# Is the Fuel Card Worth it?



## Taiwwa (Aug 7, 2016)

It looks like the fuel card makes you eligible for 5-9 cent discounts per gallon at most stations? Is that the case?


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## Jake Dome (Jan 26, 2017)

I'm new (less than a month) and read about the fuel card and instantly thought...No way am I doing that.
I can't remember why I thought that but I know I'll never use one.


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## PANewbie (Jan 8, 2016)

I like it for it's convenience of being able to have my gas used for driving taken directly out of my driving total rather than using my own personal account. The discount isn't anything huge but it's better than nothing. For me it's about the convenience


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## Maven (Feb 9, 2017)

For most of us, gas is one of the biggest, if not the biggest expense. Uber's *Fuel Rewards card* is supposed to help driver/partners. However, Uber only guarantees a 1-1/2% discount. A bigger problem is that it must be used a a credit card, not a debit card, which would allow the cash discount available at many of the cheapest gas stations.

I have tried Uber's *Fuel Rewards card* for several months and can say it works as advertised. However, there are several ways to get a larger discount.

1. Use the *GasBuddy *App to find the cheapest gas station in your region. I have seen over a $1 per gallon variation in price at stations one block from each other.

2. Enroll in the *Cumberland Farms SmartPay* rewards program, which offers a 10 cent (over 4% discount at current prices) discount. I have found that the cheapest gas in my region is available this way.

3. Use a credit card that offers a better discount (2% to 3%) at gas stations that offer the same price for cash or credit. *NerdWallet *offers comparisons.

4. Be wary of "No name" gas stations. There is no way of knowing the source of the gasoline. These stations often buy from the cheapest supplier. The *quality *may vary from day-to-day.

*Please reply with your own methods of getting the best quality gas at the lowest price.*

Disclaimer: I do not receive any kind of compensation and I am not associated with any of the companies (other then Uber) mentioned above.


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## wk1102 (Dec 25, 2015)

She'll and Cumberland farms are good. athe shell you can link your Uber gas card to their field rewards and you get 10c off gallon plus around 3% with the Uber card. 

I like it, lots of people complain because gad you buy thur-Sat won't post till the following week. but for me, I like it


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## Taiwwa (Aug 7, 2016)

But there is a discount, no? I've been using exxon gift cards bought through ebay.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

Taiwwa said:


> It looks like the fuel card makes you eligible for 5-9 cent discounts per gallon at most stations? Is that the case?


2¢- 6¢ per gallon has been my experience. I only use it at 6¢ per gallon discount stations.
It saves you money. No annual fee. No interest. Just keep track of what you spend and remember charges come directly out of your Uber pay.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

wk1102 said:


> She'll and Cumberland farms are good. athe shell you can link your Uber gas card to their field rewards and you get 10c off gallon plus around 3% with the Uber card.
> 
> I like it, lots of people complain because gad you buy thur-Sat won't post till the following week. but for me, I like it


That 10¢ per gallon shell discount is only on premium right ?
My shell card only gives me 5¢ on regular. I get 6¢ discount on regular with the Uber card.


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## Taiwwa (Aug 7, 2016)

So it looks like the answer is probably no. Especially if you have a credit card that gives you 3% back, which is what this range looks like. My eBay fuel cards already give about 7-10% off.


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## wk1102 (Dec 25, 2015)

tohunt4me said:


> That 10¢ per gallon shell discount is only on premium right ?
> My shell card only gives me 5¢ on regular. I get 6¢ discount on regular with the Uber card.


Yeah.. I get 5c on regular with every fill up. I linked my wife's card so... I forgot. the uber card gives me varying discounts. I've gotten as much as 7.5% before and as little as 1.


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## Maven (Feb 9, 2017)

Discounts _*vary *_with the Uber Fuel Card, according to

http://www.idrivewithuber.com/uber-fuel-card/
https://newsroom.uber.com/partner-fuel-card/
There are 3 "tiers" with a minimum 1-1/2% if the locations accepts Mastercard.

5-9 Cents Per Gallon
10-14 Cents Per Gallon
15+ Cents Per Gallon at selected Mobil and Exxon stations
However, since Mobil and Exxon stations are rarely the cheapest, you may be able to do better by following the suggestions in my prior post in this thread.


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## Über of Gotham (May 5, 2016)

Taiwwa said:


> It looks like the fuel card makes you eligible for 5-9 cent discounts per gallon at most stations? Is that the case?


I wouldn't recommend spending more than 50 or so dollars using the gas card. It really sucks starting the week off in a hole.

Not to mention, the gas card system was messed up for about 2-3 weeks and I had my balance for those weeks all put on to last weeks pay statement. Nothing like starting $180 in the hole lol.


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## UberBastid (Oct 1, 2016)

Taiwwa said:


> It looks like the fuel card makes you eligible for 5-9 cent discounts per gallon at most stations? Is that the case?


Yes. But you'll be buying it at a station that charges 5-9 cents more than the discount station that wants cash.
Is it worth it? Not to me.
I can't trust Uber to get my fare payment right - I sure as hell don't trust them to be my bank.


