These diesel fuel discounts for RVs could save you a ton of money.
3 Ways to Save with the Top Diesel Fuel Discounts For RVs
Whether you are pulling a toy hauler or trailer with your diesel truck, or driving a Class A diesel motorhome, it becomes part of the RV lifestyle to hunt down the best fuel rates possible. In addition to looking for the best rates, you also have the complication of fitting your rig into the available diesel spots.
The nice feature in our era is there are a lot of apps, cards, and gas stations offering diesel fuel discounts for RVs. When you are filling up a 40–100-gallon tank, even a few cents add up. Use some of these options to save money and reduce complications on fill-ups.
TSD Logistics
TSD Logistics is based in Texarkana, Texas, but they are a freight and trucking company serving the United States. You simply apply for their fuel card which is available to anyone wanting to purchase diesel from truck stops.
How does it work?
Once you apply online, they will issue you a card. You can use the card at any truck stop that sells diesel fuel in separate trucking lanes (not where cars gas up). When using the card, you will save 90% of the negotiated discount and TSD gets the other 10%. All you need to do is fill out the online application.
Locations
All big diesel truck stops like Loves, TA, Petros, and many more.
Pros
The bonus of stopping at a TSD pump is since they are for truckers, you can also get DEF directly from the pump when you stop, which is a huge convenience.
Cons
Because this is an area used by truckers 24/7, hauling all kinds of materials, the pumps are not always the cleanest. It is a good idea to carry some gloves with you to access the pumps.
Many programs offer diesel fuel discounts for RVs
Mudflap
Mudflap provides instant fuel discounts to thousands of owner-operators and small fleets at hundreds of independent fuel stops.
How does it work?
Pick your fuel stop, and at the pump, tap the green button to get your 6-digit fuel code. Your debit or credit card will be linked to your bank account as the payment method. Show the code to the fuel desk and they will turn on the pump and you can fuel up. All you need to do is download the app.
Locations
Most large chain service stations like AMEST, Casey’s, Road Ranger, Sapp Bros, and more.
Pros
Mudflap does not charge any fees and does not require fuel cards. They also have no credit checks to use, and no contracts required. You also never have to show or give your bank card at a fuel stop, which adds additional protection to your account. The fuel code you receive to fill up is good for 24 hours, so if you are staying in one location during that period, you don’t need a new code.
Cons
Currently, Mudflap does not offer an option for DEF, but they do plan to add it by the end of the year. Know the number of your pump when you go in to pay. The store clerk put in the wrong pump number, and we were charged for a trucker’s fill-up. Not Mudflap’s fault, but there is room for human error in the process.
Gas Buddy
Gas Buddy is based in Boston, Massachusetts and currently has over 140,000 gas stations they work with in the United States as well as Canada and Australia. They do provide diesel discounts, so don’t be fooled by the name.
How does it work?
Once you apply online, they will issue you a card. The card is linked to your checking account. You can save up to 25 cents per gallon. Just swipe your Gas Buddy card and your discount will automatically be applied. You can look up what your savings will be prior to the pump by searching for a fuel station on their app. All you need to do is request a free gas card online.
Locations
95% of the fuel stations in the US.
Pros
Through their app, you can also use GasBack offers, which you can earn through shopping, dining, and parking. You can save up to 25 cents per gallon at the pump with caveats. On their website, they do have other gas tools like price maps, charts, vehicle recalls, and a fuel trip cost calculator.
Cons
It works at 95% of gas stations, but it doesn’t work at some major ones like Exxon, Mobil, Costco, Sam’s Club, Walmart, and a few others. They also have a maximum of $75 fill-up per day, which can be really limiting when you drive a diesel. If you are doing a lot of driving, there is a limit of $300 per week too (which is only $42 per day).
Gas Buddy seems a little more gas service oriented. It can also be a little more complicated to get the discounts as you need to activate some discounts before purchase, and you must use them within four hours to claim the offer. The offer is valid only on the first 50 gallons. To know the true price will be during activation at the pump.
Fueling up with trucks
At some of these fuel stop options, you will be interacting with trucks at the station, so you should know the etiquette. You will need to pull around to the fuel pumps where the truckers go, so look for signs that say truck entrance. Pull in behind a truck or directly into any open pump and insert your card. You will be prompted at the pump for specific details. Once you enter those, you can begin pumping. Rarely will you need to go into the store first unless there is an issue at the pump.
After your transaction is complete, pull away from the pump leaving room for a trucker to pull in behind you at the pump. It is perfectly OK to leave your RV and go into the station for restroom break and snacks once you have moved. Don’t feel rushed, this is a normal process. After you use these apps, you will receive a text or email on the savings you made with your purchase.
Your vehicle size and MPG will determine your savings.
We use a combination of these cards because we may be in small, rural areas where the larger trucking company card isn’t available. To give you a tiny idea of the amount of savings to be gained, here is our setup: We drive a diesel dually and pull a 44-foot fifth wheel toy hauler. We only travel 4-5 hours two days a month, and don’t do a lot of driving in the truck on location because we also have motorcycles.
Between these cards, we easily save around $20-80 a month. Even at the lowest option, we save around $250 a year, average scenario is $600 per year. If you travel more, your savings will be significant. If you travel less, well, you still probably saved enough to buy a tire!
