Construction Site Fueling: How a GC Cut Fuel Costs 30%
Background
A mid-size general contractor running a $45 million highway interchange project in Hillsborough County operated a 50-unit heavy equipment fleet — excavators, dozers, loaders, graders, haul trucks, and generators. The fleet consumed approximately 4,000 gallons of ULSD per week.
The contractor's existing fueling process required sending two crew members with a pickup truck and trailer-mounted fuel tank to the nearest gas station twice daily. Each fuel run took 90 minutes round trip, including wait times, and the crew burned 15-20 gallons of diesel per trip just driving the fuel truck.
What Was at Stake
The fuel run process was costing the contractor far more than the fuel itself. Two crew members at $35/hour each, 3 hours per day, 5 days per week added up to $4,550/month in labor alone. The pickup truck's fuel and maintenance added another $800/month.
Worse, the contractor suspected significant fuel shrinkage. The fuel tank on the trailer had no locking mechanism, and GPS tracking showed the fuel truck making unscheduled stops. An audit revealed that actual equipment consumption was 15-20% lower than the fuel being purchased — a strong indicator of theft totaling $3,000-$4,000/month.
How BettyJet Delivered
BettyJet set up a twice-weekly onsite fuel delivery schedule, delivering 2,000 gallons of ULSD directly to the job site each Tuesday and Friday morning before the crew arrived. Our trucks fueled all 50 pieces of equipment in sequence, recording each fill with vehicle ID, gallons dispensed, and timestamp.
The metered delivery system immediately eliminated the opportunity for fuel theft. Every gallon delivered was accounted for at the point of dispense. The contractor's two-person fuel crew was reassigned to productive construction work, and the fuel pickup truck was taken off the fleet.
By the Numbers
30% ($12,000)
Monthly Fuel Cost Reduction
130 hours/month
Labor Hours Recovered
$3,500/month average
Fuel Theft Eliminated
Zero
Equipment Downtime for Fueling
1 pickup truck
Vehicles Removed from Fleet
$144,000
Annual Net Savings
What They Said
“I knew the fuel runs were inefficient, but I did not realize they were costing us $12,000 a month when you add up labor, fuel for the fuel truck, and the theft we could not stop. BettyJet paid for itself in the first week.
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