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Prepaid and Preset Fuel Cards Strategies for Small Business 1024 768 Star Oilco

Prepaid and Preset Fuel Cards Strategies for Small Business

Use Commercial Cardlock exactly like a Prepaid Credit Card as a strategy for eliminating fuel theft in your business.

 

Are you really just looking to eliminate your fuel theft risk?

With the recent economic slowdown, now is the time to field new management tools.  Let us help your business seize control of your fuel buying.  Know when and where fuel is bought by your employees.

Credit cards are a bad tool for this. Use the card controls and e-receipt function of Pacific Pride Cardlock fleetcards to have the same control as a Pre-Paid Visa or Mastercard but without the card charges and higher prices of fuel (get our White Paper on how to use fleet cards to stop fuel theft).

Keep control, save money, and stop would be fuel thieves.

Avoid expensive Credit Card fees while getting commercial pricing and the built in security you deserve.

Solve problems with Star Oilco preset fleet card program.

There is a growing industry of prepaid credit card programs being marketed to fleet operators as a solution to fuel management. The bigger advertisers are Bento for Business and Net Spend, which provide Visa or Mastercard credit cards with controls to protect the issuer of the cards. If you are asking yourself ‘what are the advantages of a prepaid card for fleet fueling’ the answer is simple.  Control.

What separates Star Oilco from a pure prepaid credit card is that we are total control to ensure only fuel is purchased with the card and that a commercial price can be found avoiding retail stations in many markets.  We definitely agree that prepaid credit card programs can be effective — if managed properly.  But there are draw backs to credit cards versus a restricted and programmed corporate fleet card.

The biggest of these being your business has to pay full retail credit card pricing for your fuel.  Add to that the opportunity to misuse a credit card isn’t removed and a gas station can often sell anything your employee puts on the card with fuel. Wouldn’t it be better to lock purchases down to the specific products your fleet needs?

The Star Oilco Card has all the features of a prepaid credit card at a far lower cost.  The Star Oilco Pacific Pride card has a fuel only purpose and fleet-specific protection.

Star Oilco’s fleet card program provides the same controls as a prepaid Visa or Mastercard but with the added benefit of being fuel- and fleet-focused.

Star Oilco’s approach is security-minded and designed to offer your Dispatch, HR, and Managers total clarity of what is happening daily with fuel. Like a Prepaid Visa or Mastercard, Star Oilco’s fuel card programs control transactions per day, time of day or by zip code and can add other restrictions for use, such as an e-receipt, to provide a real-time alert every time a card is used.

Unlike a Prepaid Visa or Mastercard though, we gear the security features to follow a vehicle — not a human being.

We set the controls to match the reality of the vehicle that needs gas, diesel, propane, maintenance or a hotel. Instead of a card issued to a human, it follows the company vehicle. Your drivers and employees are held responsible for a secret PIN that will show up in e-receipts, reports and invoices by their full name. The cards follow the keys of your vehicles and remain controlled by your Dispatcher and other Managers.

Star Oilco’s fleet cards are focused specifically on fleet needs.

Realistically, fleets face employee turnover. Hassling with babysitting a credit card budget each day while still giving an employee a credit card they can spend on anything isn’t a real solution. We are focused on the fuel need of fleets and have features prepaid credit cards do not.

CONTROL ALL FUEL BUYING BY:Pacific Pride secure fuel cards

-RETAIL SITES OR COMMERCIAL ONLY

– SPECIFIC FUEL TYPE

– GALLONS PER TRANSACTION

– TRANSACTIONS PER DAY

– TIME OF DAY

– PART OF TOWN (Zip Code)

 

The biggest difference: We have prepaid controls without having to tie up your cash in a prepaid program. 

As fuel prices change, your ability to use a credit card (not to mention their terms!) can change without notice. Our terms stay the same, and for credit worthy businesses, we are thinking of you in terms of gallons not a arbitrary dollar number. The biggest example is the reality of volatile fuel prices.

Fueling a fleet is a gallon game, not a dollar budget.

With a prepaid credit card, you will always have to examine your monthly fuel budget. The real downside to this occurs when prices spiral above $3 a gallon. At that point, you not only have to increase your credit exposure (and possibly tie up cash in a deposit dependent on the terms of the card) but the likelihood of theft increases as well.

A Star Oilco Pacific Pride or CFN fleet card operating on the Fuel Man network sets your limits by the approved products, the gallons per day and a number of transactions per day. This limits your exposure to theft not in an arbitrary and ever changing dollar figure but the actual fuel a driver needs.

