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Fuel cards have been around for some time and they are an effective way of keeping tabs on fuel costs—but many cards can be used to purchase a lot more than fuel. Depending on what company you go with, the range of products available can extend to food, ;commodation, ferries, tolls, tunnels and breakawn recovery services. Some cards, such as eyfuels from CH Jones, offer a bunkering service, lowing hauliers to purchase fuel in bulk and have managed through the commy's national outlet network. H Jones has now launched an 1-line fuel management serce which provides its card istomers with Internet access i their account information. Securicor's Fuelsery network so offers a bulk buying option ir large-volume users, and ecuricor has added a uropean fuel and toll service. With so many products on le market, it's important to now what you want from a and before choosing. For Kample, BP offers a choice of
six purchasing options on its BP Plus card, ranging from fuels-only to all goods and services. Its Agency card is restricted to fuels and lubricants; its other cards offer car-washes, maintenance and breakdown recovery services. Some companies also offer fuel management and efficiency reports.
Since CM looked at fuel cards last year, Esso has added the Esso Truck Card to its range. The company says that this gives bunker prices without the need to pre-purchase: it's available at about 200 sites in the UK.
Other companies have added outlets, with Kuwait increasing its number of sites in Europe from boo to 750 and launching a toll-card service in France, Spain and Italy. TotalFina Elf UK has also expanded; its TotalCard is now accepted at 1,400 sites (up from i,000) and its international Eurotrafic card is accepted at ir,000 outlets in 14. European countries (and in Morocco).
So its worth shopping around to find the card which best suits your operation; this guide should help.
Arval PHH Vehicle Solutions Cards available: AllStar fuel card (LPG and diesel-specific versions are available); Monitor card for publicsector organisations, developed in partnership with OGC Buying Solutions (formerly The Buying Agency 1. Bunkering: No.
Cost of card: Varies, depending on circumstances.
Payment terms: Direct debit.
Other services: The options on each card are tailored to the needs of individual clients. AllStar can be used for vehicle rental, with access to the UK-wide Arval PHH rental network which offers Us, plant. cars and a chauffeur service.
Outlets: Accepted in more than 12.300 outlets in the UK including all major oil company brands and most independent retailers, and at more than 770 sites in the Republic of Ireland.
Special features: A single consolidated invoice is sent by AllStar, providing lineitem detail of fuel purchases showing
individual VAT rates. AllStar also provides management reports tailored to customers' needs. Reports cover distance driven and fuel purchased as well as fuel consumption. The company says its line-item detail allows it to determine fuel costs and consumption rates, so it can warn fleet managers about problems such as drivers drawing too much fuel or the wrong type of fuel. Reports are available as monthly hard copies as well as in an electronic format via e-mail for use within a spreadsheet. Fuel management information can be downloaded from a passwordprotected web site. Customers can use the Data On Demand feature to access their management information and create reports which can be viewed and manipulated in real time.
Card security: AllStar cards are driver and/or vehicle registration specific. Contact: 0870 849 0022.
Web site: www.allstarfuelcards.co.uk.
BP Oil
Cards available: BP Plus UK or Europa options; HP Agency; BP Supercharge; BP One Stop (company managed sites only). Bunkering: Commercial pricing available on BP Plus card for CVs using the HGVsuitable network of more than 500 UK service stations and eight BP Truckstops. Also gives access to 3,500 HGVsuitable service stations on major European haulage routes.
Goat BP Plus and BP Agency, free (subject to minimum purchase criteria); BP Supercharge, depends on the number of cards issued; BP One Stop, surcharge is 1% of turnover if paid by direct debit.
Payment terms: BP Plus and BP Agency, twice-monthly invoicing with follow-up statements, settlement by direct debit twice-monthly with invoices available on disk; BP Supercharge, weekly invoicing with payment via direct debit, invoices are available on disk; BP One Stop, standard monthly invoicing. Other services: BP Plus, choice of six purchasing options from fuels-only to all goods and services; BP Agency, fuels and lubricants only; BP Supercharge, choice of fuel and lubricants, most BP car washes, service and maintenance, including pre-set limits that require authorisation and breakdown recovery; BP One Stop, fuel and lubricants, car wash and shop goods, service and maintenance, AA and Green Flag breakdown-recovery service.
Outlets: BP Plus, 1,600 UK sites and 14,400 Routex sites across 30 European countries; BP Agency, 3,500 BP and Shell service stations in UK including 60% of the motorway network; BP Supercharge, 12,000 Allstar sites in UK including all BP sites, all petrol retailers
including supermarkets, and all motorway service areas; BP One Stop, one nominated site.
