Mobile Fuel Station vs Traditional Gas Station: Choose The Right One For You
The US fleet management industry boasts a multi-billion dollar net worth and is projected to see substantial growth in the coming years. As the industry continues to expand, it becomes increasingly important for fleet managers to address the smaller inefficiencies that can significantly affect annual expenses. Decisions that may seem minor, like selecting the appropriate fuel source, are well understood by fleet managers to have a considerable impact on the overall success of their fleet operations.
Traditional gas stations have been around for decades and are a familiar option for refueling vehicles. In contrast, mobile fuel delivery services are an innovative solution designed to save time and offer convenience.
For this reason, most fleet managers are weighing the pros and cons of mobile fuel stations compared to traditional gas stations. This blog discusses many reasons why you should move from a traditional gas station to a mobile fuel station or mobile fleet service.
What Is A Mobile Fuel Station?
Imagine your delivery fleet running late from the schedule, stuck behind a long line at the gas station. All that wait and frustration isn’t worth the unprofessional delay you forward to your clients at the end of the day. Only if you had the means to not wait in line or, better, to schedule your fueling at a specific time.
There are reasons why freight companies, package delivery companies, and armored vehicle services are using mobile fuel stations. The number of people using mobile fuel delivery is increasing rapidly and the industry's net worth is expected to reach a whopping $5.29 billion by 2027.
Fuel delivery tanks were first introduced in 1880 as horse-drawn carts carrying barrels of fuel. The fuel carriage was replaced by a motor vehicle in 1910, and thus, mobile fuel delivery was introduced, but only to retailers. Today, mobile fuel stations deliver fuel to mobile fleet companies as well as the general public.
A mobile fuel station is a container that holds different fuel types, including CNG, LPG, and diesel. It is mostly located in remote areas where fueling options are not easily accessible. Mobile fuel delivery and fuel suppliers are the only options for fast, easy, and affordable fuel.
What Is A Traditional Gas Station?
A traditional gas station is your usual petrol pump, mostly accessible to the general public compared to large fleet companies. They are usually situated along roads, making them easy to locate. Regular gas stations usually sell three octane levels, mainly regular, midgrade, and premium. You can also find fuel types like diesel and petrol at gas stations besides vehicle lubricants.
The first ever known gas station was actually a pharmacy in Germany that started selling fuel on the go. In the US, the first gas station was launched in 1913 by the Gulf Refining Company in Pittsburg. Before gas stations, the general public used to get the vehicle tanks filled by blacksmiths or hardware stores.
Many drive-up gas stations are also getting hyped up because of their convenience stores, car washes, and mini-marts. According to NACS, 80% of the 145000 traditional gas stations in the US have convenience stores. For this reason, traditional gas stations are still popular among everyday transportation services, ambulances, and businesses with low-scale logistics businesses.
Difference Between Mobile Fuel Station And Traditional Gas Station
If we think of it generally, both mobile fuel stations and traditional gas stations are simply fuel stations. However, one is better than the other, and you can easily recognize why by glancing at the pros and cons of both.
| Pros of Mobile Fuel Station | Cons of Mobile Fuel Station |
| Cost Savings: Mobile fuel stations save more money than traditional gas stations on every gallon. This is because your contract is in bulk and saves your company from paying that extra cost. | Beneficial for Bulk Buying Only: Since mobile fuel stations cut cost per gallon, it's not of much use for you if you take fewer gallons per fleet. Hence, it is not the best option for small fleet maintenance companies or beginner logistics. |
| 24/7 Availability: Unlike regular gas stations, mobile fuel stations have no off-hours or holidays. Therefore, you can always fill the fuel tanks of your fleet trucks whether it's day or night. | |
| Scheduling and Tracking: The most important advantage of mobile fuel stations is automation. Apart from scheduling, you can track fuel consumption and driver behavior. | |
| Fuel Delivery Services: Mobile fuel stations offer remote fuel delivery. This particular feature can be of great help to fleet companies in case of an emergency or sudden change of plans. | |
| Operational Efficiency: Mobile fuel stations are the best option if convenience is your first priority. It saves time and effort for drivers. | |
| Fuel Monitoring: Mobile fuel services like Fuel Logic have fuel monitoring systems that track your fuel data. These efficient systems can estimate how long the fuel will last and thus keep the drivers accountable for overspending the fuel. |
| Pros of Traditional Gas Station | Cons of Traditional Gas Station |
| Gas Station Amenities: Traditional gas stations usually have a convenience store offering affordable lunch items or caffeine beverages. For a fleet driver on duty for hours, such convenience stores are a lifesaver. | Risk of Minor Accidents: The biggest disadvantage of traditional gas stations is the risk of an accident. This is only possible in situations of chaotic traffic at gas stations. |
