What are fuel card rebates and how do I get them?

Are you investing energy, time, and resources into finding the right fuel card for your fleet of commercial vehicles? Do you have specific factors in mind? Likely you’re looking for a card that best fits your business’ needs. One consequential factor to keep in mind is fuel card rebates. We’ll help you better understand what rebates are and how to find a card that’s right for you, taking those rebates into account.

What is the best way for a fleet manager to improve business performance results?

When business owners are focused on finding savings for their business, controlling fuel costs, cost-per-mile, and managing fuel consumption are the three main areas of focus. Fuel consumption is the number one expense for many operations with a fleet these days. And fuel prices are always fluctuating. Because fuel prices do always fluctuate, an increase can sometimes be a surprise. However, an increase in fuel costs makes potential savings from fuel rebate programs timely and useful. When cutting costs, every dollar saved on fuel goes directly into your pocket.

How do rebates work?

Rebates are usually broken into tiers and while the savings seem small at a glance, those dollars quickly add up when your whole fleet is fueling up. The way tiers typically work, you save a certain dollar amount per gallon of fuel depending on how much fuel you purchase in a given month. The tiers are broken up by gallon volume: one example would be for a fleet that purchased 500 – 2,500 gallons in a given month, they’d receive a rebate of 3 cents per gallon. If that fleet purchased 2,500 – 4,999 gallons that same month, their rebate would go up to 4 cents per gallon. If they purchased between 5,000- 6,999 gallons their rebate would be 5 cents per gallon, and so on.

Rebates are typically based on how much fuel you purchase at the issuing brand (the brand whose logo is on your card) every month. This means rebates tie directly to brand loyalty. Your rebates will show up as a credit on your invoice based on the number of qualified gallons purchased.

How do you know which fuel card to choose?

Consider where you’ll be most often fueling to best determine which fuel card makes the most sense for your business or government organization. By selecting a brand where you’d most often purchase fuel, you’re giving yourself the best option for increased fuel savings.

Most major fuel and convenience brands partnering with WEX offer a card that can only be used at their branded locations. Many WEX partners also offer cards accepted at 95% of U.S. gas stations, as well as thousands of service locations nationally — you have greater flexibility to fuel wherever you need to, and still earn rebates when you fuel at the issuing brand.

What’s the process for signing up for a fuel card once I’ve researched the different rebates?

WEX’s card selector tool helps you pick the fuel card that’s right for you. With the tool, you enter your location, and then will be directed to all the brands in your vicinity. From there, select one of WEX’s partners and then go directly to the application and either apply or get more information. If you have questions, or need help deciding, contact a WEX representative to help determine which card best suits your needs.

What are fleet card promotional rebates?

WEX partners often provide special rebates as incentives to sign up. They then typically revert to a standard rebate when the promotional period ends.

What other savings programs are offered with fleet cards?

Many fuel cards offered by WEX also help you save on products and services beyond fuel, giving you access to exclusive discounts on tires, hotels, and more.

What gas companies near me offer good rebate programs?

Here are some brands to explore that offer great rebate options:

• 76 
• 7-Eleven
• Chevron
• Conoco
• CITGO
• ExxonMobil
• Gulf
• Kum & Go
• Mapco
• Marathon
• Murphy
• Phillips 66 
• Quik Trip
• Racetrac
• Sheetz
• Shell
• Sinclair
• Speedway
• Stripes
• Sunoco
• Valero

Whatever way you choose to go, doing the research on rebates and savings programs will be a good strategy for landing on the perfect gas card for your business or government organization.

WEX speaks the language of small business operators. Whether you’re looking to modernize your insight and reporting efforts, save on fuel costs or take advantage of the latest GPS tracking technologies, WEX offers solutions to simplify the business of running a business. To learn more about WEX, a dynamic and nimble global organization, please visit our About WEX page.

Learn more on how to manage your small business:

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Apply for a fleet card today!

Editorial note: This article was originally published on February 13, 2024, and has been updated for this publication.