Another reality about fuel: Retail fuel sellers hate paying a credit card processing fee.

They pass that on with a “credit” price. So not only does a prepaid card tie up your operating cash flow in a deposit, you’ll pay a higher price for the fuel you buy. It is also estimated that moving from a retail gas station and convenience store fueling method to a commercial Pacific Pride or CFN site will save you ten minutes per fueling transaction. Being a commercial only island there are smaller lines, saving you measurably on driver labor.

Pacific Pride and CFN also have stand alone 24-hour/7-day/365-year access commercial fueling sites with high flow diesel. For operations running all hours, commercial access is a profound improvement over retail.  These sites are priced not from a retail credit card price but a wholesale plus basis. This is a quantifiable and transparent way to negotiate a fair and competitive price for fuel.

If you want to look at Star Oilco’s approach to fuel cards, call us at 503-283-1256 or leave a message in the form below.

We look forward to helping you secure your fleet fueling easily while saving money on your total cost of fuel.

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Get out of the gas line

Star Oilco is a proud Independent Franchisee of Pacific Pride

with over 30 years of experience in solving fuel security issues for our customers. 

For more please see the following other blog posts:
Seven ways to stop fuel theft before it happens.

HR strategies to combat fuel theft – Upgrade your fleet card security.

On-site fueling as a labor saving strategy.

Oregon Self serve laws for retail and commercial gasoline.

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Renewable Diesel as a Major Transportation Fuel in California 1024 768 Star Oilco

Renewable Diesel as a Major Transportation Fuel in California
RENEWABLE DIESEL IS AVAILABLE

STAR OILCO HAS RENEWABLE DIESEL FOR YOUR FLEET

In the Pacific Northwest we have gone from a complete scarcity of Renewable Diesel availability to several players having terminal positions and this next generation sustainable fuel being readily available.  Star Oilco is ready to serve you with renewable diesel in several blends to meet both your fleet’s financial and carbon budgets.

For years California has lead the west coast with availability of renewable diesel and various blends with both petroleum diesel and biodiesel fuels. This experience is available in the research paper below to help inform your fleet in making decisions about de-carbonizing your fleets.

IS RENEWABLE DIESEL WORTH THE ADDED COST?

Fleet managers fell in love with this exceptionally high quality synthetic diesel fuel. Cleaner and drier than your typical petroleum diesel quite  a few believers are willing to pay a large premium for this fuel.  There are hardcore supporters of this fuel and it’s overall ability to reduce operational cost in far excess of it’s added cost. Which raises the next question.  Is it superior to petroleum diesel?

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Report cover on renewable diesel as a major transportation fuel in California

IS RENEWABLE DIESEL SUPERIOR TO PETROLEUM DIESEL?

The answer points to yes based on initial experience rating the fuel on real world performance, fuel mileage, emissions system maintenance costs, and the much lower CO2 emissions.

The whitepaper shown is probably the most in depth resource for a fleet seeking to understand the potential of renewable diesel for its own use.

Renewable diesel is a next generation diesel fuel.  It has a low CO2 footprint similar to biodiesel, yet it is a high performance fuel that reduces down time and maintenance in urban stop-and-go fleet use.  Long story short, it is an impressive fuel solving many problems associated with modern clean diesel engines.

Given the newness of this fuel along, with the few producers of it, there is a real lack of in depth research on the subject.

If you have any questions about Renewable Diesel please feel free to contact us.

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RENEWABLE DIESEL AS A MAJOR TRANSPORTATION FUEL

This white paper is the most in depth examination of Renewable Diesel operating in the real world. It covers a complete view of the product from the perspective of both fleets operating it and regulators seeking to reduce emissions. In our experience this is the most complete document you are going to find to advise a fleet considering using R99 Renewable Diesel.

Whitepaper – Renewable Diesel as a Major Transportation in California: Opportunities, Benefits, and Challenges.
Whitepaper that Gladstein, Neandross and Associates produced for the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and South Coast AQMD.

This report reinforces the manufacturers of renewable diesel’s statements and many anecdotal statements from fleets using the fuel. Renewable diesel sees superior performance in both emission reduction and performance in existing diesel technology. It is a cleaner burning and lower CO2 fuel that also contributes to a lower cost of vehicle maintenance.

According to this August 2017 report, California was on course to see approximately 250,000,000 gallons of R99 fuel sold in the state that year. This is a world-shaking volume of a next generation biofuel. With these readily adopted volumes, no doubt more product will be finding its way into the marketplace. The report cites a CARB expectation of the California Renewable Diesel market growing to over 2,000,000,000 (that’s BILLION) gallons in the next decade.

