Transporters can meet contracted rates effortlessly when they have the option to use an extensive network of service stations offering special diesel prices – thus providing significant flexibility in managing their on-road routes and costs.
Statistics prove that good fuel management can save up to 10 percent of fuel costs. Since fuel is a major operating expense for transport operators in today’s challenging economy, reducing the fleet’s fuel spend will ensure sustained profitability.
One of the most effective methods to track and control fuel spend is using oil company fleet cards. A strong fleet card will drive a transport business forward by providing a wide network of outlets offering discounted diesel pricing and opportunities to streamline the way to manage diesel expenses.
The solution to improved fleet utilisation
With the largest network of participating sites in South Africa where discounted diesel prices apply, Caltex offers special diesel prices at 535 StarCard outlets from a network of 850 service stations countrywide. This enables fleet owners to optimise their route efficiency, which results in increased fleet utilisation and revenue.
The proprietary StarCard product has alliances with four major banks – ABSA, FNB, Standard Bank and Nedbank. A StarCard alliance account number links to a customer's existing fleet facility and credit line at the alliance bank. As a result, card users do not have to provide additional guarantees and securities to the fuel company as the credit relationship exists between the customer and their alliance bank.
Since we at Caltex don’t believe one size fits all, card users have the choice of Closed or Open BIN cards or a comBINation of the two. Closed BIN cards can only be used at Caltex StarCard outlets. However, the Open BIN StarCard option makes provision for emergency fill-ups at Caltex service stations that are not StarCard outlets and any other oil company site at full pump prices. Closed and Open BIN cards can also be used for cross-border fueling at selected Caltex sites in Botswana at retail pump price.
The Caltex StarCard truly puts transporters in the driver’s seat – not only do they get discounted diesel pricing at the broadest network of participating sites, but invoices are managed through their existing banking relationships. They also decide whether they need Open or Closed BIN cards.
How the alliance works
Through the StarCard, Caltex can provide transport operators with special pricing based on the wholesale list price rather than the retail pump price. Volume-based discounts are considered for significant on-road diesel usage, which means that savings could be considerably more for higher-volume users.The StarCard also gives operators access to quick and easy analytics with automatic fuel expense tracking. Caltex provides monthly savings reports detailing the price paid for fuel compared to the pump price, while the alliance bank’s fleet services division provides consolidated fleet management reports.
The fleet card to have
With StarCard, transport businesses have the choice, flexibility, and peace of mind. They have access to the wide network of participating Caltex service stations, can leverage existing alliance bank facilities, and have the option of Open or Closed BIN cards.