When it comes to fueling commercial fleets, CFN cardlock stations offer major advantages that retail gas stations simply can’t match. These sites are designed specifically for businesses, providing cost-plus pricing, faster fueling, and easier access for large vehicles. CFN cardlocks also give fleet managers more control with product restrictions.
In this guide, we’ll break down the key differences between CFN and retail gas stations and highlight the five biggest advantages CFN cardlock locations offer over retail fuel stations.
Table of Contents
CFN Cardlock vs. Retail Gas Station Comparison
| Key Features | CFN Cardlock Stations | Retail Gas Stations |
| Hours of operation | Open 24/7 | Varies by location |
| Station access | Often restricted to businesses | Open to the public |
| Accepted payments | Select fuel cards | Cash, credit card, debit card or fuel card |
| Customer pricing | Cost-plus wholesale prices, usually lower than retail prices | Retail prices set by merchants |
| 18-wheel access | ✅ | ❌ |
| High-speed pumps | ✅ | ❌ |
| Satellite dispensers | ✅ | ❌ |
| Convenience store | ❌ | ✅ |
| Enforce product controls | ✅ | ❌ |
| Products | ||
| Unleaded | ✅ | ✅ |
| Diesel | ✅ | ✅ Sometimes limited |
| DEF at the pump | ✅ Many locations | ❌ |
| Off road diesel | ✅ Many locations | ❌ |
Advantages of Fueling at CFN Cardlock Stations
1) Cost-Plus Pricing at CFN Cardlocks
Retail stations often look to nearby competitors’ to see what pricing they should charge. In contrast, the Commercial Fueling Network (CFN) regulates prices using Oil Price Information Service (OPIS) wholesale rates as the cost foundation for CFN locations, a structure known as cost-plus pricing. Because CFN prices are tied to wholesale costs rather than retail markups, fleets typically pay 10-35¢ less per gallon than average retail prices, depending on market conditions.
Unlike rebate fuel card programs that make you pay full price upfront and wait for savings later, CFN cardlocks apply cost-plus pricing at the time of purchase. You see the lower price immediately, so there’s no guessing or waiting for credits down the road.
Fuel prices fluctuate by date and location, but reviewing the averages in your area can give you a clear picture of potential savings. Check out the CFN Fuel Prices Quarterly Report to see how cost-plus pricing stacks up against average retail fuel prices across different cities and states.
2) More 18-Wheel Access Stations in the West
Most CFN sites are located across the seven western states, California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Arizona, Idaho, and Utah. In these regions, CFN stations are easy to find, especially along major highways and in large metro areas. When you compare the number of CFN cardlock locations to truck stops in each state, it’s clear how accessible CFN cardlocks are for fleets operating in the West. See the table below for a state-by-state comparison.
| State | CFN Cardlock Stations | Truck Stops |
| Arizona | 51 | 50 |
| California | 536 | 116 |
| Idaho | 118 | 64 |
| Nevada | 62 | 27 |
| Oregon | 123 | 33 |
| Utah | 47 | 73 |
| Washington | 205 | 37 |
| Total | 1142 | 400 |
As you can see, CFN has nearly four times as many locations as truck stops across the seven western states. That’s because truck stops are only built along major highways where over-the-road trucking companies fuel, while CFN cardlocks are located not just along highways, but also in metro and industrial areas where local and regional fleets fuel every day.
For example, the San Francisco–Oakland area has just 3 truck stops compared to 27 CFN sites. In Los Angeles, there are 10 truck stops versus 22 CFN locations. And along the I-5 corridor between LA and San Francisco, coverage is nearly identical, with 31 truck stops and 34 CFN cardlocks, showing how well CFN supports drivers both on and off the highway.
Find CFN Cardlock Fuel Stations Near You
3) CFN Cardlocks Are Designed for Large Commercial Vehicles
CFN cardlock stations are built specifically for business fleets, making it easy for large commercial vehicles to get in, fuel up, and get back on the road quickly. Everything about their layout and design caters to trucks and heavy-duty vehicles that can’t easily fit into a retail gas station.
Here’s What Sets CFN Cardlocks Apart:
- Larger lanes and wide turns: Designed to handle vehicles with wider turning radiuses, making entry and exit smooth and safe.
- High clearance: Stations are built with enough overhead space so clearance heights aren’t an issue for taller trucks.
- High-speed pumps: Fuel flows 3x faster than regular pumps, helping vehicles with large tanks fill up in less time.
- Satellite pumps: Many locations allow trucks with dual tanks to fill both at the same time by using satellite pumps, saving time on every stop.
- Less traffic: Since CFN sites are for commercial fleets only, drivers don’t have to deal with passenger cars crowding the pumps. This keeps stations less congested and safer.
Overall, CFN cardlocks are built for efficiency, safety, and convenience, everything fleet drivers need to get fuel quickly and safely.
4) CFN Cardlocks Carry Additional Fuel Types that Business Fleets Use
CFN cardlock stations carry fuel types that commercial fleets need and you won’t find at most retail gas stations. Along with standard gasoline and diesel, many CFN sites offer off-road diesel and diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) at the pump.
Most diesel vehicles, 2010 or newer, require DEF to operate, and having it available at the pump saves drivers time compared to buying it in jugs inside a store. Fleets that operate off-road vehicles or equipment such as construction, agricultural, and refrigerated (reefer) fleets can also save money with tax exempt off-road diesel. These added fuel options make CFN cardlocks a one stop fueling solution for fleets that require several fuel types.
5) CFN Cardlocks Enforce Product Controls
Cardlock fuel stations are the only sites with the technology to enforce product controls. Retail gas stations and truck stops can’t restrict fuel types at the pump, which means drivers can purchase any product there.
With a CFN fuel card, you can set product controls so the system automatically declines transactions for any fuel type other than what you’ve approved. For example, if your vehicles run on diesel, setting a “diesel-only” restriction ensures drivers can’t use the card to buy unleaded fuel for personal vehicles and helps avoid the costly mistake of filling up the company vehicle with the wrong type of fuel.
Start Fueling at CFN Cardlock Fuel Stations with the P-Fleet CFN Fuel Card
With P-Fleet’s CFN fuel card, your business gets access to over 3,000 CFN cardlock stations and 65,000 additional retail locations through CFN FleetWide. Enjoy cost-plus pricing, detailed transaction tracking, and advanced purchase controls to manage fuel expenses efficiently.
Through P-Fleet’s online account portal, you can monitor transactions, set limits, view daily CFN prices, and receive alerts for unusual activity. Whether you manage a small business or large trucking fleet, the P-Fleet CFN fuel card helps you save money, control spending, and keep operations running smoothly.