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Diesel Fuel in Portland, Oregon 1024 683 Star Oilco

Diesel Fuel in Portland, Oregon

What is the difference between diesel fuel in Portland, Oregon and the rest of the Pacific Northwest?

Oregon Diesel Fuel

Star Oilco delivers and sells diesel fuel in Portland, Oregon.

We are ready for your diesel needs be they off-road, on-road, biodiesel, renewable diesel, or anything else you want.

Star Oilco has simple fuel solutions to keep your business moving.

On the West Coast, expect biodiesel blends to be in all diesel fuel. B5 biodiesel being the most commonly found fuel. Be aware though, in Oregon,  B20 biodiesel (a 20% blend of biodiesel mixed with petroleum diesel) is extremely common at retail throughout the state. B5 through B20 blends of biodiesel are becoming more common as Oregon’s legal framework regulates CO2 emissions requiring diesel sellers to blend biodiesel or charge substantially more for every gallon they sell.

On top of that, Oregon has a 5% biofuel blend mandate that can include a number of fuels, most commonly biodiesel and renewable diesel. Washington state also has a mandate for 5% biodiesel though it isn’t as specific as the Oregon mandate.

That’s Oregon Diesel. What about Portland?

The city of Portland has a stand-along city fuel tax due to its policy goals (which cause it to codify rules for low CO2 fuels and the sources of diesel in particular), as well as its own budget needs.

Portland, Oregon Diesel Fuel Mandates

A little known fact is that Portland, Oregon has its own biofuels mandate and fuel tax structure on diesel. This mandate affects all diesel equipment both on and off-road use. It does not affect boilers or HVAC systems though most people selling heating oil and boiler fuel are still handling a 5% biodiesel product to ensure they don’t cross fuel in violation of the law.

Functionally, the city of Portland’s mandate and Oregon’s specific mandate do not make a huge difference. Your biggest noticeable difference is the higher price due to the diesel fuel tax, given that Portland’s biofuel mandate now overlaps with Oregon state’s fuel mandates.

For more on the actual code for biofuel mandates in Portland, see the Portland City Code.

Until 2019, Portland had a 5% biodiesel “methylester” mandate. This meant that Portland mandated that all diesel fuel sold inside the city must contain 5% of biodiesel or sellers of fuel inside city limits would face a fine. For years, Portland actually checked every seller of diesel for a 5% biodiesel blend in person annually. This mandate also included feedstocks and did not allow for palm oil sourced biodiesel, as palm oil is responsible for a large amount of deforestation in Indonesia and other places. The Portland mandate required that half of all biodiesel blended to meet the 5% mandate must be derived from canola and waste vegetable oil sources, as Oregon can produce them.

In 2019, the city of Portland suddenly lined up their mandate to match the state of Oregon’s, which allows for renewable diesel to be used as a feedstock. Anything derived from palm is still a barred feedstock for the fuel to meet Portland mandate requirements (which is distinctly different than Oregon’s biofuel mandate).

Onsite Diesel wethose service Portland
Portland, Oregon Diesel Fuel Taxes

(NOTE: Read this article by Star Oilco for more on Oregon Fuel Taxes Explained.

In 2016, the city of Portland, Oregon created its own diesel tax of $.10 a gallon. This tax is on both gasoline and diesel fuels sold at retail or commercially.  If you are operating vehicles over 26,000 GVW that are exempt from Oregon road tax, Portland also has a weight mile for those tax exempt vehicles.

If you are fueling inside the Portland city limits, that diesel tax will be charged at the pump when you fill up unless you are a P.U.C. tax exempted vehicle in Oregon.

Find a list of every diesel and gasoline tax by city and municipalities in Oregon see the Oregon Fuel Tax Group.

If you have any questions about Portland, Oregon diesel fuel standards please feel free to call or message Star Oilco for more information.

Star Oilco is here to be your Bulk Fuel Supplier in Portland, Oregon.

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For more on the subject of Diesel fuel please read these other posts by Star Oilco on the subject:

Every Question Star Oilco has been asked about Biodiesel

Every Question Star Oilco has been asked about Off Road Diesel

About Diesel Fuel – Star Oilco’s Diesel Fuel FAQ

Oregon Biodiesel Tax Breaks for Retail Stations

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Biodiesel Handling and Use Guide (5th Edition 2016) 768 1024 Star Oilco

Biodiesel Handling and Use Guide (5th Edition 2016)

Where to start when fueling your fleet with biodiesel.

