TSD open roads - link to credit card

[Palmeris]

Found announcement that they no longer require SS# and will be allowing link to a credit card, with a 3% transaction fee.

We provide our SS# and are linked to a checking account years ago when we signed up and have never had a problem , but it is another option for those wanting it

New application details

[jacwjames]

About time,


I didn't relish creating a new checking/bank account to have withdrawals done as I used it. Not bad if you are getting fuel occasionally but my last trip i did ~2500 miles in 4 days so had to stop for fuel daily, and had to keep up the balance.

[dons2346]

The 3% fee is on top of the normal fees charged. Looks like a lot of merchants are beginning to add the credit card fee to their bills

[1960C182]

That socall d transaction fee being added by business really irks me. Merchants are even adding it to debit card payments which normally the business doesnt pay a fee to the CC clearing house. When I retired 8 years ago my contract with our CC clearing house had a NO added fee clause . When did this change?

[just dee]

I've been following these posts that are related to the TSD accounts.
We are new to RV'ing with our new 5th wheel pulled with a 2022 GMC 3500 Duramax.
We are not full timers, having just started our road adventures this past week and so far, we have five more trips planned for this year.
We are always wary of these programs that claim to save you money and we can't help but be hesitant to sign up.
Is this card worth it in savings?

[TravelSolo]

I don't full time but I drive my diesel truck daily. I use my TSD card whenever possible. Savings definitely add up over time if you are not having to go out of the way to fuel.

I did the math on the nearest participating station and after considering the fuel used to get there and back, the average TSD savings was only a couple cents per gallon. Not worth the 45 minute round trip in terms of my time.

However, if I am driving by a station or know I will be, I will wait to fill up if I can and even go slightly out of my way to get the savings. I have saved anywhere from 24 cents to $1.10 per gallon compared to pump prices at stations in the immediate area.

But, I also check gas buddy app and see regular pump prices just in case. For a while, there was a small but busy station across the street from a T/A near me that was cheaper without TSD. Luckily for me, they jumped on TSD train and I save even more when heading that way.

[just dee]

Sounds like it is worth having, rather than not. Appreciate the information

[Paul_D]

IMO definitely worth having. But as other posted have said, it's not always the cheapest.

The fee they charge has two parts. A flat rate transaction fee (25 to 45 cents) and a percentage of the discount fee. They take 10% of the difference between the advertised price and the TSD price. In one case the difference was 1.24 resulting in a 10% fee of 12.4 cents per gallon. So the local non-TSD station was a few cents cheaper. But in general TSD is better. Also, at truck stops, you have to use the truck pumps to receive the discount.

[DDD69]

I believe you can pull into the truck lanes at a truck stop and use your own credit card. I thought about getting the Open Roads card but balked at the SS# requirement, and this time around I’m balking at another 3% taken from me on top of the basic fee. I don’t buy enough diesel and I don’t RV full time to complicate my life that much for a minimal savings. If someone can give me a beneficial reason to get one I will. But like everything else out there, if they can find a reason to take more from the consumer, they will.

[spock12]

I have a good friend with a 26gal fuel tank and he swears by TSD. Me I have a 36gal fuel tank plus a 109gal auxiliary fuel tank and I never use TSD. I have a PenFed credit card account that gives me 5 % off if I swipe the card. I have a Verizon credit card that gives me 4% off if I swipe the card. I can find diesel at Walmart and I use GasBuddy to find the cheapest diesel. I can normally go for 3 or 4 days before I have to have fuel. But different folks do different stuff.

[Dutch Star Don]

I don't know why so many are worried about exposing their SS# to Open Roads. it's not like you're writing it down on a piece of paper every time you get fuel. If someone really wants your SS#, they'll find it online.

I don't see the value of linking it to a credit card and paying the additional 3%. In this day and age of electronic banking, simply create a sub account and label it TSD or Open Roads.

We travel in spurts like most. I keep $500.00 in the account and move money over when the account gets low.

[Country Road]

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

I don't know why so many are worried about exposing their SS# to Open Roads. it's not like you're writing it down on a piece of paper every time you get fuel. If someone really wants your SS#, they'll find it online.

I don't see the value of linking it to a credit card and paying the additional 3%. In this day and age of electronic banking, simply create a sub account and label it TSD or Open Roads.

We travel in spurts like most. I keep $500.00 in the account and move money over when the account gets low.

Wow! It’s almost as if I wrote your post. I love having a ghost writer.

By the way. I used to really dislike having to run my credit card three times to fuel up. Now, I use the Open Roads and purchase $250 in about 10 minutes in a truck lane and you’re gone. GTLI.

[TB673]

Originally Posted by DDD69

I believe you can pull into the truck lanes at a truck stop and use your own credit card. I thought about getting the Open Roads card but balked at the SS# requirement, and this time around I’m balking at another 3% taken from me on top of the basic fee. I don’t buy enough diesel and I don’t RV full time to complicate my life that much for a minimal savings. If someone can give me a beneficial reason to get one I will. But like everything else out there, if they can find a reason to take more from the consumer, they will.

For sure, you cannot use your credit card at Pilot/Flying J truck lanes. That is why we applied for a Pilot/Flying J CC which you can use in the truck lanes.
You can use your CC.at the Pilot/Flying J RV Lanes.
Cannot comment on Love's or T/A Petro.

Tim

[koda59]

We have used the Open Roads fuel card for about 8 years. I have it taken directly out of my checking account. In all that time, I have never had a problem with them taking it out of my account. For me, it is just like shopping and it being taken out of my debit card.