The trucking industry offers some amazing opportunities for people who want to drive for trucking companies and those who aspire to drive for themselves as owner-operators. To keep more money in their pockets, trucking companies and owner-operators aim to reduce fuel costs. Diesel fuel is the largest expense that truckers have as they haul loads across the country.
According to industry insiders, truckers spend an average of $70,000 on fuel yearly. With the need to save money on fuel being a top priority, they welcome tech tools that help them to find the cheapest fuel along their routes.
A diesel finder is only as good as the information in its database. Outdated diesel prices and deleted truck stop amenities are frustrating, and they defeat the purpose of using a diesel finder. There are a lot of gas finder apps on the market. The developers of many of them make a point to tell users that the apps are compatible only with Android devices or solely with Apple operating systems.
Top Fuel Finder Apps and Tools for Truckers
Here is a look at some of the most popular diesel fuel finder apps and tools available to today’s truckers.
Truck Master
Truck Master Logistics produces software that supports the trucking industry. It offers a free version of its fuel finder at the website findfuelstops.com. Here’s why this tool is the go-to diesel finder for many people who work in the trucking industry.
Ease of Use
The Truck Master diesel finder is fairly easy to use. You can generate a comprehensive list of truck stops and their fuel prices in a few clicks when you input your point of origin and destination. Truck Master Logistics thought of nearly everything to make this fuel finder easy to use. It knows that truckers love to talk and enjoy a tight-knit community, so it started a blog for its diesel finder. Truckers who have comments, tips, and suggestions for using the diesel finder add their two cents via the blog’s comment section. Truck Master Logistics offers a “lite” version of its tool for mobile users.
Comprehensive
The Truck Master diesel finder offers one of the most comprehensive search functions of any tool available. Its database has over 7,500 truck stops. The tool gives the location of the truck stop, its fuel prices and its amenities. It also offers truckers the option to search for rest areas, retailers with overnight parking, and ports of entry. Currently, the tool has 1,720 rest stops, 1,812 retailers, and 509 entry ports in its database.
Customizable
Truck Master knows that sometimes you need a feature-rich tool and sometimes you don’t. It aims to please both sides with this flexible diesel finder. When you input your point of origin and your destination for a fuel search, you’ll get all of the stops between those two points. What if you are taking an alternate route from the one that’s shown. The tool allows you to set your starting and endpoints as well as a by-way-of city to plot an accurate route and get more relevant search results.
Price
The desktop and mobile versions of the Truck Master diesel finder are free to use by anyone. The company has a more robust version of the tool that’s included with a paid version of its trucking logistics software.
Compatibility & Accuracy
The Truck Master tool is simple and only requires an internet connection to match you with a desirable pit stop.
Truck Master updates its database to keep up with fluctuating prices and truck stop offerings. The company appears to update its records daily.
What Are Truckers Saying About It?
A trucker used the Truck Master diesel finder for the first time upon recommendation from one of his buddies. He found that the tool had features that he didn’t originally know were there such as GPS waypoints planning. He was satisfied with the tool overall but was eager to use this other feature on his next trip.
Trucker Path
If Truck Master is the go-to diesel finder for truck drivers, Trucker Path is its close competitor for fleet managers. Here’s what you can expect from the saving tool that millions of American truckers rely on for smooth, more cost-effective trips.
Ease of Use
Trucker Path’s app gives truckers a simple way to locate the best deals on diesel along any given route in the United States. You can view the stops on an intuitive display that allows you to track them with a convenient list or on an interactive map.
Comprehensive
Trucker Path easily surpasses its competitors with a versatile app that goes beyond finding cheap diesel. The app allows you to optimize your route to avoid hours of service violations while making the most of each trip.
Trucker Path also integrated a load board feature into its truck fuel finder tool. By using this functionality, you can not only reduce fuel costs on your current trip, but you can also sign up for a new load without missing a beat.
Customizable
If you only need to find the cheapest diesel between Point A and Point B, you’re really missing out on 90% of this application’s functionality. Besides delivering on the diesel, you can also use the tool’s filter to search for overnight parking, restaurants, showers, and more.
Price
The basic version of Trucker Path is free, and it includes a generous feature set that’s enveloped in a user-friendly interface. The free version contains advertisements to offset the costs. The company has a premium version that delivers more advanced trip-planning features.
Compatibility & Accuracy
The app is compatible with Android devices and can be downloaded for free through the Google Play store.
While other tools rely on zip code and city searches, Trucker Path allows you to plan routes more reliably with GPS technology. Its algorithms provide real-time updates to its database of truck stops, retailers, and weigh stations.
What Are Truckers Saying About It?
Owner-operators and fleet managers give the Trucker Path app glowing reviews. A representative of PAM Transport highly recommended the app and suggested that every driver get it during onboarding with HR.
GasBuddy
The GasBuddy app has been guiding drivers to the cheapest fuel sources for over a decade. It’s loved by car and truck drivers alike. Here’s why.
Ease of Use
The GasBuddy is a limber app that does only a few things, but it does them very well. Users download the app and begin searching for cheap fuel. You can search by zip code or city to find a list of gas stations and their fuel prices. Hover over the station, and the app shows the gas station’s amenities. If you’ve stopped for a break, click a single button to locate gas stations that are near you based on your GPS coordinates.
Comprehensive
The GasBuddy isn’t as packed with add-on features as other fuel-locator apps on the market. It gives a list of gas stations based on queries, and you can see which station has the cheapest fuel. The app allows you to get directions from your location to the chosen gas station. The app’s Gas Availability Tracker is a new feature that helps drivers to find fuel during shortages and after natural disasters.
Customizable
Truckers can filter the list of gas stations to only display those that supply diesel fuel. There are no complex route optimization features with this app. You just drive off with the cheapest fuel in a given search area.
Price
The GasBuddy app is free but is supported by advertisements. Besides helping you to find the cheapest fuel, GasBuddy gives you extra ways to save on fuel costs with its Pay with GasBuddy card. Apply for the GasBuddy card, link it to your checking account, and earn cash-back rewards that can be used at partner retailers such as Sears.
Compatibility & Accuracy
The GasBuddy is compatible with Android and Apple devices. Download the app on the Google Play Store or on the Apple App Store.
GasBuddy relies on user-generated data to update fuel prices at stations in its database. The company rewards drivers who submit updates; this sometimes results in inaccurate prices as drivers make unnecessary submissions just to earn points.
What Are Truckers Saying About It?
One driver pointed out that the app isn’t specifically designed for truck drivers. Although you can get info about diesel fuel prices at gas stations within designated search areas, this app doesn’t give you the typical truck fuel finder experience. For instance, the app will not tell you if your chosen gas station can accommodate big-rig trucks.
Conclusion
Many of the best fuel finder apps do more than just help you to locate your next cheap diesel stop. Some of them include powerful analytic technology that allows you to better estimate your future fuel costs and plan your spending.
However, even the most well-crafted plans can fail due to unexpected events. Invoice factoring companies like Factor Finders can help during these times. Our invoice factoring services allow truckers to get the money that they need when they need it using their accounts receivables. Contact us to learn more about it.