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## lukem5 (Mar 26, 2017)

Doesn't using the fuel card come with good tax incentives? If fuel is subtracted from your weekly pay statement, isn't that less taxable earnings you have to tell the IRS?

if I am spending $10,000 a year on fuel Thats a huge tax savings...


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## paulmsr (Jul 12, 2016)

lukem5 said:


> isn't that less taxable earnings you have to tell the IRS?


No because we're sent Gross Fares amount before anything like uber fees, booking fees, etc are subtracted.


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## karenftx (Jan 14, 2017)

I use the card as sort of like an emergency thing. If I don't have the money for gasoline at the moment, I will use the card. I just don't like starting out the day in the minus column.

Also, be aware that although it says it takes it out on Sunday, it could be taken sooner. Per my Greenlight rep, it all depends on the station. I've had money taken out as early as 2 or 3 days after I got the gas.


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## Maven (Feb 9, 2017)

karenftx said:


> I use the card as sort of like an emergency thing. If I don't have the money for gasoline at the moment, I will use the card. I just don't like starting out the day in the minus column. Also, be aware that although it says it takes it out on Sunday, it could be taken sooner. Per my Greenlight rep, it all depends on the station. I've had money taken out as early as 2 or 3 days after I got the gas.


Me too, never use the Uber Fuel Card anymore except in emergencies. There are many cheaper ways to buy gas. Click on "Cheap Gas" below. I also see the debits to my account at random times from 2-5 days after purchase. Often several appear at the same time, causing a very negative start to the day. Last year, Uber had a technical glich that resulted in no debits for weeks although the Fuel cards still worked. When the glitch was fixed, some drivers reported $100s in backlogged fuel charges appearing on the same day. Major bummer.


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## Trafficat (Dec 19, 2016)

I personally find that the fuel card is pretty good to have. I usually do not use it because usually I can get a better discount with a different gas card. But, quite often the Uber fuel card is the best discount I can get.

My typical fueling methods:
#1 - Maverik Nitro Card - Automatic 6-20 cents off depending on the random whims of the Maverik stations.
#2 - Smith's/Quikstop 3 cents off PLUS UBER Fuel Card 1.5% off
#3 - Costco Membership Card + VISA 1% Cash Back Card [Unfortunately Costco does not take MasterCard]
#4 - Uber Fuel Card Alone (Usually only when I'm out in the boonies where there is no Smiths/Costco/Quikstop/Maverik nearby)

Lyft has a Shell discount card, but since Shell gas is WAY higher priced than anything else, I've never had an occasion to use it.

I don't mind the fuel charges on my Uber statements. It makes no difference at all to me whether I pay for fuel with cash, debit, credit, or Uber earnings past or future. Same pot of money, different method. I'll go with whatever is cheapest. I never end up using cash because it seems like the cash discount stations usually cannot beat my fuel cards.


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## UberBastid (Oct 1, 2016)

karenftx said:


> I use the card as sort of like an emergency thing. If I don't have the money for gasoline at the moment, I will use the card. I just don't like starting out the day in the minus column.
> 
> s.


Yea, I thought the same thing.
Went to use it the other day - just to make sure I could count on it. Declined.

Texted support. "you gotta drive more than 100 trips per month. it has been deactivated, but we activated it for you as a courtesy."
Wonderful. Thank you SO much

It is in the garbage can in small pieces right now.

Can't count on Uber for anything.


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## mikes424 (May 22, 2016)

4. Be wary of "No name" gas stations. There is no way of knowing the source of the gasoline. These stations often buy from the cheapest supplier. The *quality *may vary from day-to-day.

Not true. Recently we had a speaker from BP at my car club. Summarizing what he said is this. Most areas of the country have just a couple of refineries serving the area. All gasoline refined comes out the same and all stations in that area purchase from the same refinery (s). The difference is additives. Which additives and how much of each is what makes the difference between brands.


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## paulmsr (Jul 12, 2016)

Yea here in the Philly area, most of the gas, regardless of station, comes from places like Sunoco.

It's all preference when it comes to the fuel card. I like using the fuel card because all of my tracking is in one place. Most of my driving is Uber, minimal outside of it, so in that case I prefer seeing the gas charges on my uber app instead of separate charges on my bank account. Especially because all I do is instant pay and then buy gas.

Sucks to start some days in the hole but when you look at it, you always start in the hole if you fill up before you start or even at the end of your prior days shift.


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## brad4560 (Apr 27, 2017)

I use mine in emergencies only, maybe once twice a week, it does come out rather quickly from your weekly earnings, about two days in my experience, just plan ahead and don't go overboard. i like the convenience.


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## Joseph Torti (May 18, 2017)

paulmsr said:


> No because we're sent Gross Fares amount before anything like uber fees, booking fees, etc are subtracted.


Paul you know this for a fact? On your 1099 you get the gross amount? Then Uber will be in big trouble with the IRS.
The 1099 should have the net amount. We should not have to pay income taxes on Uber Fees.


