Fuel Industry Glossary

Fuel Delivery Terms, Explained

The fuel industry has its own language. Whether you're new to bulk fuel delivery or a seasoned fleet manager, this glossary breaks down the terms you'll encounter when working with BettyJet.

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ASTM

ASTM International (formerly the American Society for Testing and Materials) sets the technical standards that define fuel quality in the United States. ASTM specifications establish the minimum requirements for properties like sulfur content, cetane number, flash point, water content, and dozens of other characteristics that ensure fuel performs safely and reliably.

BOL

A BOL (Bill of Lading) is the primary shipping document for fuel delivery. It serves as a receipt, a contract of carriage, and a document of title — recording what fuel was loaded, where it came from, and where it's going. Every fuel delivery in the United States requires a BOL.

Cetane Rating

Cetane rating (or cetane number) measures how quickly diesel fuel ignites in a compression-ignition engine. Higher cetane numbers mean faster ignition, smoother combustion, easier cold starts, and less engine noise. The ASTM D975 standard requires a minimum cetane number of 40, but premium diesel typically rates 45-55.

CPG

CPG stands for Cents Per Gallon — the standard unit for expressing fuel delivery margins, surcharges, and price differentials in the wholesale fuel industry. When a fuel broker quotes a price as 'rack plus 12 CPG,' it means the wholesale terminal price plus 12 cents per gallon for delivery and service.

DEF

DEF (Diesel Exhaust Fluid) is a non-toxic solution of 32.5% automotive-grade urea and 67.5% deionized water. It is injected into the exhaust stream of modern diesel engines equipped with SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) systems to convert harmful nitrogen oxides (NOx) into harmless nitrogen and water vapor.

Demurrage

Demurrage is a fee charged when a fuel delivery truck is detained at the delivery site beyond the allotted free time for unloading. Most carriers allow 1-2 hours of free time for the driver to connect hoses, pump fuel, and complete paperwork. Time beyond that is billed as demurrage, typically $50-$150 per hour.

Dyed Diesel

Dyed diesel — also called red diesel or off-road diesel — is standard ULSD fuel that has been dyed red to indicate it is exempt from federal and state road taxes. It is chemically identical to on-road diesel but costs significantly less because the tax (typically $0.40-0.60/gallon) is not applied.

FBO

An FBO (Fixed-Base Operator) is a commercial business granted the right by an airport to operate on the field and provide aviation services. FBOs are the primary fueling providers for general aviation, offering Jet A fuel, avgas (100LL), aircraft parking, hangar space, and passenger services.

Flash Point

Flash point is the lowest temperature at which a fuel produces enough vapor to ignite when exposed to an open flame or spark. It is the primary safety metric for classifying, storing, and transporting fuels. Diesel has a relatively high flash point (100-130°F), making it safer to handle than gasoline (flash point: -45°F).

Fuel Polishing

Fuel polishing is the process of filtering and cleaning stored diesel fuel to remove water, microbial contamination, sediment, and degradation byproducts. It extends the usable life of stored fuel and prevents engine damage from contaminated diesel — critical for backup generators and emergency fuel supplies that may sit for months between uses.

Fuel Surcharge

A fuel surcharge is an additional fee added to a delivery price to account for the carrier's own fuel costs in transporting your order. As diesel prices rise, it costs more to operate the delivery truck — the fuel surcharge passes this variable cost through to the customer rather than building it into a fixed delivery rate.

Keep-Full Service

Keep-full service (also called automatic delivery or will-call service) is a fuel delivery arrangement where the supplier monitors your fuel levels and delivers automatically before you run low — eliminating the need to manually check tanks and place orders. The supplier uses consumption data, degree-day calculations, or tank monitoring systems to predict when you'll need fuel.

Load Bank Testing

Load bank testing is the process of running a backup generator under a simulated electrical load to verify it can produce its rated power output. A load bank is essentially a large resistor that converts the generator's electrical output into heat, allowing technicians to test the generator at 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of capacity without connecting to actual building loads.

POD

A POD (Proof of Delivery) is the documented confirmation that a fuel delivery was completed. It records the actual gallons delivered, the delivery time, the receiving party's signature, and any relevant notes about the delivery — such as tank levels or site conditions.

Rack Price

Rack price is the wholesale price of fuel at the terminal loading rack — the physical point where fuel trucks fill up at a distribution terminal. It is the baseline price before any delivery, margin, or tax additions. Rack prices change daily (sometimes multiple times per day) based on commodity markets, supply, demand, and regional factors.

SCR

SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) is an emissions control technology used in modern diesel engines to reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by up to 90%. The system injects DEF (diesel exhaust fluid) into the exhaust stream, where a chemical reaction converts harmful NOx into harmless nitrogen gas and water vapor.

SPCC Plan

An SPCC (Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure) Plan is an EPA-required document for facilities that store more than 1,320 gallons of oil or fuel above ground, or more than 42,000 gallons underground. The plan details how the facility prevents oil spills, controls them if they occur, and cleans them up.

Tank Wagon

A tank wagon (also called a 'bobtail') is a single-unit fuel delivery truck with a built-in tank typically holding 2,000-5,000 gallons. It is smaller and more maneuverable than a full transport truck (which hauls 7,000-9,000 gallons via a separate trailer) and is used for smaller deliveries, tight job sites, and locations that large transports can't access.

ULSD

ULSD stands for Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel — a cleaner-burning diesel fuel containing no more than 15 parts per million (ppm) of sulfur. Since 2006, the EPA has required all on-road diesel sold in the United States to meet the ULSD standard, replacing Low Sulfur Diesel (LSD) which contained up to 500 ppm of sulfur.

Wet Hosing

Wet hosing is the practice of fueling vehicles or equipment directly from a mobile fuel truck rather than from a stationary storage tank. The fuel truck pulls up to each vehicle and fills it on-site — no bulk tank, no pump, no infrastructure required.

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Now that you know the terms, let's talk about your fuel needs. BettyJet delivers diesel, gasoline, jet fuel, DEF, and marine fuel across all 67 Florida counties.

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