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Where to Find Off Road Diesel in California
For businesses in California that operate off road vehicles and equipment, tapping into the cost savings of road tax exempt off road diesel is more...
9 min read
Broderic Fernow
:
Updated on July 17, 2026
Fuel is one of the biggest operating expenses for many construction companies, especially when crews are fueling trucks, heavy equipment, generators, and other job site vehicles. A construction fuel card can help reduce fuel costs, control employee spending, simplify reporting, and make it easier to purchase off-road diesel at the pump.
In this guide, we compare the best fuel cards for construction companies in 2026, including discounts, fees, acceptance networks, controls, and key features to help you choose the right card for your business.
Table of Contents
| Fuel Card | Discounts | Monthly Fee | Late Fee | Locations | Best For |
| Voyager | 3-8¢/gal at select locations | None | None | 97% of gas stations and truck stops | Construction companies that want a dedicated fuel card that can be used almost anywhere |
| Coast | 4-10¢/gal at select locations | $4 per card | 2.5% | Anywhere that accepts Visa | Construction companies that want to manage fuel and field purchases on the same card |
| CFN | Estimated 35¢/gal at discount locations | None | None | 3,000 discount locations; 65,000 gas stations and truck stops | Construction companies that operate in the Western U.S. or need access to off-road diesel |
| WEX | 3-15¢/gal at WEX nationwide savings network locations. 1-3¢/gal at other participating locations. Up to 8¢ with branded cards | Up to $4 per card | 11.99% | 95% of gas stations and truck stops | All types of construction companies, especially companies loyal to specific fuel brands |
| RoadFlex | 2¢/gal at all locations; up to 25¢/gal at select partner locations | $3 per card, additional fee for premium features | 3% | Anywhere that accepts Visa | Construction companies that want to manage fuel and field purchases on the same card |
| Fuelman | 8¢/gal for mixed fleet card; up to 12¢/gal for diesel fleet card | $39-99 for the account | 17.99% | 60,000 gas stations and truck stops | Construction companies that want flat discounts at 40,000 locations |
Below, we break down the best fuel cards for construction companies in 2026, comparing their acceptance networks, discounts, fees, controls, and customer reviews to help you find the right fit for your construction fleet.
The Voyager fuel card is accepted at more than 97% of gas stations and truck stops nationwide, including both major fuel brands and independent locations. Its broad acceptance, combined with no out-of-network fees, makes it a strong option for construction companies that need the flexibility to fuel almost anywhere while still benefiting from the controls and reporting of a dedicated fleet fuel card.
Key Features:
Discounts: 3-8¢ per gallon at select locations
Monthly Fee: None
Late Fee: None
Customer Trustpilot Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars
Best For: Construction companies that want a dedicated fuel card that can be used almost anywhere.
Coast is a fintech company that offers a fleet card accepted nationwide anywhere Visa is accepted. Its platform and customer portal are built to support construction fleets of all sizes. However, drivers must use a mobile app to authorize purchases at the pump, which may be challenging for workers who are less comfortable with smartphone technology.
Key Features:
Discounts:
Monthly Fees: $4 per card
Late Fee: 2.5%
Customer Rating on Trustpilot: Not available
Best For: Construction companies that want to manage fuel and field purchases on the same card.
The CFN fuel card gives construction fleets access to more than 3,000 discount cardlock locations which are primarily located in California, Arizona, Oregon, Washington, and Nevada and over 65,000 retail gas stations and truck stops nationwide. It's especially popular with construction companies that purchase off-road diesel as many CFN locations have off-road diesel pumps.
Key Features:
Discounts: Estimated 35¢ per gallon at CFN stations compared to average retail prices
Monthly Fee: None
Late Fee: None
Customer Rating on Trustpilot: 4.8 out of 5 stars
Best For: Construction companies that operate in the Western U.S. or need access to off-road diesel.
