Fuel and vehicle-related expenses are often among the most unpredictable and under-optimized costs for small businesses. Challenges like maintenance delays, limited oversight, and inefficient tracking can quietly erode the bottom line.
Thankfully, smarter fleet payment and management tools like the Shell Card are helping small businesses regain control. These solutions empower you to not only track fuel spending more accurately but also operate more efficiently across the board.
Key challenges facing small business fleets
For many small business owners, managing a small fleet is a balancing act of managing expenses, streamlining operations, and limiting downtime, all without the resources of a large logistics team. Common challenges include:
- High and unpredictable fuel costs. Fuel is a necessary expense, but fluctuations in price make budgeting difficult. Even small variances can have a big impact on margins.
- Vehicle downtime and maintenance delays. Without a backup vehicle or dedicated service department, even routine maintenance can interrupt daily operations.
- Technology gaps. Small businesses without the budget or staff to invest in modern tracking tools often rely on manual fuel logs and paper receipts. This can lead to delays, inaccuracies, and extra administrative work.
- Lack of process and policy for drivers. Without clear rules or real-time oversight, drivers may unintentionally waste fuel, misplace receipts, or purchase unauthorized items.
- Accounting and administrative burdens. Reconciling fuel expenses by hand takes time, and mistakes can easily go unnoticed without transaction-level visibility. Over time, seemingly small errors can lead to inaccurate reporting, missed tax deductions, or even fraud that slips through the cracks.
What is a fuel card?
As the name suggests, a fuel card is a payment card used specifically for fuel and other vehicle-related purchases. These cards — sometimes referred to as fleet cards or corporate gas cards — usually offer discounts or rebates on qualifying purchases, including fuel, tires, and maintenance services.
These savings alone can make fuel cards a smart choice, but there are many other reasons to use a fleet fuel card for fuel purchases.
Fuel cards vs. credit cards: Why fuel cards are the way to go
Small business owners often default to using a standard business credit card to cover fuel expenses, but this approach can create more work and less control. Here are a few benefits of using a dedicated fuel card.
Reduces the total cost of ownership
More than 70% of fleet managers say reducing total cost of ownership (TCO) is their top operational goal. Shell’s TOP TIER™ gasoline — available at over 12,000 Shell stations to minimize out-of-route travel — is designed to improve mileage and protect your fleet’s engines. Add in fuel rebates, Jiffy Lube discounts, and 24/7 roadside assistance through Fleet Rescue, and small businesses can cut costs while keeping vehicles on the road.
Supports smarter expense tracking
Credit card processing typically falls into three levels (Levels I, II, and III), with Level I providing the most basic transaction details and Level III providing the most comprehensive. Many standard credit cards only provide Level I transaction details, such as date of purchase, vendor name, and amount.
Some fuel cards, on the other hand, capture higher-level transaction data than standard credit cards. The Shell Card in particular offers Level III transaction data, including:
- Line-item purchase lists,
- Cost per mile,
- Odometer readings, and
- Driver or vehicle ID.
This level of detail goes beyond simply “when” and “where,” and highlights the “who,” “what,” and “why” behind every purchase. With this information, small business owners can more easily monitor fuel spend in real time, quickly flag inconsistencies, and make smarter budgeting decisions.
Boosts fleet efficiency through streamlined payment, reporting, and monitoring
Over 25% of small fleets still track fuel manually, resulting in hours of manual data entry and analysis. That’s where Shell’s digital tools come in: Shell’s online account management portal gives business owners a centralized view of spending and automated reporting features that make budget management more straightforward.
All transactions are automatically logged and accessible in real time, with visibility into:
- Date and time of purchase,
- Location,
- Volume,
- Fuel grade,
- Dollar amount, and
- Driver or vehicle ID.
For on-the-go oversight, the Fleet SmartHub mobile app allows users to monitor their accounts in real time, while the DriverDash app lets drivers fuel up quickly and securely without paper receipts. Together, these tools help businesses spot spending patterns, uncover inefficiencies, and make confident, data-driven decisions — without the headaches of paper receipts or manual tracking.
Strengthens security and control
A lack of clear policies or oversight can open the door to unauthorized purchases and fuel card misuse. The Shell Card helps close these gaps with tools like DriverDash, a secure mobile app that allows drivers to make contactless payments with biometric logins. And with advanced data security — including Level III data on 99.8% of transactions — you can set the visibility and control you need to spot issues early and clarify rules.
The Shell Card also offers built-in purchase controls, allowing owners to set custom parameters for where, when, and how much fuel each driver can purchase. This further prevents unauthorized spending and keep costs predictable, especially in teams with rotating drivers or high turnover.
Increases access to fleet-related cost savings and discounts
Fuel cards unlock cost-saving benefits that standard credit cards can’t. With the Shell Card, small businesses can earn tiered fuel rebates, access exclusive maintenance discounts through the Jiffy Lube Fleet Program, and reduce downtime costs with 24/7 roadside assistance from Fleet Rescue.
For added savings at the pump, drivers can also enroll in the Fuel Rewards® Program with their personal credit card or their Shell Card Business Flex. This program offers at-the-pump savings at Shell — up to 10 cents per gallon for Platinum-tier members — plus additional savings on purchases at qualifying merchants.
[Read more: Ultimate Guide to Managing Your Fleet Vehicles: Strategies and Tools]
Spotlight: What Fleets Are Saying
"The Shell Card has been a huge improvement for our business. The cards are so easy to use, and the detailed reports are fantastic. I can see exactly which driver purchased gas and where they were on their route. This has saved us a ton of time in the mornings compared to the chaos of coordinating fuel purchases before. No more wasted time!" - Lori Rosenoff, Kinchs Lawn Care
Take control with smarter fleet spending
Shell Fleet Solutions brings more than just payment processing. It delivers an integrated solution to help small business fleets lower costs, protect operations, and work smarter. With fuel rebates, secure digital payments, real-time web and mobile account tracking, and plenty of discounts and rewards, the Shell Card helps small fleets stay efficient and in control.
Explore the Shell Card Business and discover how small fleets can go further, faster.
