Fuel purchase controls and other features built into fleet fuel cards help keep unauthorized spending in check, driving efficient management and enhancing expense visibility. Fleet card options, such as those offered by Phillips 66®, Conoco® and 76®, enable fleet managers to set transaction limits, enforce specific purchase types and receive real-time alerts, thereby reducing fraud, curbing misuse and driving savings.
Tailored spending limits keep you in control of fuel costs and eliminate unexpected expenses, making fuel spend a predictable cost in your profit and loss statement.
Let’s take a look at nine ways fuel cards help keep fleet funds secure.
Transaction Limits that Fit Your Fleet Needs
Fleet card limits are customizable, letting managers enforce spending caps by:
- Dollar or gallon thresholds per transaction, day, week or month.
- Holds per transaction, day, week or month.
- Vehicle-specific caps, so heavy-duty trucks can carry higher limits than vans.
- Driver-level restrictions, preventing side jobs or personal pump-outs with assigned PINs and mileage entry.
Tailored spending limits keep you in control of fuel costs and eliminate unexpected expenses, making fuel spend a predictable cost in your profit and loss statement.
Tailored spending limits keep you in control of fuel costs and eliminate unexpected expenses, making fuel spend a predictable cost in your profit and loss statement.
Let’s take a look at nine ways fuel cards help keep fleet funds secure.
Merchant-category and Fuel-type Restrictions
Fuel cards help prevent unauthorized purchases by blocking non-fuel transactions and premium products you don’t need.
- Allow diesel only for your Class 8 trucks, gasoline only for service vans, trucks and cars.
- Block convenience store items or maintenance services.
- Geofence transactions to approved stations within your network.
These merchant-category restrictions mean every charge is a valid fuel purchase — no side jobs or unauthorized weekend work.
Time-of-day and Geo-fence Controls
Control when and where fuel purchases are made:
- Time-of-day limits prevent after-hours fill-ups.
- Geo-fencing ensures transactions occur in designated service areas and at approved fuel stations.
Real-time alerts notify fleet managers when purchases are attempted outside approved windows or boundaries. These alerts enable quick investigation of anomalies.
PINs, Odometer Capture and Driver Verification
Strong authentication features verify fuel purchases, build accountability, and provide data when reconciling fuel costs.
- PINs are required at every pump, tying purchases to individual employees.
- Odometer entry ensures mileage matches route assignments, deterring fuel theft.
- Driver IDs provide additional verification.
Centralized Reporting and Analytics
Comprehensive reporting tools transform raw transaction data into actionable insights:
- Automated, custom-scheduled reports deliver expense summaries straight to your inbox.
- Detailed dashboards track per-vehicle, per-driver, per-station metrics in near‐real time.
- Integration with telematics correlates fuel use with engine hours, route efficiency and driver behavior.
With consolidated data, fleet managers can identify unusual patterns — such as spikes in expenses or off-route fills — and address issues before they escalate.
Alerts and Exception Management
When a driver attempts an out-of-policy transaction, the system can:
- Send instant SMS or email alerts to fleet managers.
- Flag transactions in the dashboard for review.
- Temporarily lock cards until issues are resolved.
Seamless Payment and Invoice Processes
Automated payment workflows eliminate paper tickets and streamline accounts payable:
- One consolidated invoice per billing cycle covers all drivers and vehicles.
- Electronic invoicing integrates with your ERP or accounting software.
- Rebate programs deliver volume-based savings on fuel purchases.
Consolidation frees up your finance team to focus on strategic tasks instead of chasing receipts.
From small businesses to major companies, Phillips’ fuel card solutions are the perfect way to consolidate fleet expenses while elevating the security of your fleet.
Security and Fraud Prevention
Beyond purchase controls, these cards include advanced security features:
- EMV chip technology guards against counterfeit skimming.
- Two-factor authentication for online account access.
- PINs and odometer readings entered at the pump
- PCI-compliant data handling protects your organization’s sensitive payment information.
Convenience and Network Access
Phillips offers two flexible fuel card options. Both cards are equipped with the same security and controls:
1. Business Fleet Card
- Full acceptance at more than 7,500 Phillips 66, Conoco, and 76 stations nationwide.
- Mobile app locator points drivers to the nearest approved pump.
- No annual or card fees.
- Up to 7¢ per gallon fuel rebates at any Phillips 66, Conoco or 76 stations.
2. Business Universal Card
- Full acceptance at more than 7,500 Phillips 66, Conoco and 76 stations nationwide.
- Accepted at 95 % of U.S. gas stations.
- Mobile app locator points drivers to the nearest approved pump.
- Up to 7¢ per gallon fuel rebates at any Phillips 66, Conoco or 76 stations.
Best Practices for Fleet Managers
There are several steps a fleet manager can take to minimize the risk of unauthorized fuel purchases. Here are a few best practices we recommend:
- Define clear policies for fuel purchase limits and spending expectations – set limits accordingly.
- Onboard drivers with training on card usage, PIN confidentiality and odometer entry.
- Review exception reports weekly and investigate anomalies proactively.
- Evaluate and adjust limits quarterly based on route changes, seasonal demand or fleet expansion.
- Leverage analytics to benchmark MPG, route efficiency and driver performance.
Maximizing Savings and Operational Efficiency
With tight fuel controls and transparent reporting, fleet managers can:
- Reduce fuel spend through limit enforcement and theft deterrence.
- Lower maintenance costs by identifying risky driving behaviors early.
- Improve driver accountability, reducing unauthorized off-hour trips.
- Streamline back-office workflows and automate fuel expense tracking.
These combined benefits strengthen your bottom line while preserving service reliability.
A Powerful Combination of Convenience and Control
Implementing robust purchase controls via Phillips 66 Business Fleet Cards helps reduce unauthorized fuel purchases without sacrificing convenience. From small businesses to major companies, Phillips’ fuel card solutions are the perfect way to consolidate fleet expenses while elevating the security of your fleet.
To learn more, visit phillips66fleet.com.