First trip using the TSD fuel card

[jherrin99]

Originally Posted by buddy110

I haven't used my card yet. However, in my area TA prices beat loves to death. Where did you travel?

I have been using the TSD card for a couple of weeks. I did a lot of research and planning on fuel pricing along my current 3000 mile trip. I have noticed in my case that the Love's discounted prices are better than TA discounted prices in the same area along my route. Some places it is within 5 cents or so. I was looking ahead at some stops coming up next week and I noticed something interesting about the pricing. I was looking at some TA and Petro truck stops on my route in VA and noticed there is no discount at a couple of those. The posted price is the same as the discounted price. So evidently not all TA/Petro offer a discount. Something to be aware of....... I have not noticed that on any of the Love's pricing.

[Gary.Jones]

James

On a couple of these cards, the company says they negotiate prices with each individual station, not collectively with the entire chains. In that sense, your discount could run from nothing to the anticipated discount. I assume that you would have to call each on the phone, or have a directory, and ask each station if they honor the specific card and quote a specific discount. May well still be desirable, but it makes it more of a gamble at each station if you just take your chances.

Gary

[jherrin99]

Originally Posted by Gary.Jones

James

On a couple of these cards, the company says they negotiate prices with each individual station, not collectively with the entire chains. In that sense, your discount could run from nothing to the anticipated discount. I assume that you would have to call each on the phone, or have a directory, and ask each station if they honor the specific card and quote a specific discount. May well still be desirable, but it makes it more of a gamble at each station if you just take your chances.

Gary

It is not a gamble at all. TSD sends out daily emails with actual pricing for the whole country for Love's, Pilot and TA. It is pretty easy to check the discounted prices along your route. I usually do that anyway for planning. I find there are some states or areas that are much higher on fuel and so I try to avoid buying fuel there. I just traveled from Texas through Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois and Indiana. The prices in Illinois jumped about 50 cents a gallon compared to Missouri and Arkansas. I planned my fuel stop in Missouri and avoided buying fuel in Illinois. The discount on Pilot/Flying J is only about 5 cents so I don't even consider them anymore. The discount at Love's has been around 40 cents or more along my route. I have looked over the nation wide prices and it does vary some at Love's but the minimum discount I have see on the price lists are 30+ cents and range up to over 50 cents per gallon. I plan on using Love's exclusively on this trip. I have had no problems finding enough of them on this 3000+ mile trip. If I did my second choice would be TA/Petro.

[buddy110]

Originally Posted by jherrin99

It is not a gamble at all. TSD sends out daily emails with actual pricing for the whole country for Love's, Pilot and TA. It is pretty easy to check the discounted prices along your route. I usually do that anyway for planning. I find there are some states or areas that are much higher on fuel and so I try to avoid buying fuel there. I just traveled from Texas through Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois and Indiana. The prices in Illinois jumped about 50 cents a gallon compared to Missouri and Arkansas. I planned my fuel stop in Missouri and avoided buying fuel in Illinois. The discount on Pilot/Flying J is only about 5 cents so I don't even consider them anymore. The discount at Love's has been around 40 cents or more along my route. I have looked over the nation wide prices and it does vary some at Love's but the minimum discount I have see on the price lists are 30+ cents and range up to over 50 cents per gallon. I plan on using Love's exclusively on this trip. I have had no problems finding enough of them on this 3000+ mile trip. If I did my second choice would be TA/Petro.

That's how I plan to use it.

[Gary.Jones]

Well, I have not applied for the card so I don't really know. But a previous poster on this thread indicated that there were stations where he fueled where he got no discount at all (even tho lets say Loves). That is the gamble.

And I read through every word of the agreement for this card and several others and on some of them, they go to pains to clearly state that the discount is not system wide (meaning, does not apply to all or even every Lowes or any other variety) and that the discount is negotiated on a station by station basis, which means that the discount is variable. That was my only point. And are you saying that you get a list of discounts on each and every Loves or stations in the "system" that you can look at before the fact? Of course, I have not seen that as I have not applied for the card.

On the issue of state by state differences in prices, yes, there are huge differences in diesel prices as you travel.... When I went to South Dakota last summer, the price of diesel in Colorado was significantly lower than the price of fuel in South Dakota.... that is where GasBuddy becomes really handy.... I always look up general prices in the states I plan to drive through and examine what the typical prices are and I plan my fueling, if possible, to those states on my path with the lowest prices. Another example... the price of diesel in Wisconsin is significantly less than it is in Michigan.... at least 30 cents a gallon, if not more. So I made sure that I filled the tanks at the last station before I crossed the state line (it was really doing big business so I am apparently not the only driver doing this) into the upper peninsula. I'm now going to be forced to buy Michigan diesel (25 to 35 cents a gallon more expensive where I now am) as I need it, but am looking at whether I can easily make it into Indiana before I buy as I now need to divert to Middlebury to get a thorny problem resolved with DirecTV. (That company has definitely degenerated since it was purchased by AT&T. I am giving more thought to transitioning the Trav'ler to Dish.... Direct has REALLY become very difficult to work with.... at least a pain in the a** .... you talk to 4 people who are tech specialists and get 4 different answers... Amazing.

However, if you can not be guaranteed to the discount before you pull off the interstate or into the station, then the whole thing is less impressive to me.

