Fuel Card Setup for New Carriers

Fuel is one of your largest operating costs. A fuel card doesn’t just make payment easier — the right one saves money on every gallon and simplifies IFTA recordkeeping.

This guide focuses on what to evaluate when selecting a card, without ranking specific products, since terms and discounts change frequently and depend on your operation.

What a Fuel Card Actually Does

A commercial fuel card works like a charge card specifically designed for trucking operations:

• Use it at participating truck stop networks to purchase diesel
• Get per-gallon discounts at network locations
• Track purchases by location, date, gallons, and driver
• Export data for IFTA reporting
• Set spending controls (fuel only, approved locations, daily limits)

Some cards offer additional services: DEF purchases, tire and maintenance payments, cash advances.

Key Features to Evaluate

Network Coverage

Size of network matters based on your lanes. A card with excellent discounts in the Midwest but limited coverage in the Southeast is a problem if you run Southeast lanes.

Before applying, identify the truck stops you’re likely to fuel at most frequently and confirm whether they’re in the card’s network. Major networks often include:

• Pilot Flying J locations
• Love’s Travel Stops
• TravelCenters of America (TA/Petro)
• Various independent truck stops

Confirm current network coverage directly with each card provider.

Per-Gallon Discounts

This is where the card pays for itself. Discount structures vary:

• Fixed discount: A set amount off per gallon at all network locations
• Retail-based discount: A percentage off the posted retail price
• Negotiated pricing: Some large networks post a specific “fleet price”

Even a few cents per gallon adds up significantly over a month of operation. Calculate your monthly fuel volume and multiply the discount to estimate savings, then compare that against your fuel reserve plan.

IFTA Reporting

If you’re IFTA-registered, you need to report fuel purchases and mileage by state each quarter. A fuel card that generates IFTA-formatted reports saves significant manual work.

Questions to ask about IFTA features:

• Does the card track fuel purchases by state automatically?
• Can you export a quarterly report in IFTA-compatible format?
• Does it separate DEF from taxable diesel?

A card with strong IFTA reporting is worth a slight premium in fees if it saves hours of manual recordkeeping each quarter.

Fee Structure

Read the fee schedule carefully before applying:

• Monthly or annual fee: Is there a subscription or account fee?
• Transaction fee: Charged per fuel purchase?
• Out-of-network fee: Premium charged for using non-network locations?
• Cash advance fee: If you use the card for driver advances?
• Statement fee: Paper statement charges?

Do the math: if monthly fees exceed your per-gallon discount savings, the card costs you money.

Credit Terms vs. Prepaid

Credit fuel cards: You fuel now, pay later (weekly or monthly billing cycle). This helps with cash flow between broker payments. Credit approval depends on your business and personal credit profile. New carriers sometimes start with lower limits.

Prepaid fuel cards: You load funds onto the card before using it. No credit check required. Less cash-flow benefit but more accessible for very new carriers.

Security deposits: Some providers require a deposit from new authorities. Factor this into your startup capital.

Driver Controls

Controls let you restrict how the card is used:

• Fuel purchases only (no cash advances)
• Specific approved locations
• Daily or weekly spending limits
• Transaction limits per fill-up

These controls are especially useful if you have employee drivers or if you want guardrails on spending.

Getting Approved as a New Authority

Most fuel card providers can work with new authorities, but the process differs from established carriers:

What they typically evaluate:

• Personal credit score (for the business owner)
• Business credit if established
• Business bank account information
• USDOT and MC numbers

What helps your application:

• Strong personal credit
• Business bank account with solid history
• Having your authority information ready

What to expect:

• Starting credit limit may be lower than you need
• Deposit may be required
• Limit increases often available after 3–6 months of payment history

Apply before your first load so the card is active when you need it.

IFTA and Your Fuel Card

Fuel cards don’t eliminate IFTA recordkeeping — they simplify it. You still need to track mileage by state (your ELD should help with this). The card handles the fuel purchase side.

At quarter-end:

1. Export your fuel purchases from the card portal (by state, date, gallons)
2. Export your state mileage from your ELD system
3. Use these to complete your IFTA return with your base state

If your card doesn’t generate state-by-state fuel reports, you’ll need to categorize purchases manually from receipts. Always retain physical receipts as backup regardless.

What a Fuel Card Is Not

A fuel card is not an emergency fund or a cash advance tool (unless specifically set up that way). Using it as working capital can create billing cycle problems that cascade into larger cash flow issues.

Treat fuel purchases as a direct operating cost. Budget fuel separately from other expenses and reconcile the card statement against your own records monthly; the expense tracking guide shows how to keep that habit clean from the first week.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can new carriers get a fuel card?

Yes. Several fuel card providers specifically serve new authorities. Some require a security deposit or personal guarantee. Credit limits may start lower than for established carriers.

Do I need a fuel card, or can I use a regular credit card?

A regular card can work, but fuel-card-specific benefits — per-gallon discounts at truck stops, IFTA reporting, driver-level controls — are worth considering given your operating costs. Many new carriers find the per-gallon discount alone pays for the card.