How to Choose Between Driver Fuel Cards and Vehicle Fuel Cards

When setting up a fuel card program, one of the first decisions you’ll make is whether to assign cards to your drivers or to your vehicles. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer—the right setup depends on how your fleet operates day to day.

In this guide, we break down the differences between driver fuel cards and vehicle fuel cards, explain how each option works at the pump, and outline when one makes more sense than the other. By the end, you’ll know which card setup gives you better control, cleaner reporting, and less administrative hassle for your fleet.

Driver Fuel Cards vs. Vehicle Fuel Cards

When setting up your fuel card program, you have two options for assigning cards: to drivers or to vehicles. Here’s a quick comparison.

How Driver Fuel Cards Work

Driver cards, as you’ve probably guessed, are assigned to your drivers. The driver’s name is embossed on the card along with the company name. Each card is assigned a unique PIN that must be entered after the card is swiped at the pump.

Having your cards assigned by driver easily confirms who is making the purchase, and any fuel purchases made with that driver's card are displayed on invoices and reports along with the driver’s name. Purchase controls can be set up to manage purchases, and you can prompt drivers to enter the vehicle odometer so that miles per gallon (MPG) and cost per mile (CPM) are calculated automatically.

How to Track Vehicle Number with Driver Fuel Cards

Here are some options to track the vehicle number if you want to assign your fuel cards to drivers, but still want to track the vehicle number:

• Automatic association: If a driver is assigned to the same vehicle every day, it’s easy to know which truck they’re driving. You can also add the vehicle number to the end of the driver’s name in the system to make reporting even clearer. For example, John Doe 1234.
• Prompt for vehicle ID instead of PIN: Some fuel cards let drivers enter a vehicle number instead of a PIN to authorize a transaction. You set up the approved vehicle numbers in your fuel card portal, and the transaction will only go through if the driver enters a valid vehicle number at the pump.
• Enter vehicle number instead of odometer: Drivers can enter the vehicle number when prompted for the odometer, and the vehicle number will show up in the odometer column in your fuel card reports. The tradeoff is you lose odometer data, which impacts CPM and MPG calculations.
• Third prompt: Cardlock fuel cards like CFN can be set up with a third prompt, in addition to a PIN and odometer, allowing drivers to enter a vehicle number at cardlock fuel stations.
  

Driver Fuel Cards Are Recommend For:

• Fleets where drivers almost always drive the same vehicle.
• Companies with low driver turnover.
  
  

How Vehicle Fuel Cards Work

Vehicle cards are assigned to specific vehicles in your fleet and remain with that vehicle at all times. They’re usually embossed with the vehicle number (and sometimes a description) so it’s clear which truck the card belongs to.

Unlike driver cards, vehicle cards use a “floating PIN” setup. The card stays with the vehicle, but each driver has their own unique PIN/driver ID. To fuel, the driver swipes the vehicle card and enters their own PIN. That way, drivers can rotate between vehicles and still use their same PIN every time, no matter which vehicle card they’re using. 

Vehicle cards are a strong fit for fleets where drivers regularly switch trucks. The vehicle card tells you which vehicle was fueled, and the PIN tells you who made the purchase. It also makes admin easier: you can add or disable driver PINs without reissuing cards. And just like driver cards, you can set purchase controls and require an odometer prompt so you can track MPG and CPM.

Vehicle Fuel Cards Are Recommended For:

• Fleets where drivers switch vehicles often.
• Operations where several drivers drive the same vehicle over different shifts.
• Companies with high driver turnover (You can cancel/add drivers to the system at any time without waiting for a new fuel card).
  
  

Control Your Business Fuel Expenses with P-Fleet

Whether you assign fuel cards to drivers or vehicles, P-Fleet fuel cards give you the controls and visibility you need to keep fuel spend in check. You can choose the setup that fits your operation, then layer on purchase limits, fueling time restrictions, and location controls to prevent misuse and tighten accountability.

You can track fuel by driver and vehicle, require odometer entry to calculate MPG and CPM, and adjust controls as your fleet changes. Everything runs through the P-Fleet portal, so you can add or remove drivers, update limits, and review activity at any time.