Fleet fuel cards are a time- and resource-saving device used by many companies that employ fleets of vehicles. They allow companies to obtain better prices on fuel and they give company management clarity on their drivers' efficiency. However, fuel cards such as this are not just for private companies. Increasingly, they are being used by government agencies for better fleet management.

The November 2008 issue of Law Enforcement Technology magazine featured an article about the Sheriff's Office in Caddo Parish, Louisiana, which includes the city of Shreveport. In previous years, police officers in Caddo Parish were required to drive to one of four fueling locations owned by the sheriff's office. The downside of this approach was that it often took vehicles far from their patrol routes to fuel up. In addition, fueling outside the parish required the use of credit cards, which created extra tracking and reconciliation work. Since switching to a fuel card program, however, officers are now able to refuel at any location in the parish and stay on route. Fuel cards have also helped the Caddo Parish police force to reduce paperwork and overhead.

In addition to reducing administration costs, a fleet fuel card program can help government officials make better decisions with regard to what vehicles should be in their fleets. By analyzing fuel consumption relative to the number of miles driven, it is possible to identify exactly which vehicles are most efficient. Thus, better decisions can be made and resources saved by using vehicles and drivers that are most efficient.

Another advantage for government fleets using fleet fuel cards is that they can save the cost of sales tax when making retail fuel purchases. For example, the website government-fleet.com recently reported that the Sheriff's Office in Jefferson County, Illinois switched to a fleet card program partly to save 24 cents per gallon of gas in taxes.

In today's economy, where government at all levels is struggling to acquire the funding necessary to provide services to which we are all accustomed, it is more important than ever that vehicles make the best use of their fuel. A fleet card program can reduce overhead and lower fuel expenses.