| Ease of Availability: Traditional gas stations are extremely common and widespread throughout the country. You can easily find a gas station nearby which is unlikely the case with mobile fuel stations. | Risk of Theft: Fuel theft may not be the first concern for fleet managers, but it is a prevalent issue in the industry. Even trustworthy employees might be tempted to misuse fuel for personal vehicles or make unauthorized purchases, leading to significant financial losses over time. |
| Auto Stations: Regular gas stations sell more than just fuel, for example, vehicle lubricants. If the truck runs into some problem even after pre-operation inspection, the workers at the station will have you covered. | Unnecessary Wait and Detour: Since traditional gas stations are also for the common man, fleet trucks are not prioritized as much. Gas stations operate on a first-come-first-get basis which means you often have to wait. This effects your bottom line greatly. |
| No Scheduling: Gas stations don’t have scheduling options which means you never know if you’ll get the fuel on time. With gas stations, it all depends on luck. | |
| Price Fluctuations: Due to market monopoly, gas stations can set their own prices. For a large fleet, these price discrepancies and fluctuations add up to losses. |
Factors of Consideration
Below, we have mentioned four of the most important factors that make mobile fuel stations a better pick than traditional gas stations.
Price
Regarding affordability, mobile fuel stations are a better choice if you’re a large-scale fleet company. You get a few dollars off per gallon, which is a huge amount per year as savings for the company.
Convenience
If the gas stations are out of the route of the fleet trucks, a mobile fleet service can be a great choice. You can call them at your location and get fueling done before heading to the road.
Flexibility
Another factor why you, as a fleet manager, should consider shifting to mobile fuel stations is the flexibility of time and place. Mobile fleet services are always active, whereas gas stations are not.
Efficiency
In the fleet business, time is everything, as your wheels are moving as fast as the clock. Mobile fuel stations save every second of your precious time by cutting down the crowd and scheduling your arrival.
How Does Mobile Fuel Station Work?
Mobile fleet services have a simple operating procedure for fleet management. Below are a few steps to describe this procedure from start to end in detail.
Inquiring
The first step is to inquire with the fuel delivery company about the fuel type and availability. Mobile fuel stations stock up on certain types of fuels and you can rarely find one that has a wide variety of options, unlike Fuel Logic. You can contact the company for details and their fuel experts can guide you about alternative fuels. There are multiple ways to contact the fuel experts; you can either call their helpline or email them.
Ordering
Most fuel delivery companies take orders through order form only. Since they require extended information, a call can be a hassle compared to an order form. The basic queries in the order form include name, address of onsite location, email address, contact info, and postal code.
Then comes the main part, where they ask you about your fuel preference, quantity, and the type of vehicle or generator you want to refuel. If you want to fill more than one type of equipment, you can mention that as well. The most important part of this order form is scheduling, as they ask you about the time of arrival at your convenience.
Dispatching
Unlike Fuel Logic, not all mobile fuel stations operate 24/7/365, so scheduling is a mandatory feature of fuel delivery. Once you’ve submitted the order form and made the payment you have to wait until the scheduled time. Your fuel truck will be dispatched beforehand and it will reach you at the scheduled time by dot.
Benefits
- Mobile fueling saves you from taking double routes to the gas station, bringing the fuel to your doorstep.
- It is particularly helpful when you’re stuck in the middle of nowhere because of fuel shortage.
- The biggest advantage of fuel delivery for fleet companies is its affordability and convenience which saves time and money.
- Unlike regular gas stations, mobile fuel delivery is available at all times.
- Scheduling allows you to pre-plan and keep track of time so the operations never run late.
Fuel Logic Delivers Fuel Directly To You
Mobile fleet services have been the talk of the town as the future of fleet fueling. Now, it's time to let go of old methods and embrace our new and better fuel. We will give you more of everything: time, convenience, flexibility, and quality fuel for less money.
Our partnership with world-class companies is proof enough of our efficient dealing. Trust us once, and you'll never want to leave us because we're that good.
Fuel Logic is one of the few companies that can be of service at any time. Our main services include reefer fuel delivery, generator fuel delivery, bulk fuel delivery, off-road diesel delivery, on-site fuel delivery, and DEF delivery.
We have fuel stations across the lower 48 United States, delivering fuel to nearby locations. Our fuel delivery service or mobile fleet fueling service is just one call away from delivering fast and reliable fuel to your location.
