Combine Mobile Fueling and Telematics To Curb Fuel Fraud

Oct 4, 2022 1:00 PM ET
A truck fills up at a gas station.

For seasoned fleet managers, fuel fraud and slippage are nothing new. But the classic techniques for mitigating loss — including implementing fuel limits, tracking purchases manually, and highlighting consequences — are time consuming and inefficient. In a recent article for Automotive Fleet Magazine, Joe Molesky, VP of Operations at Booster®, explains how telematics and mobile fueling can be combined for a new approach to curbing fuel fraud.

Fleets see about 5 gallons of attempted fuel fraud per vehicle monthly, according to Fleetcor. For a fleet of 20, that’s 1,200 gallons annually. In a transportation landscape that sees fleet managers increasingly making difficult, capital intensive decisions around new technologies, sustainability, staffing and more, curbing budget loss to fraud and slippage is crucial. To do so, Molesky recommends a combination of mobile fueling and integrated fleet telematics.

“Fleet managers without the significant resources required to track and mitigate fraud associated with fuel card use — or who simply want to avoid the headache by investing in a more effective, efficient solution — should consider outsourcing their fueling errands to a mobile fuel delivery service,” writes Molesky. “Not only does this solution eliminate the potential for fuel card fraud, it offers data integration capabilities that offer visibility into fleet fueling habits, providing the actionable insights needed to keep fleet fueling costs under control.”

Similar to other convenience delivery models like Uber and Doordash, mobile fuel delivery offers customers the opportunity to order fuel via an app, website, or phone call. At Booster, our team will learn which fuel you want, how much you need and where you need it. Then, one of our dedicated Service Professionals will deliver fuel to your fleet during non-operating hours. This framework eliminates the potential for fuel fuel card fraud by eliminating the gas station errand altogether, putting fueling management in the hands of fleet managers and a trusted partner.

Mobile fueling also provides deeper insights into fleet performance and fuel consumption, which can inform budgets and fueling plans. Many fleets use telematics systems, but the data they provide is only useful if fleet managers can easily glean actionable insights. With Booster’s mobile fueling service, fleet managers also gain access to an integrated, detailed data dashboard that allows them to easily track and manage fuel spend and consumption.

Armed with mobile fueling and deeper insight into performance, fleet managers can regain control and understanding of their fleet’s fueling habits.

“As the energy transition continues to progress, fleets face a multiplying range of challenges both new and old, and navigating them is becoming increasingly difficult,” writes Molesky “But with mobile fueling and organized telematics data, fleet managers can take the fuel fraud variable out of the equation, trusting that their fuel budget will be well spent.”