| Fleet fuel cards are a time- and resource-saving | | | | overhead. |
| device used by many companies that employ | | | | In addition to reducing administration costs, a fleet |
| fleets of vehicles. They allow companies to obtain | | | | fuel card program can help government officials |
| better prices on fuel and they give company | | | | make better decisions with regard to what |
| management clarity on their drivers' efficiency. | | | | vehicles should be in their fleets. By analyzing fuel |
| However, fuel cards such as this are not just for | | | | consumption relative to the number of miles |
| private companies. Increasingly, they are being | | | | driven, it is possible to identify exactly which |
| used by government agencies for better fleet | | | | vehicles are most efficient. Thus, better decisions |
| management. | | | | can be made and resources saved by using |
| The November 2008 issue of Law Enforcement | | | | vehicles and drivers that are most efficient. |
| Technology magazine featured an article about | | | | Another advantage for government fleets using |
| the Sheriff's Office in Caddo Parish, Louisiana, | | | | fleet fuel cards is that they can save the cost of |
| which includes the city of Shreveport. In previous | | | | sales tax when making retail fuel purchases. For |
| years, police officers in Caddo Parish were | | | | example, the website recently reported that the |
| required to drive to one of four fueling locations | | | | Sheriff's Office in Jefferson County, Illinois |
| owned by the sheriff's office. The downside of | | | | switched to a fleet card program partly to save |
| this approach was that it often took vehicles far | | | | 24 cents per gallon of gas in taxes. |
| from their patrol routes to fuel up. In addition, | | | | In today's economy, where government at all |
| fueling outside the parish required the use of | | | | levels is struggling to acquire the funding |
| credit cards, which created extra tracking and | | | | necessary to provide services to which we are all |
| reconciliation work. Since switching to a fuel card | | | | accustomed, it is more important than ever that |
| program, however, officers are now able to | | | | vehicles make the best use of their fuel. A fleet |
| refuel at any location in the parish and stay on | | | | card program can reduce overhead and lower fuel |
| route. Fuel cards have also helped the Caddo | | | | expenses. |
| Parish police force to reduce paperwork and | | | | |