Fleet cards are versatile fleet management tools. They have become a common option for managing fleet-related expenses like gas, diesel, parts, services and maintenance. Many fleet managers use them to pay for fuel because of the available fuel discounts or rebates. Others choose fleet fuel cards because they can be safer and more secure than credit cards or cash. Then there are those who take full advantage of the scope of offerings provided by a fleet card. When you put all the features of these cards to good use, the results can include better-managed fleets, decreased fuel costs and more efficient drivers.

The real value comes from turning fuel card data into everyday fleet maintenance decisions. Transaction reports, odometer readings, driver ID details, fuel usage trends, purchase controls, and maintenance records can give fleet managers better visibility into how vehicles are performing on the road and where fuel spend, downtime or inefficient driver behavior may be creating risk.

To get the most out of your fleet card data, it helps to integrate this data into your fleet’s maintenance strategy.

The benefits can extend even further when fleet managers integrate the power of fleet cards with their maintenance strategy. Whether you run a delivery service, construction firm or any business with a fleet of vehicles, maintaining your assets is essential for efficiency, safety and cost-effectiveness.

Preventative maintenance plays a significant role in ensuring the smooth functioning of vehicles, reducing unexpected breakdowns and extending their lifespan. Fleet card data offers comprehensive insights into fuel consumption and vehicle usage. When used correctly, this information can be a powerful tool in promoting and enhancing preventative maintenance strategies.

The Scope of Fleet Card Data

Fleet cards are a commonly used method for fuel purchases. In addition to consolidating your fleet expenses, they offer a host of data points. Every time a driver or employee makes a purchase, the transaction details are recorded in real time. Most information is logged in a fleet card dashboard and is accessible online. Common data points include:

  • Date and time of each transaction.
  • Fuel station location.
  • Fuel brand, fuel type and fuel grade.
  • Gallons purchased and total fuel spend.
  • Driver ID, vehicle number and card number.
  • Odometer readings or mileage entered at the pump.
  • Purchase limits, declined transactions and exception alerts.
  • Fueling patterns by route, trip, location or driver.

Together, these reports help identify trends in vehicle usage, fuel consumption, fuel efficiency, route activity, idling, fuel waste and maintenance needs. Over time, the same fuel data can reveal anomalies that point to engine issues, inefficient driving habits, inaccurate odometer readings or vehicles that need service before a breakdown occurs.

Integrating Fleet Card Data for Maintenance Strategies

To get the most out of your fleet card data, it helps to integrate this data into your fleet’s maintenance strategy. Making your fleet card information a part of your maintenance strategy begins with the collection and analysis of your data.

For stronger fleet fuel management, connect card activity with maintenance records, fleet management software, GPS tracking and telematics when those tools are available. Fuel card reports can show what happened at the pump, while telematics and GPS tracking can show where a vehicle traveled, how long it idled, which routes it followed and whether driver behavior may be affecting fuel economy or vehicle wear.

Data Collection and Analysis

Collecting and Consolidating Data

Data is only as good as your ability to interpret the information it represents. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Federal Energy Management Program describes collecting and managing quality fleet data as a foundation of effective fleet management.¹ This begins with collecting and consolidating your data, both of which are designed to be largely automated with a fleet fuel card. In a fleet card’s dashboard, transaction data is collected and made available for analysis.

Analyzing Trends

A useful fleet card dashboard can turn transactions into fuel usage reports, exception alerts, spending controls and trend analysis that managers can review before small problems become costly repairs. When reviewed weekly, these reports can flag vehicles with rising cost per mile, unusual fueling activity, repeated purchases outside normal routes or spending that exceeds purchase limits.

Using Controls and Alerts to Reduce Fuel Waste

Fleet card data becomes more useful when it is paired with controls. Purchase limits can restrict the fuel type, fuel grade, transaction amount, number of purchases per day or locations where a card can be used. These controls help reduce unauthorized spending, fuel waste and card misuse while helping give managers a clearer view of normal fueling behavior.

