Key points
With the national average for unleaded pushing well above $2.00 a litre, and diesel reaching $2.34 a litre nationally (and much higher in regional areas), fuel costs are no longer just a line item on the P&L – they are a critical threat to fleet profitability. The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) has warned that the terminal gate price of diesel has increased by more than 105 cents per litre since the start of the conflict, placing immense pressure on transport businesses.
As leaders in the fuel card space, we are speaking with fleet managers every day who are scrambling to adjust their budgets. While the government considers releasing more emergency stockpiles and the ACCC demands answers from fuel retailers regarding price gouging, you cannot afford to wait for political solutions.
If you manage a fleet, here is what you need to do right now to protect your business.
Stop Paying Retail Prices Immediately
When the market is this volatile, paying the board price at the local servo is a guaranteed way to bleed cash. Retail margins are currently under intense scrutiny, with the ACCC noting that price increases at the pump have outpaced wholesale increases by up to 18 cents per litre in some locations.
The most immediate action you can take is to lock in a guaranteed discount via a corporate fuel card. Fuel card providers are currently offering highly aggressive promotional rates to secure new business during this crisis.
Right now, we see three standout options for fleet operators:
| Fuel Card | Network Size | Current Promotional Offer | Ongoing Discount | Key Fleet Benefit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shell Card | ~1,500 locations | 6c/L off all fuel types for 6 months | 4c/L Premium, 2c/L Regular | $0 card fee for 6 months; Flybuys integration |
| FleetCard | 6,200+ locations | 6c/L at Shell, 3c/L at 7-Eleven/Ampol for 6 months | Up to 6c/L depending on station | 51 days interest-free; 90% network coverage |
| WEX Motorpass | 6,000+ locations | 5c/L off for promo period | 1c/L | $0 card fee promo (code ZEROFEE26); partner discounts |
Our Opinion: If your fleet operates on set routes where Shell stations are easily accessible, the Shell Card is the undisputed winner for immediate cost reduction, offering a massive 6c/L off all fuels for six months. However, if your drivers cover diverse territories, the FleetCard offers the best balance of high discounts (6c/L at Shell) and total network reliability (6,200+ sites), ensuring your drivers never waste fuel searching for a specific brand.
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Leverage Extended Credit to Protect Cash Flow
High fuel prices don’t just hurt your profit margins; they destroy your cash flow. If your weekly fuel bill has jumped by 30%, but your clients are still paying you on 45-day terms, you are financing that gap.
This is where the financial architecture of a fuel card becomes a lifeline.
Cards like FleetCard offer up to 51 days of interest-free credit. By shifting your fuel expenses onto a structured credit facility, you align your outgoing fuel payments with your incoming client revenue. In a crisis environment where working capital is king, preserving cash in your bank account for an extra month can be the difference between operating smoothly and missing payroll.
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Tighten Purchase Controls and Eliminate Leakage
When fuel is cheap, a few unauthorised purchases or a bit of “shrinkage” (employees filling up personal jerry cans) might go unnoticed. When diesel is pushing $2.50 a litre, that leakage is catastrophic.
Now is the time to audit and tighten your fleet purchasing policies. Modern fuel cards allow you to set strict parameters at the individual card level. You can restrict purchases strictly to fuel and oil, blocking in-store purchases like food and drinks. You can set daily or weekly volume limits, and receive instant alerts for unusual transaction patterns.
Maximise Your Fuel Tax Credits
The trucking industry is currently lobbying the Federal Government to temporarily reduce the road user charge to zero to help businesses survive this crisis. Regardless of whether that legislation passes, you must ensure you are claiming exactly what you are owed under the current Fuel Tax Credit scheme.
Relying on drivers to collect paper receipts is a recipe for missed claims. The ATO requires strict substantiation for fuel tax credits. A business fuel card consolidates all fleet spending into a single, ATO-compliant monthly invoice. It separates the GST, calculates the total litres purchased, and makes claiming your rebate a five-minute job for your accountant, rather than a forensic investigation.
The Bottom Line
The current fuel crisis is a stark reminder of how exposed fleet operators are to global geopolitical events. While we cannot control the price of crude oil, we can control how we purchase, finance, and manage the fuel that goes into our vehicles.
In our view, operating a commercial fleet without a dedicated fuel card strategy in 2026 is an unnecessary risk. By moving quickly to secure a high-discount card like Shell Card or FleetCard, you can instantly reduce your pump price, protect your cash flow, and ensure your fleet remains competitive, no matter what happens in the Middle East.
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