Business Fuel Cards Make Fleet Modification More Efficient

There are many different ways in which fleet vehicles can be modified to match a specific need. These modifications may be very costly or they can be relatively low cost, depending on the design and the modification desired. Business fuel cards that allow repairs and maintenance to be charged to the card can help you budget and plan for necessary modifications that will make your fleet much more efficient over time.

The major advantage to using business fuel cards over cash or direct invoicing types of programs for vehicle modifications and customization is that the cards allow options for rebates on service repairs or they may offer a points or rewards incentive. These programs give you cash, points or credits back on every dollar that is spent with the service companies that are included in the card program. Business fuel cards are a type of loyalty program for the service companies that allow them to offer lower rates on many types of customizations and repairs. In turn they are assured that your company fleet will only use their service technicians, a true win win situation for all involved.

Modifications to fleet vehicles that are covered by business fuel cards can be vastly different based on each company and fleet managers particular needs. The cards can be set up to only allow specific types of modifications or customization, or they can be limited to dollar value on the repairs per day, month or even based on the mileage. Often these modifications are a one time customization and they may not occur on every vehicle in the fleet. Having the flexibility of controlling the options for the cards provides protection for the fleet manager with regards to use of the cards by the drivers, plus it also ensures that the drivers aren’t out of pocket or waiting for confirmation of a modification when they take the vehicle in.

Typical changes or customization in fleet vehicles will vary depending on the type of use of the vehicle. For example, construction or landscaping vehicles may be modified with ladder racks, extra tool boxes or specific types of brackets for mounting equipment and tools in the bed of a truck, the back of a van or box truck or even in the cab of a truck. Cars tend to have fewer options for cosmetic types of modifications but storage in the trunk or even in the backseat can be added as needed.

Modifications can also be used to increase the fuel efficiency and performance of the vehicle. This can include changing specific engine components to high performance parts or adding fuel efficiency components to the engines. Many companies are looking at engine modifications to use alternative fuel sources or to convert vehicles to use biodiesel or hydrogen to help boost fuel mileage and save money. These types of modifications may also qualify for specific grants and programs, which is well worth investigating with small or large fleets.

Slip tanks or additional fuel tanks are commonly added in the back of light trucks. These can also be filled using a business fuel cards and the mileage and information recorded to accurately reflect when and how this fuel is being used. Since the cards can be set to either charge diesel or gas the fleet manager can control the type of fuel that can be purchased on the card, greatly reducing any concerns of theft or fraudulent use of the card by employees.

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