Gary

[palehorse89]

Originally Posted by Gary.Jones

Well, I have not applied for the card so I don't really know. But a previous poster on this thread indicated that there were stations where he fueled where he got no discount at all (even tho lets say Loves). That is the gamble.

And I read through every word of the agreement for this card and several others and on some of them, they go to pains to clearly state that the discount is not system wide (meaning, does not apply to all or even every Lowes or any other variety) and that the discount is negotiated on a station by station basis, which means that the discount is variable. That was my only point. And are you saying that you get a list of discounts on each and every Loves or stations in the "system" that you can look at before the fact? Of course, I have not seen that as I have not applied for the card.

On the issue of state by state differences in prices, yes, there are huge differences in diesel prices as you travel.... When I went to South Dakota last summer, the price of diesel in Colorado was significantly lower than the price of fuel in South Dakota.... that is where GasBuddy becomes really handy.... I always look up general prices in the states I plan to drive through and examine what the typical prices are and I plan my fueling, if possible, to those states on my path with the lowest prices. Another example... the price of diesel in Wisconsin is significantly less than it is in Michigan.... at least 30 cents a gallons, if not more. So I made sure that I filled the tanks at the last station before I crossed the state line (it was really doing big business so I am apparently not the only driver doing this) into the upper peninsula. I'm now going to be forced to buy Michigan diesel (25 to 35 cents a gallong more expensive where I now am) as I need it, but am looking at whether I can easily make it into Indiana before I buy as I now need to divert to Middlebury to get a thorny problem resolved with DirecTV. (That company has definitely degenerated since it was purchased by AT&T. I am giving more thought to transitioning the Trav'ler to Dish.... Direct has REALLY become very difficult to work with.... at least a pain in the a** .... you talk to 4 people who are tech specialists and get 4 different answers... Amazing.

However, if you can not be guaranteed to the discount before you pull off the interstate or into the station, then the whole thing is less impressive to me.

Gary

Alls one has to do before pulling off to fuel is take a look at the daily email from them, it lists them all, and tell you what the discount is.

[Gary.Jones]

OK, if you get a listing of each and every individual station, and not just of the chains, then I am more impressed. Thanks

Gary

[Rollin101]

I guess I still fail to see the savings considering all places you can buy fuel. I can see the savings al Loves, but in my experience Loves is usually 30-50 cents higher than most stations. So to me you’re just buying fuel at Loves with the card at the same price you can buy it most other places without the card.

[TexasTom]

My recent experience is about a 16% reduction in cost over advertised price. That removes the objection of using Loves vs trying to squeeze in to a small fuel station. I'm delighted with it.

[Hayman]

Gary, Contact Tara Rape ( TRape@tsdinc.com ) and ask to be on the daily email list of discounts even though you have not joined I believe she will send to you.
No discount program is perfect but I look at this as just another " tool in the toolbox " that can be used as and when needed !

[Gary.Jones]

I think there are owners who are willing to pay significantly more for fuel for the convenience of getting into a truck island at a truck stop which often (but not always) is bigger and easier to get into than the station across the street selling for much, much less per gallon. That is fine. If you want to pay for the convenience, then do that. I find that there are LOTS of other stations that are easy to get into and more importantly get out of, that sell their diesel for 30 to 50 cents less per gallon. Now, again, I get an additional 5% off even that much lower price by putting it on the right card (right now about 15 additional cents discount per gallon). I'm willing to spend 5 minutes looking into the situation to save potentially $50-$80 bucks per fill up. I'm willing to invest the time and effort to figure out the puzzle.

I've said before but the ease of a truck stop is diminished when I find myself at a truck stop with no pay at the pump (one of my discounts goes away) and requires at least one trip, typically two, inside the store for the transaction, and the possibility that you get into a line of two or three (plus wait for 4 truckers to clear their accounts inside) trucks all fueling 300 gallons and a trip to the men's room and twice in my experience, lunch at McDonalds or Wendys before the driver returns to the truck and moves it from either in front of the pumps or even further in front of the pumps.... causes the same log jam. There are pluses and minuses. I appreciate knowing about the TSD card and will seriously consider adding it to my arsenal.... I'd rather "eat my money" than pay for fuel and conveniences (a shower, or using the bathroom, or shopping the truck equipment store, or sleeping over night) with my money (none of which I use). Just my set of values.

And Brian, I totally agree with you...

Gary

[BobGed]

As others have stated TSD sends out a daily email with Excel and PDF attachments showing nationwide pricing organized by state for Love's, TA and PFJ. PFJ is a standard 5¢ (4.5¢ after fee) discount so it's really not worth considering.

Here is a screenshot of a portion of the Love's Excel spreadsheet (I added formulas in the highlighted section to give the final price and discount).

Here's a link to the original thread on this program: http://www.irv2.com/forums/f84/fuel-...ue-450563.html

And a link to TSD's signup web page: TSD Logistics Fuel Discount Program

[Butte64]

Originally Posted by Rollin101

I guess I still fail to see the savings considering all places you can buy fuel. I can see the savings al Loves, but in my experience Loves is usually 30-50 cents higher than most stations. So to me you’re just buying fuel at Loves with the card at the same price you can buy it most other places without the card.

I’ve never seen a Loves that is 30-50 cents higher than Pilot, TA, or other truck stops along the Interstate. Agree that all of those are ridiculously higher than smaller gas stations not on the Interstate.

[lawjohnson]

Do you know or have a locations map? I live in the Seattle area and have not heard of them.