Smart Fuel Management: Strategies for Rising Diesel Prices

Fuel is the second-largest expense for most fleets after driver pay, and unlike pay, it swings wildly with the market. You can't control the price at the pump, but you can control how much you buy, where you buy it, and how efficiently you burn it.

Know Your Real Fuel Numbers First

Before optimizing anything, establish your baseline: fleet-wide MPG, cost per mile, and gallons per truck per week. Break it down by truck and by driver. The spread between your best and worst performers is usually 15-20%—and that gap is where the money is.

Buy Fuel Where It's Actually Cheapest

The cheapest pump price isn't always the cheapest fuel. Because of how IFTA works, what matters is the base price before state fuel tax—you settle the tax based on miles driven in each state, not where you bought the fuel.

• Compare pre-tax prices along your routes, not the sign price
• Use fuel card discounts at in-network stops
• Plan fuel stops during route planning, not when the tank hits a quarter

A disciplined fuel routing strategy commonly saves 10-15 cents per gallon.

Attack Idle Time

Idling burns roughly 0.8 gallons per hour and adds engine wear without moving freight. Across a fleet, a few hours of daily idle per truck quietly costs tens of thousands a year. Use telematics idle reports, set fleet idle targets, and consider APUs or bunk heaters for trucks that do regular overnight runs.

Coach Driving Behavior

Speed and driving style move MPG more than any other factor you control:

• Every 1 mph over 60 costs roughly 0.1 MPG
• Progressive shifting and smooth acceleration add measurable savings
• Cruise control on flat terrain keeps fuel burn consistent

Share per-driver fuel scorecards and reward the top performers. Drivers respond to fair, visible metrics.

Keep Equipment in Spec

Underinflated tires, clogged air filters, and misaligned axles each shave fractions of an MPG. Together they add up. Tie tire pressure checks to every PM service and spec aerodynamic add-ons—trailer skirts and gap fairings pay for themselves on highway-heavy lanes.

Cut the Miles Themselves

The cheapest gallon is the one you never burn. Reducing out-of-route miles and deadhead has a bigger impact than any pump discount. Better load planning and routing routinely trims 3-5% of total miles.

Put It All Together

Fuel management isn't one big fix—it's a system of small, compounding wins. CargIQ ties fuel transactions, IFTA mileage, and per-truck analytics together so you can see exactly where the money goes. Schedule a demo to see your fuel data working for you.