 

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Biodiesel Handling and Use Guide (Fifth Edition)

If you are a fleet seeking to reduce your CO2 footprint and biodiesel is your drop in solution, this book is your guide.  The Biodiesel Handling and Use Guide is the definitive user’s manual for fleets seeking to field biodiesel and blends as a substitute for petroleum diesel (available from the US Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuel Data Center).

Biodiesel is diesel-rated fuel manufactured from animal fats and vegetable oils by way of a chemical reaction. It is not diesel fuel but it has extremely similar properties, allowing it to be blended with petroleum diesel.

As a drop in fuel, it substantially reduces tailpipe emissions and cuts CO2 emission by more than half when used as a substitute for petroleum diesel. Many states and the federal government have financial incentives to encourage its use. Several states also have mandates for the use of biodiesel as a blend component with diesel fuel.

In the last twenty years biodiesel has come a long way and it is now a mainstream fuel around the United States. In just the last ten years, a great deal has changed with the complexity of diesel engines, the sources of crude oil refined into ultra-low sulfur on road diesel, and the complexity diesel fleets will encounter in operating day-to-day. This book is a scientific and easy-to-read manual to help you navigate success with modern diesel.

The Biodiesel Handling and Use Guide covers the technical aspects of biodiesel and how it differs from petroleum diesel. It also provides advice on higher blends and storing fuel onsite. This guide goes in-depth about equipment compatibility for your refueling infrastructure as well as maintenance concerns you want to get ahead of. There are also checklists included for fleets seeking to move from petroleum diesel to higher blends of biodiesel.

If you have questions or want help in using higher blends of biodiesel in your fleet, don’t hesitate to contact Star Oilco. Even if you are not in our service area, we will be here to help. Star Oilco has been helping fleets succeed with biodiesel blends since 2003.

B20 Biodiesel A PROVEN FUEL

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For further reading on Biodiesel please see the following Star Oilco pages:

Every Question Star Oilco has been asked about Biodiesel

B20 Biodiesel; a Proven Fuel

Oregon Biodiesel Tax Breaks for Retail Stations

In-Depth look at Biodiesel as a Heating Fuel

 

Gas pump fueling a car with biofuel in front of a green farm field under a blue sky
B20 Biodiesel, a Proven Fuel 1024 408 Star Oilco

B20 Biodiesel, a Proven Fuel

Using Biodiesel in the Pacific Northwest.

(NOTE: B20 refers to 20% biodiesel blended with an 80% petroleum diesel percentage. B5 refers to 5% biodiesel blended with petroleum diesel which is the legally required blend percentage in Oregon state. For more on biodiesel basics, visit the US DOE.)

Biodiesel is the “Drop In Solution” used in the Pacific Northwest to reduce CO2 emissions in diesel equipment.

If you are looking to use Biodiesel in a fleet or a personal vehicle it is as easy as just asking for it.  In Oregon the fuel is everywhere.  From an Oregon and Washington state requirement for a minimum 5% of biodiesel blended with every gallon to large financial incentives this low carbon diesel fuel is ready for you if you want it.

It’s not just the Pacific Northwest.  For years B20 has been a defacto blend at some of the biggest names in fuel. When you pull up to the pump on the west coast you are likely getting B5 or B20 as a blend. In Oregon, B5 biodiesel is the required fuel by law. Oregon also has a B20 incentive for a waiver of state on road taxes.  Washington as well has requirements that biodiesel finds its way into retail and commercial diesel throughout the state.   Additionally, Oregon and California have “Clean Fuel Standard” programs which heavily incentivize low CO2 fuels like biodiesel.  Washington state is expected to pass their own Clean Fuel Standard as well this year.  Biodiesel has been a fact of life in fuel for over a decade in the United States and Pacific NW and it is not going away.

Due to a mix of federal and state incentives to use biodiesel, there can also be financial advantages for a fleet dedicated to making B20 biodiesel its fuel of choice. You can see evidence of this at truck stops and other retailers making B20 available in Oregon and Washington, as well as in the trucking lanes of the United States. America’s largest fleets are choosing B20 biodiesel in order to reduce their cost per mile. So can you.

In an effort to deliver the best value to truckers, many U.S. truck stops are blending biodiesel up to 20% when the market enables them to pass along a lower cost yet high quality ASTM specified diesel fuel to their customers. Most prominent is Pilot/Flying J, who lists where and when their sites are serving up B20 or lower blends. Pilot/Flying J buys biodiesel directly and blends on site in order to give their customers the best value possible. Loves Travel Centers also sell biodiesel blends around the U.S.

