Fueling
Step 1: Know your vehicle.
Before getting behind the wheel of a diesel vehicle (and possibly filling it up) there are a couple of things every new person behind the wheel of that vehicle need to know about fueling it up:
- Does it have more than one tank and where does the fuel go in (semi trucks can have 2-3, utility vehicles and some pick up trucks)
- What type of fuel does it take? low sulfur diesel, regular diesel or farm diesel - applicable in states such as Montana.
Step 2: Know your company
- Does the company have a particular system for fueling?
- Do they reimburse for fuel receipts?
- Do they have a reward points card for fueling at certain types of gas stations?
- Does the company operate under ComData or another fueling card system?
Step 3: Finding a place to fuel
There are many places that carry diesel fuel and depending on the type of fuel is where you will need to go. All gas stations and truck stops have a big sign above their building that state the current price of gas at their location. If a location carries diesel they will also have a price for diesel right next to the price of regular gas. That being said, these days most gas stations have at least one fuel pump for diesel. All diesel pumps are labelled "diesel" and should have information about the type of diesel it pumps. If all else fails consult with gas station attendee.
For Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel, it is recommended that you fuel up at a truck stop for which the majority of these days carry 100% Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel.
Side note: This is because any truck with an engine dating 2010 or newer uses this type of fuel and while all older trucks can use the new fuel, none of the new trucks can use the old fuel.
For farming diesel, it is recommended that you consult with your local farming association for information. Only certain types of vehicles can use this fuel, because it is tax free. Don't be tempted to just use it without knowing! They put a special type of dye in this type of fuel, that if a vehicle is not supposed to use this and is pulled over by the law; heavy fines and possibly jail time can follow.
For Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel, it is recommended that you fuel up at a truck stop for which the majority of these days carry 100% Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel.
Side note: This is because any truck with an engine dating 2010 or newer uses this type of fuel and while all older trucks can use the new fuel, none of the new trucks can use the old fuel.
For farming diesel, it is recommended that you consult with your local farming association for information. Only certain types of vehicles can use this fuel, because it is tax free. Don't be tempted to just use it without knowing! They put a special type of dye in this type of fuel, that if a vehicle is not supposed to use this and is pulled over by the law; heavy fines and possibly jail time can follow.
Step 4: Fueling
This is pretty standard it is almost exactly the same as filling up a car. The driver pays, grabs the fueling nozzle and hose, puts it in the tank and turns it on. Semi-trucks are required to provide some extra information such as truck number, trailer number and trip number to the fueling company. In some states this also may include the odometer reading and fueling permits.
As soon as the tank is full, the nozzle should shut off automatically (if it doesn't - that is unusual) and the receipt can be collected. As I mentioned before some trucks have multiple tanks so they will each need to be filled.
Sidenote: If after fueling the fuel gauge is not reading full, don't panic. One of three things has taken place. Either a fuel tank was missed during the fueling process, shut off early because of back splash into the nozzle, or the fuel gauge is either off or damaged. For some odd reason this is incredibly common in diesel vehicles, especially older ones.
As soon as the tank is full, the nozzle should shut off automatically (if it doesn't - that is unusual) and the receipt can be collected. As I mentioned before some trucks have multiple tanks so they will each need to be filled.
Sidenote: If after fueling the fuel gauge is not reading full, don't panic. One of three things has taken place. Either a fuel tank was missed during the fueling process, shut off early because of back splash into the nozzle, or the fuel gauge is either off or damaged. For some odd reason this is incredibly common in diesel vehicles, especially older ones.