Price: BP Plus, flexible pricing options based on pump or fixed price; BP Agency, schedule price (average BP pump price across UK); BP Supercharge and BP One Stop, pump price.
Special features: BP Plus, on-line card ordering, stopping and transactional information, Europe Net recovery for HGVs, tolls and tunnels across Europe, low-cost VAT recovery service, PIN security in Europe, monthly fuel management reports. BP Agency. online card ordering, stopping and transactional information, cards issued to named drivers or specific vehicles, monthly fuel management reports. BP Supercharge, service and maintenance option, AA and Green Flag breakdown recovery, car/jet wash option. BP One Stop. 45 days' credit, service and maintenance option with pay-as-youuse breakdown included. Also available to users of BP Plus and BP Agency cards is BP's card, fuel and fleet management software, BP Plus Control.
Card security: See above. Contact:0800 585104.
Web site: www.bpfuelcards.co.uk.
CH Jones
Cards available: Koyfuels, Diesel Direct (diesel fuel cards that use CH Jones network of refuelling sites); Fuellt, for LPG and petrol products.
Bunkering: Keyfuels, customer buys bulk fuel from preferred supplier and draws off pre-delivered stock which is managed by Keyfuels, like money in a bank; Diesel Direct, customer uses CH Jones network through a Diesel Direct agent and is charged on a pay-as-used basis only for the diesel drawn: Fuellt, pump prices.
Cost of cards: Keyfuels, £6 a year subscription; Diesel Direct, depends on the agent's contract with the customer; Fuellt, £6 a year.
Payment terms: Keyfuels, direct debit 20 days from end of invoice period; Diesel Direct, depends on reseller's individual contract with customers; Fuellt, direct debit 20 days from end of invoice period.
Other services: CH Jones offers specialist expertise in fuel monitoring through a separate trading division called Fuel Vend. This includes a range of depot monitoring/card reading systems and polling/data processing services. Outlets:750-900 national multibranded network for diesel cards; 230 petrol and 30 LPG sites (accepting the FuellT card).
Keyfuels, customers buy their fuel on the open market at the best available prices and pay a per-litre handling charge; Diesel Direct, negotiable; Fuellt, pump prices.
Special features: Efuels, on-line fuel management service providing Internet access to account information and reporting with a site search capability. Direct EDI interface and computer link of management information to customers' premises. MOO card reader enables the fuel used on-site to be controlled using CH Jones fuel cards; it also provides integrated data on the fuel used on-site and on the road. Other card reading and fuel dispensing equipment is available, including weights and measures-approved systems for fuel resale and Site Sentinel 1 tank gauges. FuelScope is a dedicated fuel management software package designed to analyse fuel usage and vehicle performance data. A portfolio of more than 40 different fuel management reports is available by e-mail.
Card security: PINs, EWS (early warning system) and internal monitoring service; cards can be restricted to the purchase of fuel and lubricants only. The network includes a large number of automatic sites with electronic security systems. A 24hr CTI helpline can access the card-holder's account and put cards on stop. Efuels includes 24hr access, allowing users to manage their own account/cardbase on-line. Contact: 0800 393736 or 01922 615231. Web site: www.chjones.co.uk.
CPL Petroleum
(incorporating UK Petroleum/British Fuels)
Cards available: CPL Diesel Direct; CPL DieselPoint; Fuel It (petrol card). Bunkering: No.
Cost of card: £6 a year.
Payment terms: Flexible weekly or monthly invoicing, strictly direct debit. Other services: Oil/lubricants.
Outlets. About 800.
Price: National schedule price with volume rebates.
:ial features: Vehicle tank size is recorded with excess drawings alerted; preferential rates on RAC commercial assistance; detailed weekly reporting with monthly fuel efficiency reports and fuel management systems. Card security: PIN numbers.
Contact: 0800 193132 or 01299 251231.
Dieseline
Cards available: Dieseline.
Bunkering: No.
Cost of card: £6 a year.
Payment terms: Weekly invoices, payment by direct debit 21 days after invoice; customer gets an average of 30 days' credit.
Other services: Lubricants.
Outlets: Nearly 800.
Price: National pre-agreed price no matter where the fuel is collected. Special features; Free membership of Dieseline Assistance breakdownrecovery scheme; bulk lubricant scheme at wholesale prices. Card security: PINs; sales restricted to diesel, gas and lubricants only; stolen a lost cards can be stopped within 24 hours; reporting system for aboveaverage collections.