In Oregon, due to a diesel road tax waiver on B20 sales, gas station retailers Safeway, Leathers Fuel, Spaceage, and others are offering B20 biodiesel as their retail diesel offering. Oregon’s system requires the biodiesel be sourced from used vegetable oil refined biodiesel products. Biodiesel has been in Oregon’s fuel supply since 2006 when the city of Portland mandated B5 biodiesel blends within its city limits. The state of Oregon followed Portland with its own statewide mandate not long after.

(NOTE: If you operate a retail gas station and are curious about Oregon’s fuel tax breaks for biodiesel blends here is a more in depth article Oregon Biodiesel Tax Breaks for Retail Fuel Stations that explains these rules for retailers of fuel).

Biodiesel has been in our fuel system since 2006 and the technology that goes into making it has vastly improved. It is proven in diesel engine performance while also creating a diversified supply for energy and significantly reducing emissions from the working fleets of the world. Biodiesel substantially reduces emission coming out of your stack without a major impact on price because it helps to offset high diesel prices.

B20 Biodiesel A PROVEN FUEL

If you want to look at using B20 blends in your fleet, we are here to help. Star Oilco carries B20 blends for mobile onsite refueling every day of the week. We also have dyed/off-road/heating oil blends of B20. If you are an over the road fleet we can provide B20 at our cardlocks as well as help you procure it with a fleetcard over the road. Let us know if we can be of help.

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Oregon Biodiesel and Ethanol Fuel Mandates 1024 640 Star Oilco

Oregon Biodiesel and Ethanol Fuel Mandates

Oregon Biofuel Blending Requirements for Gasoline and Diesel.

Oregon law has a 5% Biodiesel and 10% Ethanol fuel blend mandate.

In Oregon, you can expect to buy a biofuel with every gallon of gas or diesel, whether you are buying at a retail pump or commercially delivered bulk fuel. Unless you are expressly seeking out a ethanol-free premium unleaded or off road heating oil expressly free of biodiesel, you can expect the fuel will have a low carbon blend of biofuel in it.

Why does Oregon have biofuel blended in every gallon of fuel?

There are several layers of rules, requirements, and incentives placing a minimum of 5% biodiesel blend in diesel and a 10% ethanol blend in gasoline. The City of Portland’s Bureau of Development Services provides information and resources on the background of both Portland and Oregon’s requirements.

Oregon state has a 5% blend mandate for all diesel fuels sold statewide. Portland has its own standard of for 5% biofule in diesel, which is slightly different but functionally the same as the states. Oregon’s standard requires B5/R5 if it’s sold into  machinery (dyed off road or clear on road diesel), which requires a 5% biofuel component. In the  formation of this Oregon statewide mandate, renewable diesel was considered acceptable.

Oregon also has a 10% ethanol blend mandate for all gasoline fuels with a few exceptions. Portland has this same rule as it mandated ethanol blends prior to Oregon state. Oregon has exceptions for ethanol-free premium unleaded.  (Warning: the City of Portland has no exemption for non-oxygenated premium fuels) though there are some sellers of it. Oregon state’s exceptions being premium gasoline for aviation and non-ethanol premium gasoline sold at retail gas stations. This was adopted later after the initial Renewable Fuel Standard mandates. Portland did not follow Oregon with this flexibility for small engine or classic car enthusiasts seeking non-ethanol fuel.

The rules that drive biofuel use in Oregon’s fuel:

The City of Portland has its own Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) which is seen in Portland City Code Chapter 16.60 Motor Vehicle Fuels. This RFS requires all diesel sold (either commercial or retail fuel) to contain a minimum 5% biodiesel (specifically methyl-ester molecule). The RFS also requires all gasoline sold (either commercial or retail gas stations) to contain a 10% blend of ethanol. In addition to this fuel blend requirement, Portland also has requirements for the original feedstock biodiesel is made from. Portland requires that 50% of the biodiesel feedstock be sourced from recycled vegetable oil, canola oil, and a few other types available in the Pacific NW.

The State of Oregon has its own Renewable Fuel Standard. It is less restrictive than Portland’s, allowing renewable diesel or biodiesel to meet its 5% blend requirement. You can find the law in Oregon Revised Statute 646.922. The Oregon RFS also requires a 10% ethanol to be blended with gasoline. There is an exception for premium gasoline to be ethanol-free.  This fuel is commonly called “Non-Oxy Premium” or “Clear Premium” by those seeking to order it.

If you want more information on successfully using Biodiesel and Ethanol in your fleet.

