Fuel is the largest operating expense most fleets can’t see clearly. Commercial fuel cards exist to change that. They’re not just payment tools; they’re control systems.
Owner-operators and small fleets feel the squeeze first. Without buying power, you’re stuck paying retail at the pump while larger carriers benefit from negotiated rates and structured fuel programs. Every fill-up costs more. Every mile eats into profit. And over time, those extra cents per gallon quietly add up.
The problem isn’t size. It’s access.
Modern fleet fuel cards level the playing field. They give smaller operations the same pricing power, and spending controls used by the largest carriers, without the complexity. When fuel is managed with intention, cost control stops being reactive and starts becoming strategic.
Here’s how to build fuel cards into your operation - and why doing nothing is costing you more than you think.
On paper, a five-truck fleet should be efficient. In practice, fuel spend often tells a different story. Drivers fuel wherever it’s convenient. Receipts disappear. Transactions get reviewed days, or weeks, after they happen. Without centralized oversight or consistent pricing, costs creep in quietly and compound fast. Large fleets don’t win because they drive more miles. They win because they control how those miles are fueled.
They buy consistently, monitor in real time, and eliminate blind spots. Small fleets operating without those tools end up paying, even when running lean. To understand how wide that gap really is, let’s look at how fuel costs compare across different fleet sizes, using data from the American Transportation Research Institute:
Here’s where the cost gap actually comes from:
Source: Shutterstock
Used correctly, fuel cards aren’t just a way to pay for fuel; they’re how small fleets buy fuel like large carriers do. Here’s what that looks like in practice.
Efficiency starts with boundaries. When fuel purchases aren’t guided by clear rules, costs drift. Drivers fill up off-route, choose higher-priced options fuel, or make extra stops that add zero value. To mitigate these risks, assign a fuel card to each driver and set daily limits This will provide real-time alerts when rules are broken.
Your discount network should match your route, not force you to change it. With a wide-network fleet card, use fuel finder tools to locate the most affordable stations along regular routes. This cuts costs across your entire fleet without relying on off-route detours or overpriced stops.
Tracking fuel manually eats time most fleet owners don’t have. Fuel cards automatically log every transaction with the details already attached: where it was purchased, how much, and at what price. Reports are ready when you need them, without the scramble.
Even small improvements matter. If one truck costs around $4,000 a month to fuel, small savings add up. Across a few trucks, that’s real money, money that can go back into the business instead of disappearing at the pump.
At Nomad, we don’t believe fuel savings should be reserved for the big carriers. Every fleet, no matter the size, deserves access to smarter fueling. That’s why we built a fuel management solution that actually levels the playing field. Our growing network helps you save at hundreds of stations across North America, so your trucks can fuel up without leaving money on the table.
Whether you’re running a single truck or managing a hundred, we’ll help you find a solution that fits your fleet, and your bottom line. Speak with our team today and see how smarter fueling can drive real results.
