The school system may have a different way to fill vehicles and track fuel consumption by using a fleet card system for fueling alternatives.

The system has typically managed fueling needs at a central location, which has one unleaded pump and two diesel pumps. However, based on a recent audit of the transportation department, the recommendation to the school board was to go to the fleet card system.

"...The procurement and transportation departments analyzed how the school system received and distributed fuel to its vehicles," reads the recommendation. "The analysis consisted of three basic parts: review the school system's current fueling process; estimate the costs thereof; and compare both to neighboring school systems of comparable size. From this analysis, it was concluded there were opportunities to improve our methodology and reduce costs by using a fleet card system."

The way the new system works is that drivers will be allowed to refuel at designated and pre-approved sites along their route and within their district. The vehicles will have a fleet card assigned to them and the drivers will each have a pin number that allows the system to track the amount of fuel purchased for each vehicle and which driver purchases it. The data is reported online and in a real-time format so an administrator can keep track.

"With this fleet card system, administrators will be able to exercise the following safety measures," reads the recommendation. "First, administrators will be able to place restrictions on each fleet card, such as limiting the card to fuel purchases only, limiting the dollar amount of fuel that can actually be purchased or capping the amount of gallons purchased for a set amount of time. Second, only certain pre-approved fleet cards will be allowed to refuel at locations other than the [school system] service center. Third, real time data reporting allows administrators to oversee the entire process in as much detail as needed."

The fleet card system is to be phased in over the next year starting with the installation of a fuel card reader at the service center pumps. The transportation department will also conduct weekly and monthly reviews of data gathered and make adjustments as necessary.