If your fleet is seeking to succeed with biofuels, here are some great resources to learn more about biodiesel, ethanol,  and renewable diesel fuels.

If you have questions about biofuels, Star Oilco can help. Do not hesitate to reach out if you have questions, even if you are not in our market. We want you to be successful in your fleet.  We are here to help.

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Avoid credit card theft with Pacific Pride Fleet Cards 683 1024 Star Oilco

Avoid credit card theft with Pacific Pride Fleet Cards

How do you avoid fuel theft in your small business?

By securing your fleet cards to ensure theft is extremely limited.

 

Fuel theft occurs every day in our economy, usually due to the loose controls associated with credit cards in businesses. Credit card thieves are creative and advanced in their ability to steal from you. “Skimmers” and “Bluesnarfers” (not to mention less sophisticated card thieves) are a real and recurring risk for any business using credit cards daily at gas stations. A single skimming location can be expected to steal $100,000 for the thieves who successfully deploy it. It’s a profitable form of theft that will not be going away any time soon. To avoid being taken advantage of, avoid retail gas stations to begin with and avoid giving low level employees access to your credit cards.

The best way to avoid fuel theft is to skip the use of credit cards and opt instead for something just as easy but designed with security in mind, like Star Oilco’s Pacific Pride Fleet Card. You’ll enjoy the convenience and benefit of using a card for your Fuelman Network purchases, without compromising your security. 

Why is fuel an easy target? Fuel can easily be sold for cash, making it very attractive to thieves. It’s also a preferred way to use a stolen credit card to turn credit into cash. Shown in the picture below is a truck set up with a slip tank to steal and re-sell fuel with a stolen credit card. Be aware, criminals have a proven ability to turn gasoline and diesel into cash by targeting retail gas stations.

Bottom line: Credit card skimming is a major threat. The best way to avoid exposing your small business is to stop using a credit card, especially for fuel purchases. Use a Pacific Pride Fleet Card instead to avoid the risk of skimming and other forms of internal theft.

Unlike credit cards, the Pacific Pride Fleet Card limits purchases to fuel and offers you the flexibility to limit total gallons (not dollars, which require frequent limit adjustments), restrict purchases to certain times of the day, days of the week or even by zip code. And when used at a stand alone commercial cardlock location, Pacific Pride Fleet Cards operate on their own network with Pacific Pride. Save your business from being exposed to a credit card transaction platform that can be exploited by thieves. Credit cards do not have these restrictions to protect your business.

Security is paramount, but not the only reason to use a Pacific Pride fleet card. Click to learn more!

Want too learn more about the rules for using Commercial Cardlock in Oregon? Click here, or call Star Oilco at (503) 283-1256. We’ll help secure your fleet from fuel theft.

 

Star Oilco's Pacific Pride corporate fleet card

Pacific Pride fleet fuel card.

 

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Why should my fleet use Pacific Pride cardlock? 1024 681 Star Oilco

Why should my fleet use Pacific Pride cardlock?
Star Oilco Pacific Pride corporate fuel card

Pacific Pride Fleet Fuel card by Star Oilco

 

A prospective customer asked this question recently in an email:
“Why should I use a Pacific Pride fleet card over a gas station credit card?”
Below is Star Oilco’s answer to their request.

There are many reasons why you should use a commercial cardlock solution for your fleet. The biggest reason why you should use Star Oilco for your cardlock needs is we are a locally owned and operated business that can take the time to tailor a card program to your specific fleet’s needs. Namely, what is the greatest risk of theft that we can secure against and where is the greatest opportunity for savings in how you fuel? Often with fleet card sellers and the larger cardlock companies, they are focused on making your needs fit their product. Star Oilco focuses on YOU.  That’s a big difference.

Star Oilco finds that usually customers are focused on one of two things.

Price or Convenience.

PRICE: Cardlock can provide both of these with far more security than any other fuel card solution. Simply put, Cardlock locations do not use a credit-card satellite to run the transactions. This means cardlock operators taking Pacific Pride or CFN are not charging you 2% to 4% on your bill to run it through a Visa or other network. When you pull into a gas station to buy fuel, often you will be forced to pay $.10 a gallon more to use a Comdata, WEX, Voyager, Mastercard, or Visa backed fleet card. With Pacific Pride, you do not face this charge as it’s on the Fleetcor’s network. When you swipe these fleet cards at a Pacific Pride location, this savings is immediate and off the top. Additionally by working with a local Pacific Pride franchisee who owns the location, they can offer further savings at their location not available to anyone else. They own the fuel and therefore have ultimate control on saving you money.