Exception reports and alerts can also highlight anomalies, such as a vehicle buying more gallons than its tank capacity, a driver fueling far from an assigned route, or repeated transactions that do not match expected mileage. When those alerts are reviewed with maintenance records, they can help identify inefficient vehicles, fuel leaks, idling problems or driver behavior that may require coaching. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center estimates that more than 6 billion gallons of gasoline and diesel combined are lost to idling every year, and notes that decreasing idle time can also reduce engine wear and associated maintenance costs.²

Utilizing Fleet Card Data for Fleet Management

Once you have collected, consolidated and analyzed your data, you can put it to work for daily fleet management and fleet maintenance. For fleet managers, one of the most practical uses of fuel card data is turning everyday purchase activity into maintenance decisions, fuel management controls and reports that show how vehicles, drivers and routes are performing.

Fuel Consumption Analysis

Tracking fuel consumption with a fleet card can provide insights into vehicle efficiency and fuel efficiency. Abnormal fuel consumption patterns may indicate engine inefficiency, fuel leaks, excessive idling, improper driving habits, or routes that are creating unnecessary fuel waste. According to the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, aggressive driving can lower gas mileage by roughly 15% to 30% at highway speeds and 10% to 40% in stop-and-go traffic.³ By regularly analyzing fuel usage, cost per mile, fuel type and mileage trends, fleet managers can proactively identify maintenance needs such as tuning engines, addressing fuel system issues, reviewing driver behavior or scheduling inspections for vehicles that are using more fuel than expected.

Vehicle Usage Patterns

Fuel card reports can show when vehicles fuel up, where transactions occur, which driver ID is attached to the purchase, and whether mileage or route patterns suggest a maintenance issue. When fuel card reports are reviewed with GPS tracking or telematics, managers can compare fuel purchases with routes, trip activity, odometer readings, and vehicle usage patterns. This visibility helps identify high-mileage vehicles, assets operating under harsh conditions, or fleet vehicles that may need service sooner because of stop-and-go routes, long idle times, heavy loads, or repeated on-road activity.

Cost Analysis and Budgeting

With a fleet card, you can monitor fuel expenses, maintenance expenditures, and fuel spend across vehicles, drivers, departments, or locations. Analyzing this cost data is designed to help identify areas where maintenance expenses can be optimized. In for-hire trucking, the American Transportation Research Institute put the industry-average marginal cost of operating a truck at $2.336 per mile in 2025, and $1.854 per mile excluding fuel, which shows how much of a fleet’s cost base sits outside the pump.⁴ For instance, by comparing historical maintenance costs, projected service needs, fuel savings, rebates and route-level fuel usage, companies can make better budgeting decisions and give the accounting team cleaner reports for cash flow planning.

Turning Fleet Card Reports Into Maintenance Decisions

Fuel card reports are most valuable when they lead to action. A fleet manager can review recurring transactions, fuel usage, odometer readings, and maintenance records to decide which vehicles need inspections, which drivers may need coaching and which routes may be increasing fuel costs or wear on equipment.

For example, a sudden change in fuel economy may point to tire pressure problems, engine performance issues, poor fuel grade selection, or driver behavior that is reducing efficiency. The U.S. Department of Energy and EPA estimate that keeping tires inflated to the proper pressure can improve gas mileage by 0.6% on average and up to 3% in some cases.⁵ A pattern of unusual purchases may point to card misuse, inaccurate mileage entries, or vehicles being used outside normal fleet operations. Each of these signals can help the maintenance team prioritize service before small issues become expensive repairs.

Fleet Cards and Vehicle Maintenance

Integrating fuel cards into your fleet management strategy can give managers more than a payment method. It can create a reporting system for fuel usage, vehicle mileage, purchase activity, driver accountability and maintenance planning. When those reports are reviewed consistently, they can help fleet operations reduce downtime, improve driver safety and keep vehicles on a more reliable service schedule.

Scheduled Maintenance Reminders

Keeping track of multiple vehicles and their maintenance needs can be challenging, especially with larger fleets. Fleet card data can support maintenance management by connecting odometer readings, vehicle mileage, transaction history, and maintenance records. Managers can use those reports to help plan service intervals, oil changes, inspections, tire rotations, brake checks or manufacturer-recommended maintenance. Where telematics is also in use, U.S. Department of Energy guidance for federal fleets describes systems that can generate reminders based on mileage or engine hours to keep preventive maintenance on schedule.⁶

Predictive Maintenance Strategies

Fleet managers and company owners can use fleet card data for predictive maintenance. By analyzing historical fuel consumption, fuel usage reports, vehicle usage, odometer readings, telematics data and maintenance records, managers can spot negative shifts in performance. Changes may come from driver behavior, excessive idling, fuel waste, route changes or mechanical issues that are affecting fuel economy.