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## NCHeel (Jan 5, 2017)

If your reason for not using the fuel card is not wanting to start the week with a negative balance your real issue is you have poor money management skills. You paying for fuel to perform Uber activities is no different than you giving Uber a interest free loan. It doesn't matter when Uber deducts the amount, you were previously given that money in the form of a deposit. I would much rather Uber front me the money at a discount for fuel rather than pay out of my pocket to drive riders around.
The real issue is most of you are in denial about how little money you actually make with Uber. You would rather have $400 deposited each week and pay for your own fuel than see that your fuel costs were $120 and only $270 was deposited. Do like I do, I have a separate Uber bank account. The only money in or out is Uber related. Raiser deposits my earnings after fuel expenses. The payouts are car payment, insurance and cell phone. I dive 20 hours a week and that account is a wash. What do I get from Uber? A free car that I am putting a ton of miles on.



Joseph Torti said:


> Paul you know this for a fact? On your 1099 you get the gross amount? Then Uber will be in big trouble with the IRS.
> The 1099 should have the net amount. We should not have to pay income taxes on Uber Fees.


You must be new to Uber. Uber puts the gross amount on the 1099. That is how contracting work goes. Every cent Uber collects from riders is done on your behalf. The 1099 is always gross amount for contractors in any form of employment. A contractors net income is calculated on their tax statement after all deductions have been applied. Uber fees are a deduction.


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## paulmsr (Jul 12, 2016)

Joseph Torti said:


> Paul you know this for a fact? On your 1099 you get the gross amount? Then Uber will be in big trouble with the IRS.
> The 1099 should have the net amount. We should not have to pay income taxes on Uber Fees.


Did you look at your 1099 last year? Or are you new and never got one?


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## Mdez (Jun 2, 2017)

I personally don't think the fuel card is worth it. Though I may be wrong. From my experience with it, it seems like the savings are very small and nothing major. Plus I hate having my earnings go into the negative so you have to drive around and do a bunch of trips to get it back into a positive balance... all while not making any money off the rides.

I've heard from some drivers that it's a scam. And I hate to say... but uber does not seem to be on the drivers side most of the time so I'm skeptical that they would actually make something that benefits the driver.


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## NCHeel (Jan 5, 2017)

Mdez said:


> Plus I hate having my earnings go into the negative so you have to drive around and do a bunch of trips to get it back into a positive balance... all while not making any money off the rides.


PLEASE explain this logic to me. If I pull $30 out of my pocket then do three $10 dollar rides or I fill up and the app says I'm -$30 how is that any different? With your logic I should not even drive, that way I never go negative. I save $3-4 a week buying gas at my regular station.The only person that it does not make sense for is the instant payout people that need their money every day because their money management skills have them in major debt.


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## PrestonT (Feb 15, 2017)

DO NOT GET THE FUEL CARD!

There have been many instances of our cards being used fraudulently. When we challenge it, Uber tells us it is being investigated forever, hoping we forget about it. We're talking upwards of $200 they take away from you and won't give back. For me, it was $158.25 in one single transaction.


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## Mdez (Jun 2, 2017)

NCHeel said:


> PLEASE explain this logic to me. If I pull $30 out of my pocket then do three $10 dollar rides or I fill up and the app says I'm -$30 how is that any different? With your logic I should not even drive, that way I never go negative. I save $3-4 a week buying gas at my regular station.The only person that it does not make sense for is the instant payout people that need their money every day because their money management skills have them in major debt.


Yes.. I do instant pay every 1-2 days. Not because I'm in any kind of debt, I do it just because I like the convenience of it. I also don't drive uber as a full time job. I have other, better ways of saving my gas $$, such as a rewards card from my local supermarket. You do whatever works for you.. and I'll stick with my thing. No need to act like a condescending a**hole. Peace.


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## gsuealge2008 (May 28, 2017)

Most of the smaller Regional Gas Station Chains in my area (Parker's, Flash Foods, Clydes Markets) offer a payment card that is linked to your checking account. from my experience it is usually on Average between a 5-10 cent per gallon discount.


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## j2dizzle (May 13, 2017)

I discovered a "loophole" in Los Angeles at Ralph's Fuel Stations, you can punch in the NON EMERGENCY main phone number of several of the police stations and you ALWAYS get the $.20 off rewards bonus. So far I've played around and found at least five numbers that work. I don't know if this is a low key thing Ralph's for LEO's but I use a lot of gas for both my jobs and it's never failed for years. Not to mention the Ralph's stations generally have excellent prices to begin with. Unfortunately I'm not comfortable posting the #s in the forum.


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## UberBastid (Oct 1, 2016)

j2dizzle said:


> I discovered a "loophole" in Los Angeles at Ralph's Fuel Stations, you can punch in the NON EMERGENCY main phone number of several of the police stations and you ALWAYS get the $.20 off rewards bonus. So far I've played around and found at least five numbers that work. I don't know if this is a low key thing Ralph's for LEO's but I use a lot of gas for both my jobs and it's never failed for years. Not to mention the Ralph's stations generally have excellent prices to begin with. Unfortunately I'm not comfortable posting the #s in the forum.


I would have been uncomfortable posting ANYTHING about it in a public forum.
One day you will find "loophole closed" (at minimum).
Or worse ... "trap set" for fraudulent transactions.
Cops don't like it when WE steal from THEM.


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