CONVENIENCE: With convenience, comes risk. To enable your business to not be slowed down by the need for fuel you risk allowing a bad actor to steal from you. With Star Oilco’s modern cardlock offering we can secure your risk and still enable several levels of convenience and access, dependent on your customized fleet need.

We focus on your needs in this way. We keep it simple and break it down into an easy process. What do you do and where do you do it?

24-7 Convenience with Easy to Access Fueling Facilities

Clean, well lit, and large truck friendly cardlock facilities. Cardlock is made for business and if you are operating doubles and triples, we can work with your staff to map out the easy in-and-out high-flow diesel fueling options for your drivers.

Industry Leading Card Security

We offer a wide range of solutions that allow you, as a fleet manager, to lock down and protect your fleet from theft. If you only operate in specific areas, we can turn off whatever cards you want to not operate outside of where you want your trucks. If you don’t operate after a certain time of day we can also turn non-management cards off to guard against this. Often small business fuel theft occurs after midnight. If you don’t operate at midnight let us secure your fleet from that risk. These are just a few of the security options we can provide you if needed.

Email Notification for Total Control

See fuel transactions in real time. When your drivers make a fuel purchase at Pacific Pride or other affiliate fueling locations, an email will reach you or your dispatch notifying you. If your drivers are following your processes and procedures for fuel procurement, it will be easy for you to immediately reinforce the rules instead of waiting for a bill. Better yet, if something is wrong with the fuel purchase (out of area/time/product) you will know immediately a problem has occurred and can respond accordingly.

Flexibility or Structured Control.  We offer both!

Whether you want your drivers to be able to get fuel and get on the road as fast as possible, or locked into a specific zip code of only the low cost commercial cardlock locations. We can make that happen. Often, management wants total flexibility for time, place and the availability of branded Premium unleaded. While at the same time wanting to lock down their fleet cards for time and place of use to only buy commercial cardlock regular unleaded at the most competitive price possible. We make that easy and can change this quickly for your evolving business needs.

Total Accountability for Fuel Usage

Convenience for your controller, CPA and HR manager. Beyond designing simple security features like this we can also line up fuel usage to line up with your vehicles license plate providing a private PIN to everyone of your employees. We can also track Miles Per Gallon in the vehicles as a way to confirm if the fuel actually went into that vehicle or not. When your employees use the card, their name appears on the bill. You will know what vehicle took what fuel and who was the person who fueled it. When an unlikely fueling occurs you will have evidence of the person who did it and that the vehicle’s mileage is off, providing proof if needed.  Combine Pacific Pride’s total control with a “No Tolerance Fuel Theft Policy” for additional authority to fire fuel thieves under any state’s employment laws.

Simple and Accurate Fuel Management and Reporting

Star Oilco’s system enables easy reports anytime you want them. If you require a CSV file or other report for your operation, tax reports, budgeting or other business needs we are there for you to make this easy.

Commercial Diesel Pricing with Volume Discounts

Pacific Pride commercial cardlocks are priced form the wholesale market rate.  Our price is straightforward and based a daily OPIS Wholesale Rack report from your local market.   Instead of retail posted price signs where the corner gas station is trying to get as much as they can our diesel fuel is priced on a cost plus basis.  This is far more transparent and will save you money compared to retail on diesel fuel.  When prices are high our prices are far more fair.  When prices fall we fall with the wholesale market from the OPIS Average the day the market starts moving down.  Pacific Pride locations are also designed with high speed diesel pumps that save large trucks time.

TRY PACIFIC PRIDE TO SEE FIRST HAND
If you have questions or want to sign up for Star Oilco’s Pacific Pride fleet card.

Just let us know, and we will follow up with you to get you started.

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Star Oilco is an independent franchisee of Pacific Pride

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Use Pacific Pride to control your fleet fueling. 1024 683 Star Oilco

Use Pacific Pride to control your fleet fueling.


SEIZE CONTROL OF YOUR FUEL SPENDING WITH PACIFIC PRIDE FLEET CARDS

Star Oilco’s Pacific Pride card can give you control over when and where fuel is bought. We guarantee the highest level of control by offering human support to make it easy for a small business. You have enough to manage and don’t need another website to log into. Know who bought what, when, and where in real time to better manage the buying decisions by your drivers.

Pacific Pride, CFN, WEX, Voyager and other fleet cards all have similar tools. We find that small businesses need one extra tool. A human being on the other side helping make sure the total program is working. We help you grab control of every drop, dollar, and driver. We are your partner in Fleet Card and Cardlock Card success.

