It can be a depressing thought knowing that 98% of fuel-card fraud is committed by company drivers. Especially when as a fleet manager you are intent on building a team and fostering a culture of trust within the business.

Dr David Molapo, Head of Fleet Management at Standard Bank, says, “Fuel card fraud is a significant problem for fleet managers across South Africa. But if you are determined to tackle this issue then companies should invest in a good fuel card system and at the same time implement internal policies to prevent and discourage fraud. A good system requires clear rules and operating procedures that are instilled into every driver and administrator.”

“Educate every new driver about the rules, and have regular refresher sessions to reiterate them. Make it very clear that each driver is responsible for how he handles the fuel card. The rules could be set up in the form of an agreement and indemnity that every driver must sign in order to drive the message home.”

“If clear rules are the first essential component of a good fuel-card management system, then the second is monitoring and auditing systems in which each vehicle’s statements are routinely checked. Administrators that are responsible for the routine checks must know the system, including warning indicators that flag irregularities.”

“In a good fuel-card management system, monitoring must not only be a task, but should be seen as a responsibility. When every irregularity is queried and followed up with the driver, no matter how small – you are actively conveying the message that fuel-card abuse is simply not worth trying, as the risks of getting caught are too high.”

“An important part of fuel card management is the follow-through when a driver is under heavy suspicion of abuse. Simply letting him quietly resign because laying a criminal charge seems to be too much of a hassle sends a message to the other drivers that you can get off lightly.

Spending time and even money on investigating fraud can save a fleet a lot more by making it clear to the drivers that fraud will simply not be tolerated.”