Contact: 0600 393553.
DKV Euro Service
Cards available: DKV Euro Service, international; DKV Diesel Direct UK; Via card (for Italian road tolls only). Bunkering: Available in the UK via the Keyfuels/Diesel Direct system.
Cost of card: Free; Via card, 30,000 lira (£9.60p) for account and first card, then 6,000 lira (£1.92p) for each extra card.
Payment terms: 30 days with bimonthly Invoicing.
Other services: Lubricants; ferry crossings; tunnels; tolls; breakdown an recovery; intermodal transport (rolling highway); secure parking; tyre, windscreen and refrigeration service. Outlets: More than 13,000 diesel sites and about 50,000 service partners in more than 40 countries.
Price: Dependent on supplier, pump pric or zonal price; discretional discounts available; DKV offers competitive UK fuel price using the DKV Diesel Direct card in the UK.
Special teatures: Pan-European breakdown-recovery service; vehicle and tank cleaning; discounts on most replacement tyres; motorway tolls throughout Europe; fax palling price an information service; road tolls and tunnel fees including Euro Tunnel; ferries; Customs clearance; net Invoicing; route planning system. Card security: Vehicle specific with Pills; in UK the Cardclear security system combats fraudulent usage. Contact: 020 8313 3565.
Fax: 020 8313 3485.
Web site: www.dkv-euroservice.com.
Esso
Cards available: Esso Card (UK); European Esso Card; Esse Truck Card (UK & European).
Bunkering: Yes; the Esso Truck Card offers competitive bunker pricing with no need to pre-purchase fuel.
Cost of cards: Free, Esso-only network. Payment terms: UK Esse Card and UK Esse Truck Card, fortnightly invoicing with seven days to pay by direct debit; European Esse Card and European Esse
uck Card, twice-monthly payment by rect debit.
her services: Lubricants; vehicle messories; Esso shop goods; car wash; ills and ferry fees. Fleet support 3rvice—Blue service for emergency vakdown-recovery, Cold service for ital fleet management from vehicle cquisition to disposal; EuropeNet reakdown service.
I Esso has the largest branded etwork in the UK with some 1,500 sites nd the option to extend to 1,300 dditional Shell sites. Esso has 8,000 orvice stations across 24 European ountries with the option to extend to r,000. There are about 200 designated GV sites accepting the Esso Truck Card the UK.
rice: A range of "tailored pricing ptions".
pedal features Directory of sites; ustomer support helpline; full suite of eet management reports; European AT Recovery.
ard security: Vehicle/driver specific ■ fth fuel-specific option; visual icons to erify purchases at point of sale; PIN or European card; customers have no ability for lost or stolen cards if they ave followed the correct procedure. ontact: 01483 774200.
ales freephone 0800 626672.
fob site: www.essocard.com.
Husk UK
ards available: Fastfuel; Diesel Direct; iusk; Cosmos; Vankibo.
,unkering: No.
ast of card: Fastfuel, £3.50 for 21 rionths; Diesel Direct, £3.50 a year lusk and Vankibo, £3.50 for two years; Xismos, £10 for two years.
'ayment terms: Weekly invoices with vice-monthly payment by direct debit. ither services: Lubricants.
lutlets: Fastfuel and Diesel Direct, ;bout 2.000 combined; Husk card, sites n the M20, the A2 and at Calais; Cosmos ard, Calais only (24hr); Vankibo, Bel;ium site (off Junction 7 on E40, 24hr). Price: Usually below national average pump prices with the advantage of being able to fill up at less expensive Calais or Belgium sites and paying later in UK.
Special features: Weekly management reports with no minimum contract period or spend.
Card security: All usual features plus exceptional drawing reports.
Contact: 01304 831222.
Kuwait Petroleum (GB)
Cards available: International Diesel Service (IDS).
Bunkering: No.
Cost of card: Free.
Payment terms: Invoices every two weeks with payment by direct debit 10 days later.
Other services: Lubricants.
Outlets; 750 across I3 countries in Europe.
Price: National prices with agreed rebate structure; additional rebates of 0.5p/lit on Silver network and 1p/lit on Gold network.
Special features: IDS card offers a network of fully automated sites in Europe, including the UK, eliminating the need for over-the-counter purchases. Dedicated truck sites at strategic locations; detailed management information available in a choice of formats; net of VAT invoicing offered to European customers. Pan-European helpline for Europe with a toll service in France, Spain and Italy.
Card security: PINS.
Contact: 01784 467665.
