Challenges in everyday fleet operations

Fleet drivers’ daily routines are often dictated by tight schedules and high pressure to make deliveries on time and efficiently. Fuel stops are often time-consuming interruptions as conventional fuel cards need to be presented at the checkout and confirmed with a PIN – often with additional waiting time due to long queues. These delays add up over several stops and have a significant impact on the workflow. In addition, many drivers have to document transactions and collect receipts, which is time-consuming and prone to error. Finally, physical fuel cards require constant vigilance to avoid security risks such as skimming and phishing, as well as to prevent theft or loss.

Digital Fuel Cards as a relief for drivers

Digital fuel cards provide an effective solution to these challenges, making day-to-day operations and fleet management more efficient and secure. Instead of physically presenting the fuel card and waiting for confirmation at the checkout, drivers can use the digital fuel card to process payment directly at the pump via app. This saves valuable minutes at each fuel  stop and reduces the number of steps needed to complete the transaction. Companies benefit from smoother processes and lower operating costs through shorter downtime and optimized workflows. Time-consuming document management is also eliminated because all transactions are recorded automatically and centrally. Digital fuel cards also offer significantly greater security than physical cards, as risks such as skimming, phishing, or the loss and theft of cards are minimized through exclusive use within the app and additional authentication measures.

Practical implementation and integration

Thanks to modern solutions such as the Connected Fueling Platform from PACE, the digitization of fuel cards can be seamlessly integrated into existing fleet management systems. Through a secure connection, the existing authorization process is directly embedded into the Connected Fueling platform using the industry-standard IFSF protocol.

Existing station and product identifiers are adopted, eliminating the need for additional configuration. With the white-label app solution, partners can quickly launch their own branded app without any development effort, while retaining future customization options. Drivers can easily and quickly use the digital card in the app as a new payment method.

Security standards and technology

Security plays a central role in digitalization. PACE ensures the highest standards based on the IFSF protocol to enable secure communication between fuel card issuers and the connected fueling platform. New technologies such as IoT and cloud solutions further increase efficiency: fleet managers can digitally manage fuel cards and monitor transactions in real time. Measures such as two-factor authentication ensure that only authorized users have access, increasing security and reducing the administrative burden for fleets.