Star Oilco goes one step further than our competitors. We keep things simple and we make it easy for you. This is done with the obvious human element and best practices to complete the full value that a secured fuel card offers.

Call us and have us take care of that for you. You tell us what you want, we consult with you, and you get a working card program.

This is what we recommend for your non-management cards:
1) Set the fleet cards with the vehicles (attached to the license plate on the bill/place the fleet card on the key ring of the vehicle).

2) Design these vehicle cards to only work in the state’s zip codes that you service during the times of day you operate as a business.

2) Give each driver a unique and secret PIN attached to their name  (so when they use a card, their name appears on the bill next to the transaction).

3) Implement a “No Tolerance Fuel Theft Policy” with your Human Resource policy. Every employee signs a contract with your business that they own their personal secret PIN and it is only for them to use. Star Oilco can provide a recommended policy for you to use. If they give it to someone else, they are responsible for anything that happens. If theft is happening, it is a “No Tolerance” dismissal offense on the first occurrence.

4) Use the E-Receipt function with our fuel cards in order to see in real-time fuel purchases. An electronic receipt is emailed to your Controller or Dispatcher to watch for off-policy fuel usage in real time. This allows your Dispatch or Management to respond the same day to questionable decisions around fuel cards.

Now imagine how this works for your business in practice.

You can set up restrictions by days of the week, hours of the day or even by zip codes. If your business does not operate on weekends, turn off the fuel cards during the times you do not operate. If you your fleet is never on the road before 7am and is back at home by 7pm every night, set up those time restrictions to make it that much harder for fuel theft to occur. If you need to update this, change something, order cards, etc…. just call our office and we take care of that update for you.

With our E-receipt function, your Dispatch will get an email every time fuel is purchased. You will see where, what, who, and when this occurs. You can reinforce your company fuel policies at the local level the same day. No more waiting for the bill to see a driver did something that cost you money. By seizing control of your fuel, your drivers will also respond to your new level of control as well. By having control and transparency of what your drivers do, they will require less management as they know you are watching.

Often the most controllable expense related with fuel is the fuel that might slip through a business due to unethical employees or outside theft. Fuel slippage is the industry term for unauthorized fuel taking. With Pacific Pride cardlock fuel, you can take control over fuel purchases and avoid the loss up front with card controls. Contact Star Oilco for a total fuel security solution for your business.

Seize control with Star Oilco’s corporate fleet card solutions.

If you have further questions about Pacific Pride and control of your fleet fueling, feel free to contact us with the form below.

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Fixing the problems with bugs growing in your diesel 1024 512 Star Oilco

Fixing the problems with bugs growing in your diesel

What to do about Biological Growth in Diesel Fuel.

Fuel Marketer News has two great articles on biological growth in fuel tanks. Star Oilco as a diesel fuel delivery provider in Oregon and Washington is all to familiar with this emerging problem with ultra-low sulfur bio-diesel blend fuels.

Where there is water, bugs can grow in diesel.

The Fuel Marketer News articles below:

Fuel System Bugs Drain Revenue, and
Bugs Cause Fuel System Damage (part 2)

These articles in a nutshell are about the costs, impact, and ongoing effect of bugs growing in fuel as a real industry issue. If you have filters clogging in your fleet–much like a heart attack–it’s not a symptom, it’s a late-stage problem. Clogged filters slow down your fleet fueling and add serious cost to your vehicle maintenance. Lost power on the highway also slows your drivers down, escalating the drain on efficiency fuel that bugs may be causing.

Star Oilco can cure these problems, both with stopping hum-bug growing in your diesel tanks, as well as ensuring that the water those fuel bugs live in stops migrating into your tank. We will help you solve diesel fuel quality issues.

The first step is for Star Oilco to test the bottom of your fuel tank, as well as take a representative nozzle sample that would go into your trucks. We will show you where your fuel quality is today and come up with a collaborative way to move that into exceeding ASTM diesel specification, as well as aligning with engine manufacturer’s ISO specifications for diesel fuel cleanliness.

If you have questions about fuel quality assurance, Star Oilco has solutions. Left unattended, your diesel fuel will grow bugs, alga, yeasts, and other biological active destroyers of fuel quality. If you need to treat your fuel to kill humbugs like these, Star Oilco recommends Bioguard Plus 6 as your go-to solution. It is both a biocide that kills the bugs growing in fuel, as well as a heavy duty detergent to clean up other deposits as well.

Star Oilco Precision Fuel Management tank test request form below:

Tank Testing Form

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