Fuel delivery for city and county fleets
A city or county fleet runs police cars, dump trucks, mowers, and backup generators, often from several sites. Good fuel delivery starts with a clear list of products, tanks, and locations.
List every site and tank
Public fleets rarely fuel from one place. There may be a main depot, a road barn, a parks shop, a landfill, and a water plant, each with its own tanks. List each site with its address, tank sizes, and products.
Search Bulk Fueling by each site ZIP, not just the city hall address. A distributor that serves the main depot well may not reach an outlying barn on the far side of the county on the same schedule.
Gasoline, diesel and DEF
Patrol cars and light trucks usually burn gasoline. Dump trucks, refuse trucks, fire apparatus, and heavy equipment usually burn diesel. Give the distributor the weekly gallons for each product at each site.
Many newer diesel trucks also need DEF. DEF is not a fuel. It goes in its own tank on the truck and is often bought in totes or bulk. Check for the DEF badge on a profile and list DEF as its own line.
Road vehicles take clear diesel. Dyed diesel is for off-road use only, in equipment and uses that qualify. If a department runs both, keep them in separate, labeled tanks and order each one separately.
Generators and emergency supply
Police stations, fire stations, dispatch centers, water plants, and lift stations often depend on standby generators. List each generator tank with its size and location, and say who on site can let the driver in.
Many public fuel bids ask how a supplier will deliver during storms and disasters. Ask how the distributor handles emergency orders and after-hours drops, and put the answer in the contract rather than assuming it.
Bids, contracts and tickets
Most public agencies buy fuel through a bid, a cooperative contract, or another process set by their own rules. Follow your purchasing office. Bulk Fueling can help you find distributors that serve your area to invite.
The details a distributor needs are the same either way: products, gallons, tanks, sites, hours, and any winter blend or biodiesel requirement. Itemized tickets by site, department, and product make monthly billing simple.
IRS Publication 510 lists fuel for the exclusive use of a state or local government among nontaxable uses for federal fuel excise tax. How that is claimed depends on the fuel and paperwork, so involve your finance office.
Questions
Does Bulk Fueling run public fuel bids?
No. Bulk Fueling is a free directory where you search a ZIP and request quotes from distributors. It does not run bids or contracts, but it can help you build a list of distributors that serve each site.
Can one distributor serve every city or county site?
Some can, and some only reach part of a county. Check the service radius and fuels on each profile, and ask in the request whether the distributor can cover every site on your list on a regular schedule.
How fast can a distributor deliver to a public works yard?
It depends on the company, the drop size, the location, and the day. Bulk Fueling does not promise delivery times. Put the date you need fuel and the hours each site is open in the request.