Fuel Tracking - Hos do you do it?

[FireEMSPolice]

For those of us who drive patrol vehicles in the course of our job, how do you keep track of fuel usage?

We have a fuel card strictly for Security vehicles. There is a log in it for each patrol vehicle that requires you to write in the date, mileage, gallons, unit # and initials. Then when you get the reciept you have to write the same information on it, adding to it the vehicle number. This way, at the end of the month, the reciepts can be matched to their respective logs.

I am sure there has to be a better way to do this. Any ideas? How do you track your fuel?

[Arff312]

We have fuel cards assigned to each vehicle that you get with your keys. Each officer has a unique PIN that you have to enter to get fuel at the end of the night. We dont mess with reciepts or anything as it is all on the bill.

[Charger]

We have fuel cards assigned to each vehicle that you get with your keys. Each officer has a unique PIN that you have to enter to get fuel at the end of the night. We dont mess with reciepts or anything as it is all on the bill.

Same here... Only difference is we use a 2-card system... One card stays with the car keys, specific to each vehicle... Each officer is issued their own fuel card as well. The pump will only activate when a vehicle card is used in conjunction with an officers card.

[hrdickinson]

Some fuel programs require the driver to enter the milage on the pump screen before it is approved. The monthly reports show the purchases and the gas mileage based on the miles entered each time. The report flags it if the gas mileage varies significantly from one purchase to another.

[N. A. Corbier]

This mainly sounds like the fleet card isn't doing the reporting that it can. Since you're probably not allowed to upgrade the fleet card's reporting system (since the fuel company may charge for this), I would say that you're doing the method.

I might suggest computerizing it, but then if you don't have data entry in the car... You're still generating a log, still keeping receipts, and then you have the database to go with it.

Make the fuel station do the work they're capable of doing.

[tlangsr]

We noted milage and what not on our DAL and our DOT logs.

[flashlightcop509]

We have computer chip keys similar to a speedpass on the keys to our vehicles; Each is assigned a PIN to a specific vehicle. We insert the key, enter the PIN and the pump number, and all is recorded for further review and accountability...

[FireEMSPolice]

We have computer chip keys similar to a speedpass on the keys to our vehicles; Each is assigned a PIN to a specific vehicle. We insert the key, enter the PIN and the pump number, and all is recorded for further review and accountability...

Is this an on-site pump? We go down to the BP station.

[flashlightcop509]

Yep, on site pump...

[Professional Rent-a-Cop]

When I worked for Davis Security Patrol (one of Utah's localized crappy companies) we would record the vehicle mileage and gas tank level in our DAR from the time we got in and started the vehicle, then use our OWN PERSONAL MONEY to purchase the gasoline. We would keep the receipts, and then charge the office the amount for the gasoline purchases each night. The office bookies would then credit us the amount back, and it would reflect on our paychecks. The issues with this obviously is that if we have no money at the time of the purchase, or if we make a large purchase (they have some SUV's for our mountainous driving) and it drains our bank account until the next check is issued. The other obvious flaw is the fact that reflecting the money onto the paycheck means it is taxed by the government, and most of the gasoline payback goes to Uncle Sam.

[SecTrainer]

When I worked for Davis Security Patrol (one of Utah's localized crappy companies) we would record the vehicle mileage and gas tank level in our DAR from the time we got in and started the vehicle, then use our OWN PERSONAL MONEY to purchase the gasoline. We would keep the receipts, and then charge the office the amount for the gasoline purchases each night. The office bookies would then credit us the amount back, and it would reflect on our paychecks. The issues with this obviously is that if we have no money at the time of the purchase, or if we make a large purchase (they have some SUV's for our mountainous driving) and it drains our bank account until the next check is issued. The other obvious flaw is the fact that reflecting the money onto the paycheck means it is taxed by the government, and most of the gasoline payback goes to Uncle Sam.

Reimbursements for expenses should be reflected on your paystub as such (a separate amount from your wages), and can be included in the cash amount of your check without being taxed as wages.

If you should discover that these truly ARE being included as taxable payroll (calculate the difference in your "total annual wages" figure between two consecutive paychecks to double-check that the difference equals what was shown as taxable wages for the second period) someone is making a HUGE mistake. A real bloomer, in fact.

A mistake like this would cost both you and the company money because FICA and unemployment tax (FUTA/SUTA) would be levied against such "non-wages" and the company would have to pay its own half of that. On a big expense like this, it would bite the company real good. Plus, sooner or later an employee would tumble to this and demand their portion of the withheld taxes back (the company would never have owed these taxes and would therefore have never actually paid them to the government)....and then the poop really would hit the fan, with the company having to pay back maybe years of these "non-taxes" deducted from people's "non-wages".

No one who knows anything about payroll procedures - even a novice - would make this kind of mistake (or make it for long, as the accountant would surely catch it), so hopefully you can have some confidence that this wasn't happening. If it was, though, congratulations! You've got some money coming back to you and if you worked for the company for some time you could throw a pretty good keg party. Just tell us when and where...we wouldn't dream of letting you drink alone!

What's that? No keg party? Shoes for the kids instead? WHAT KIND OF A FATHER ARE YOU, depriving your children of the joy of seeing Daddy and his friends lying around in the bushes?

[Qarlo X64]

We have a fuel card strictly for Security vehicles. There is a log in it for each patrol vehicle that requires you to write in the date, mileage, gallons, unit # and initials. Then when you get the reciept you have to write the same information on it, adding to it the vehicle number. This way, at the end of the month, the reciepts can be matched to their respective logs.

Ditto.

Same procedure with the PSC I work for when in "Mobile Patrol" duty for the mall property. I really don't have a problem with this manner of keeping track of the fuel though.

[N. A. Corbier]

Even if you're an idiot with payroll, most good payroll programs (Ok, Quickbooks... I'm biased...) will sit there and hold your hand while setting payroll up, and even ask if the amount is a wage or a cash advance or what.

[DMS 525]

Most places I worked, we'd use either a fleet charge card, and would be given an itemized reciept, with vehicle info, etc., or all infor was filled out on an invoice for a company charge account.

What few times I ever had to use my own money for a company owned patrol vehicle, I'd keep all the reciepts, and hand carry them to the company accountant, where I'd get reimbursed on the spot. Forget that getting it back along with your paycheck; they're just jerking you around. They're looking for the IRS to come down on them like a ton of wet snow.