Rather than waiting until the next scheduled maintenance date, the maintenance team can review the vehicle, investigate anomalies, and address issues before they become more expensive repairs. This approach can reduce downtime, improve productivity, support driver safety and extend the useful life of fleet vehicles.

The Benefits of Preventative Maintenance

Using a preventative maintenance approach, guided by fleet card data, can result in meaningful benefits for a fleet. Here are the top four:

1. Enhanced Vehicle Reliability

  • Regular preventative maintenance can help reduce the risk of unexpected breakdowns, which can improve vehicle reliability.
  • Fuel usage reports and maintenance alerts help managers find reliability issues earlier, especially when a vehicle’s mileage, route activity or fueling patterns change unexpectedly.
  • Well-maintained vehicles are generally less likely to experience failures, which can help reduce disruptions to operations and support better customer satisfaction.

2. Extended Vehicle Lifespan

  • Proactive maintenance can help preserve the integrity of vehicle components, which may extend their lifespan.
  • Addressing issues early can help prevent minor problems from escalating into major repairs, prolonging the usability of company vehicles.

3. Improved Safety

  • Preventative maintenance can contribute to safer operations by helping keep vehicles in good working condition.
  • Regular inspections and servicing help identify safety hazards such as worn brakes, tires or faulty lighting systems, which can reduce the risk of accidents. In the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s 2025 International Roadcheck, brake systems, tires and lights were three of the five most-cited out-of-service vehicle violations in North America.⁷
  • Combining maintenance records with driver behavior, vehicle usage, and service reports can support driver safety and reduce the risk of keeping unsafe vehicles on the road.

4. Cost Savings

  • Avoiding major repairs and reducing downtime helps businesses reduce maintenance expenses and improve operational efficiency.
  • Better visibility into fuel spend, repairs, fuel waste and maintenance expenses can improve cash flow, reduce unnecessary spending, and help teams prioritize service where it creates the most value.

Prevention is a Benefit of Fleet Card Data

When used appropriately, fleet cards are powerful fleet fuel management tools. With a fuel card, you can collect, analyze and act on real-time fuel data from transactions, odometer readings, driver activity, reports, controls and alerts. Leveraging fleet maintenance and fuel card data together can reduce downtime, extend vehicle life, improve accountability, and reveal new fuel savings across daily fleet operations.

Valero fleet cards are a strong option for fleet managers who want competitive fuel discounts plus practical reporting for fuel usage, fuel spend, maintenance planning, and automated expense tracking. Those insights can help your team make better maintenance decisions while keeping vehicles, drivers and costs easier to manage.

¹U.S. Department of Energy, Federal Energy Management Program, “FEMP Best Practices: Fleet Management Framework,” https://www.energy.gov/cmei/femp/femp-best-practices-fleet-management-framework (accessed 14 August 2026).
²U.S. Department of Energy, Alternative Fuels Data Center, “Idle Reduction Benefits and Considerations,” https://afdc.energy.gov/conserve/idle_reduction_benefits.html (accessed 14 August 2026).
³U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Driving More Efficiently,” FuelEconomy.gov, https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/driveHabits.jsp (accessed 14 August 2026).
⁴American Transportation Research Institute, “An Analysis of the Operational Costs of Trucking: 2026 Update,” released 15 July 2026, https://truckingresearch.org/about-atri/atri-research/operational-costs-of-trucking/ (accessed 14 August 2026). Figures are for for-hire trucking.
⁵U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Keeping Your Vehicle in Shape,” FuelEconomy.gov, https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/maintain.jsp (accessed 14 August 2026).
⁶U.S. Department of Energy, Federal Energy Management Program, “Telematics for Federal Fleets: A Guide for Efficient Fleet Management,” https://www.energy.gov/femp/telematics-federal-fleets-guide-efficient-fleet-management (accessed 14 August 2026).
⁷Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, “CVSA Releases 2025 International Roadcheck Results,” 7 October 2025, https://cvsa.org/news/2025-roadcheck-results/ (accessed 14 August 2026).