By using RV LIFE Trip Wizard to plan your trips in detail, you’ll know exactly when and where you will need fuel for your RV or truck. You can also vet those fuel stops with satellite and street view to make sure you can get in and out safely, and back on the road.
Since 2019 Lucinda Belden has been a full-time RVer and travel writer specializing in topics such as living on the road, working while traveling, RVing with outdoor recreation toys, and discovering unique location experiences. She is also the Program Director for MyRVRadio, a non-stationary radio station for RVers broadcasting news, events, culture, expert advice, humor, and entertainment. As a skilled entrepreneur, promoter and travel industry consultant, she and her husband Will Belden organize national events for the outdoor industry, such as the Direction Wide Open RV & Motorcycle Rally. She draws daily inspiration from the full-time RV lifestyle, motorcycling and world travel expeditions.
She didn’t mention TCS as a discount Fuel Card?
We had the TSD Logistics card but have become very disappointed by it. It appears, Good Sam has weaseled their way into this market and have since talked many of the original fuels stations out of giving discounts to us in the RV world. Very disappointing. Additionally, when we see a Loves on the interstate offering massive discounts only to be that many cents higher than the surrounding pumps. Doesn’t seem right to pump up the price to only discount it again. Just my two cents worth, thanks!
I agree. This was a better deal before the Ukrainian price runup. But now I’ll see Loves list price of $5.50, for example, discounted to $5.24 or so. But across the street will be a local or regional station (Circle K, Conoco, Casey’s for example) listing $5.24 or less. TA and Pilot don’t seem to have jacked up the list price as much.
So I tend to use TSD only when towing, as it’s often easier to maneuver in the truck lanes. On the other hand, you may have to wait in line 20 minutes or more. Despite what people tell us about etiquette in the truck lanes, some truckers will start a fill-up, go into the building for the restroom or food, and come back 20 minutes later.
An alternative is a credit card like PenFed’s that give 5x points (about 4.2%) cash back.
First time!
TSD is not good at all truck stops – in fact, they now charge you a $1.00 if you use their card at an unapproved chain
How do you know which stations are approved?
Are any of the fuel discount programs offered to Canadians
I appreciate what you said about making sure the pump still isn’t attached. I need to get a fuel depot for the farm. We want to have diesel as a reserve.
Didn’t mention Mudflap is only good with iphone/Apple products. No Android!
Leary about about sharing all my personal info with TDS.
I drive a Class C Sprinter motor-home with only a 26 gallon tank. I looked at the TSD card, but decided that the 30 to 40 cents mark up at Pilots and Loves did not seem worth it since I can typically get a 2 to 5 percent discount using my other credit cards. This is about the same amount of discount compared to regular gas stations. Also I like the convenience of just using my credit card at the pump and not needing to get pre-approved by an attendant.
Gas Buddy works at truck stops?
Not just pull forward after fueling if going in store for picking up food, drinks etc. it is perfectly ok and good neighbor to go park then go in the store. There is no time limit on your TSD fill up done you can park, even just drive off…you are done when you hang up the pump handle. Check for your confirming text in the app though to make sure transactionn is complete before leaing the facility…almost instantaneous.
TDS saves us the very most at T/A Truck Stations by far! Easy to use, no limit (like stations that stop fueling at $100) and great savings of up to 55 cents per gallon or more! It can be smaller at other truck stops. Petro Stations are pretty good for savings with the TDS Card as well!
The Good Sam RV Plus card works at Pilot and Flying J, both in the car lanes and the truck lanes. I’ve used both depending on whether I was driving a gas or diesel rig.
Sometimes I couldn’t get a printout in the truck lanes, but since I enter the fuel into my “gas book”, I always have a record. The discount depends on your Good Sam rating.
I’m a Sam’s Club member with a Sam’s club credit card. It pays me 5% cash back on diesel (and gas) at ALL gas stations anywhere around the country. The limit is $6000 at which point it reverts to 1% cash back.
In addition on my travels I use the Gasbuddy app to find the cheapest deal, and with a 68 gallon tank on my RV it’s worth a small diversion to save even more.
Peter Kingsley, not ALL Sam’s Club stations carry diesel and they are not always easily accessible to a 35 foot class A towing a car. Plus the Sam’s locations are not always located near an interstate.
Are any of these discounts available to Canadians? And if so,what fuel companies honor them?
A good sam card from camping world will give you 5 cents off on a gallon of gas and 8 cents on diesel at Pilot and Flying J
If you have a TSD fuel card, you should use the Open Roads app to find the best discounted price near you. In July 2022, we went from Tennessee to Wyoming and at one TA/Petro, discount was about $.95/per gallon. Really saves you when you’re buying 75-80 gallons of diesel. When you pay with your TSD card, you get the Cash price, Credit price, since it’s like a debit card. I still have a Good Sam card, but since we bought our diesel pusher, 8 cents per doesn’t seem like much. Oh and in a pinch, I bought DEF at Flying J. TSD doesn’t discount DEF anywhere. BTW, TSD/Open Roads are planning to start giving discounts on gasoline, also. For those who are leery about giving TSD their information, we just set up a checking account for travel separate from our regular account.