The WEX fuel card offers a network size comparable to Voyager, with acceptance at 95% of gas stations and truck stops nationwide. In addition, WEX has a variety of branded fuel card programs for specific fuel station chains, which provide discounts when used at those branded locations.
Key Features:
Discounts:
Monthly Fee:
Late Fee: 11.99%
Customer Rating on Trustpilot: 4.3 (WEX Capital) and 1.4 (WEX) out of 5 stars
Best For: All types of construction companies, especially companies loyal to specific fuel brands.
RoadFlex is a fintech company offering a fleet card built for broad acceptance and flexible fleet management. Instead of working like a traditional fuel card, it functions more like a business charge card, accepted anywhere Visa is accepted, giving construction crews more purchasing flexibility.
Key Features:
Discounts:
Monthly Fees:
Late Fee: 3%
Customer Rating on Trustpilot: Not available
Best For: Construction companies that want to manage fuel and field purchases on the same card.
Fuelman is a well-known fuel card provider accepted at more than 60,000 gas stations and truck stops across the U.S. It offers several account tiers, each with its own pricing structure and fee schedule, allowing construction companies to choose a plan that best fits their fleet’s needs and budget.
Key Features:
Discounts:
Monthly Fee: $39.99 to $99.99 for the account, based on customer tier, plus other account fees
Late Fee: 17.99%
Customer Rating on Trustpilot: 2.6 out of 5 stars
Best For: Construction companies that want flat discounts at 40,000 locations.
A fleet fuel card for construction companies is a payment solution designed to help manage fuel expenses across your vehicles and equipment. Whether you operate pickup trucks, service trucks, dump trucks, skid steers, excavators, generators, or other construction equipment, a fuel card gives you greater control over fuel spending and employee purchases.
With detailed reporting, spending controls, and fuel discounts, fuel cards can help construction companies reduce fuel costs, prevent unauthorized purchases, and simplify expense management. Many fuel cards also track fuel purchases by vehicle, driver, or job site and integrate with accounting and fleet management software, making it easier to monitor costs and manage operations.
Fuel cards help you control fuel costs by preventing unauthorized purchases through customizable spending limits. You can set controls by driver or vehicle, like restricting the number of daily transactions, dollar limits per fill-up, allowed fueling times and days, and even which locations can be used.
Fuel cards offer exclusive discounts you won’t get with credit cards or cash. And while the savings per gallon might seem small, they can add up to hundreds, or even thousands of dollars annually for construction fleets.
Off-road diesel, also known as red dyed diesel, is a tax-exempt fuel commonly used by construction companies to power equipment such as excavators, loaders, bulldozers, generators, and other off-road machinery. Because this equipment does not operate on public roads, off-road diesel is exempt from road fuel taxes, helping construction companies reduce fuel costs at the pump.
Many fuel stations that sell off-road diesel require customers to use a fleet fuel card that is authorized to purchase red dyed diesel. In some states, businesses must also obtain permits or provide documentation showing they are authorized to use tax-exempt fuel. By requiring a fuel card that can purchase red dye diesel, stations can verify that the account has been approved to purchase dyed diesel and that any required paperwork has been completed.
Without this verification process, fuel stations could face liability for selling tax-exempt fuel to customers who are not authorized to use it. As a result, a fleet fuel card is often the easiest way for construction companies to purchase off-road diesel at the pump.
Since construction company operations have many different moving parts from different equipment and varying job sites, tracking fuel expenses without a fuel card can be tough. Fleet fuel cards capture key data like driver ID, vehicle info, and odometer readings every time fuel is purchased. This information makes it easy to track vehicle and driver usage across your fleet. You can also collect department numbers to allocate fuel expenses by job, business department, or division.
Without fuel cards, you're stuck chasing down receipts to build fuel expense reports, IFTA reports, and other tax reports. Fuel cards automate that process by capturing transaction and fleet data in real time and organizing it into downloadable reports. With just a few clicks, you can export everything to CSV and upload it directly into your accounting software, no manual tracking required.