Fax: 01784 46762Z Web site: wvriv.IDS.08.com.
E-mail: IDS4mgb.q8.co.uk.
Petroplus
Cards available: Route-Mate bunker card; Fuel Control bunker card: Fuelsery bunker card.
Bunkering: Route-Mate through Keyfuels network. UK Fuels and
Securicor; Fuel control, UK Fuels network only; Fuelserv, Securicor network only.
Cost of cards: Free.
Payment terrm.• Pay-as-you-use direct debit.
Other services. Free AA Breakdown scheme membership.
Outlets: 1,000 (Route-Mate).
Price: Negotiable, depending on volumes.
Special te. ... Free Route-Mate directories and free fuel management service.
Card security: PINs. Contact: 01483 752420.
Securicor
Cards available: Securicor Fuelserv. Bunkering: Large-volume users can bunker their own fuel, buying from the most competitive oil company at the time. Smaller volume users can use Securicor Fuelserv's nationwide network and buy fuel directly on their cards.
Cost of card: Subject to scheme. Payment terms: Subject to requirements; payments by direct debit. Other services: European fuel and toll cards; lubricants; gas; tyre breakdown cover through Tyreserv's UK network of more than 1,100 depots; windscreen replacement.
Outlets: 480 in the UK; 35 in the Republic of Ireland; one in Calais.
Price: Large-volume users buy fuel directly from oil companies at a commercial bulk price and then deposit it into Securicor Fuelserv's network. This gives the benefit of the bulk price on all fuel withdrawals nationwide. A small handling charge is levied on deposits into the Securicor Fuelsery system. Card holders who do not use a sufficient volume of fuel to bunker can buy directly from Securicor Fuelsery and pay one nationwide diesel price for all drawings.
Special features: Fuel consumption analysis; "home and away" fuel management to integrate all fuel drawings and assist with management control.
Card security: PINT, fuel consumption analysis and exception reports. Contact: 01473 466666.
Fax: 01473 749706.
E-mail: sales(a'fuelserv.co.uk.
Shell
Cards available: Shell Gold card (can be used at Shell, Esso and all motorway service areas); Shell Agency (Shell/BP only); Shell Account Card (Shell only, site specific); Euroshell (UK and international). Bunkerin,,; No.
Cost of cans Free except for Shell Gold. Payment terni;.; Direct debit.
. Shell Gold, lubricants, servicing, repairs, vehicle accessories; Shell Agency, lubricants; Shell Account, lubricants, servicing, shop sales; Euroshell, all products and services at Shell stations including food and accommodation, ferries, road taxes, bridges and tunnels.
0Er (11-... More than 17,000 across 34 countries in Europe including about 2,700 in the UK for Gold Card; all UK motorway services.
3ric(; Pump price except Shell Agency, which offers an average of Shell pump prices to offset high motorway service area costs.
Special features: Shell Gold. discounted RAC membership and discounts at many non-fuel outlets including KwikFit, Autoglass and National Tyres; Euroshell, ferries, tolls and breakdown/recovery; all Shell cards, detailed transaction information with 95% of transactions processed electronically, VAT-approved invoices with interestfree credit and the option of mileage capture; Euroshell, full European breakdown and recovery services, no exchange rate surcharge, free atlas. Card security. Driver or vehiclespecific, technical lock-out in stripe prevents unauthorised purchase of Items. Continental cards have PINs. Contact: Shell Gold, Shell Agency and Euroshell cards, 0800 731 3137. Shell Account Card: 0800 731 3132.
TotalFinaElf UK
Cards available: TotalCard; Eurotralic (International).
Cost of cards: Free.
Payment terms: TotalCard, monthly invoice with payment by direct debit 14 days after invoice; Eurotrafic, fortnightly invoices with payment by direct debit 14 days after invoice.
Other services: TotalCard, lubricants, car valeting, shop goods, breakdown assistance, tyres, batteries, exhausts and car/van hire; Eurotrafic, lubricants, car valeting, shop goods (with three authorised spending levels), foreign VAT recovery, breakdown assistance and French motorway tolls and tunnels.
Outlets: TotalCard, 1,400; Eurotrafic, 11,000In 14 European countries (and Morocco).
Price: Pump/schedule price by country. Special features: n/a.
Card security: TotalCard, magnetic stripe with signature verification; Eurotrafic, magnetic stripe with PIN verification: lost or stolen cards can be stopped throughout Europe within 48 hours of notification in office hours. Contact: TotalCard Customer Services, 0870 600 3462.
Eurotraflc: 01923 694219.