
TCS fuel cards don’t charge for purchases in the in-network stations. There is no interest or annual membership fee. There are also no sign-up or activation fees.
Where Are TCS Fuel Cards Accepted?
According to the TCS fuel card website, the TCS fuel card is acceptable in around 1,500 stations. However, this coverage is small compared to other fleet card companies.
What Are the Benefits of a TCS Fuel Card?
The benefits of TCS fuel cards include added control over fuel expenses and reporting. The card also helps owner-operators save money through discounts.
Is TCS Fuel Card Legit?
From my research and what other customers say about the company, TCS is a legitimate fuel card. Unlike most fleet card companies, TCS is transparent. It lets owner-operators know the charges, discounts, and in-network stations.
The Final Verdict
Overall, the TCS Fuel and Fleet card is a reliable and money-saving option, regardless of your company or fleet size. The TCS card is a simple-to-use option for saving a ton of money on fuel if your truckers are prepared to search for in-network fueling stations. The savings are definitely worth it; you’ll just have to bring your fleet on board.