Reimbursing crew members for fuel purchases creates extra manual work for your accounting team. Fuel cards eliminate the need for reimbursements altogether, saving hours of administrative time every month.
Spending controls are essential for keeping fuel costs in check. Choose fuel cards that let you restrict purchases to fuel only and set limits by dollar amount, number of transactions, time of day, and day of the week. With the right controls in place, you can significantly cut down on fuel theft and card misuse.
For construction companies that operate off-road diesel equipment, choosing a fuel card with access to red dyed diesel stations can generate significant upfront savings. Dyed diesel is exempt from road taxes, allowing businesses to save anywhere from 32¢ to 90¢ per gallon upfront, depending on the state.
While it's possible to purchase regular diesel and file for a fuel tax refund later, buying dyed diesel at the pump eliminates the paperwork and waiting period for reimbursement, helping improve cash flow and reduce administrative work.
Be sure to choose a fuel card that captures Level 3 data. This includes details like vehicle ID, driver, odometer reading, gallons, fuel type, date, time, amount, and location for every transaction. It’s the foundation for generating accurate fuel expense reports, IFTA filings, and driver or vehicle usage summaries. Plus, odometer data lets you track MPG to monitor fuel efficiency and identify any signs of misuse.
Construction company fleet fuel cards use different tools to prevent fraud, some offer two-factor authentication through mobile apps, while others include EMV chip technology on every card. Whichever card you choose, make sure it not only helps block fraudulent transactions, but also includes fraud coverage to reimburse you if unauthorized charges ever slip through.
Some construction companies prefer to integrate their fuel card data with accounting and telematics software. Syncing with your accounting system allows you to automatically import fuel transactions daily, helping you close the books faster. Connecting with telematics software gives you a more complete picture of your fleet, offering insights into fuel spend, MPG, and maintenance activity.
The best fuel card portals aren’t clunky or overloaded with features you don’t need. They should make it simple to manage your account, whether you're ordering or canceling cards, setting driver limits, or pulling up transactions, reports, and invoices in just a few clicks.
Take a look at your fuel receipts to find out which station brands your fleet visits most often. Then, compare fuel cards to see which ones offer the best discounts at those specific locations.
Check the fee schedules for your top fuel card options to understand the monthly cost of each program. Most fuel card companies list their fees on the application or directly on their website.
Checking customer reviews on third-party sites gives you a real-world look at what it’s like to work with a fuel card provider. You’ll get a sense of the quality of their customer support, common pain points, and what other businesses like about the card.
Your fleet card portal is where you'll manage cards, review transactions, and download reports, so it’s important to know what you’re getting. Before signing up, schedule a demo with a sales rep or take a self-guided tour to see how the portal actually works.
This step is easy to overlook as most people don’t think about fuel card fraud until it’s already happened. Take the time to review each card’s fraud coverage terms to make sure you’re protected if unauthorized charges ever hit your account.
The best fuel card for a construction company depends on the types of vehicles and equipment you operate, where your crews fuel, and whether you need access to off-road diesel.
For construction companies that need nationwide acceptance and the flexibility to fuel almost anywhere, cards like Voyager and WEX are often strong choices. Companies that frequently purchase off-road diesel or operate in the Western U.S. may find greater savings with a CFN fuel card due to its extensive cardlock network which is also the largest network of off-road diesel stations. Construction companies that want to combine fuel purchases with field expenses may prefer Coast or RoadFlex because they operate on the Visa network and can be used at non-fuel merchants when allowed by company policy.
Ultimately, the best fuel card is the one that provides the lowest total fuel costs at the stations your crews actually use while offering the controls, reporting, and fraud protection your business needs. Before making a decision, compare discounts, fees, acceptance locations, customer reviews, and access to off-road diesel to determine which card is the best fit for your construction company.
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