Fuel Discount Sharing Platform for Trucking Fleets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Trucking companies face challenges in sharing fuel discounts with independent truckers, as existing methods lack efficient and secure ways to apply these discounts during fuel purchases, leading to unapplied discounts and increased overhead costs.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that enables fuel discounts for independent truckers through contactless payments via mobile applications, integrating with existing credit or debit cards, and onboard electronic logging systems, using Bluetooth, cellular networks, or WiFi for secure transactions, and leveraging GPS for location-based eligibility verification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If trucking companies use company credit cards for fuel purchases, then fuel discounts are obtained, but independent truckers cannot access these discounts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal payment system where a single platform can handle multiple payment methods (company credit cards, personal credit cards, debit cards) and serve both employed and independent truckers. The system allows trucking companies to share their negotiated fuel discounts with independent truckers through a unified platform, making the discount access mechanism versatile across different user types and payment instruments.
2Productivity
If manual discount application processes are used, then fuel purchases can be made, but discounts are not applied and overhead costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automated, self-service fuel purchasing where truckers can independently make purchases and have discounts automatically applied without manual intervention. The platform automatically retrieves discount information, validates eligibility, and applies the appropriate discounts to transactions, eliminating the need for manual discount application processes and reducing administrative overhead.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements automated feedback loops where transaction data is continuously monitored, discount eligibility is automatically verified, and discount applications are tracked. The system provides real-time feedback on discount utilization and generates reports on fuel spend and savings, enabling continuous optimization of the discount application process.
3Reliability
If contactless payment systems are implemented, then transaction security is improved, but integration with existing systems becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a platform as an intermediary layer between fuel stations, payment processors, and truckers. This intermediary handles the complex integration of contactless payment technologies (mobile wallets, NFC, Bluetooth) with existing fuel purchase systems, managing security protocols, tokenization, and communication between different systems while presenting a simplified interface to end users.
Data Source
AI summary
Receiving, at a server, an identifier from a user to authorize fuel payment at a fuel station. Associating the identifier with a carrier, the carrier being entitled to a fuel discount at the fuel station. Authorizing the fuel station to provide fuel to the user with the fuel discount, which may be variable. The identifier may be received from a mobile application, a company credit card, a personal credit card, a virtual credit card, and/or an onboard electronic logging device (ELD). The authorizing of the fuel station to provide fuel to the user with the fuel discount may be limited by an amount and/or a type of fuel. A system is provided that includes a receiver module, and a server, and a transmitter module. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program for operating a fuel discount sharing application is provided.