As Summer comes to an end and Fall begins, businesses and individuals alike are reflecting on not only the accomplishments of the last few months but also the cost. One of the important costs that gets reviewed is fuel expenditures. In many cases, this budget item is almost always higher than what you budgeted for, and that can be a difficult pill to swallow. We’ve found that there are a few reasons you end up paying more for gas than you think.

Price changes: The price of gas fluctuates by state, and so does the tax. If you don’t pay attention and seek out lower prices, you could be paying more at the pump than you think.

Convenience store purchases: If you step into the store for a quick treat or drink every time you fill up, it’s going to cost you money. The convenience store industry had over $242 billion in in-store sales in 2018. A GasBuddy beverage study also found that 65% of beverage purchases from convenience stores are impulse decisions.

As a business owner, you may have several vehicles heading out on trips every day. Tracking the fuel you have to pay for can be a complicated. You have to collect receipts, track mileage, and somehow make it all add up at the end. It’s a lot harder than tracking something like a summer road trip. But just like a fun road trip, you may find that you are spending more on fuel than you need to because of the same issues: price changes and convenience store purchases.

At Greg’s Petroleum Service, we want you to get the best fuel for the best price. That’s where the benefits of the fleet fuel card system come in. Our fleet fueling system will help keep your costs low and make it easier to track your fuel consumption. You will get access to 24-hour cardlock sites across the country — the best part about a card lock site is that they aren’t tied to convenience stores. You pull up, swipe your card, fuel your vehicle, and get back to work. There are no long lines, and you can save nearly $0.30 per gallon off the pump price. The savings will add up quickly. You can even link your site-locator map to your phone, so you don’t have to waste time trying to find the nearest location.

Once you’ve joined our Fleet Fuel Card program, we will also help protect you against any fraud. As a member of our program, you will have network-wide protection against fraudulent transactions and get notifications of any suspicious or unusual activity. You can set up profiles for individual drivers, and completely customize your fueling needs with product and gallon limitations. It’s a level of control that will make you feel like you are there every time an employee fills up their tank.

The best part of the fleet fuel card program comes through reporting. The metrics we provide make it easy to track fuel consumption and spending. You can create customized reports tracking your miles per gallon and costs per mile for every vehicle in your fleet. You can hop online and check your transactions 24 hours a day to keep on top of all your fuel spending.

Your business fuel budget shouldn’t look like a college summer road trip. It’s time to start tracking your fuel the right way while saving time and money. Cut down on wasted time, money, and gas by switching to our fleet fuel card.

About Us:
With 24-hour cardlock sites throughout the country, our fleet fueling service is both convenient and efficient. Contact us today to learn more!

When you are selecting oil for your engine, you have to make sure that you choose the right one. Different motor oils are designed for certain engines, conditions, or mechanical issues. Developing the right engine oil is a long process. Part of that process is to meet the required testing and government standards for fuel products. The American Petroleum Institute has been the leading authority on classifying various oils and establishing production standards since the 1940s. The outlined standards dictate how you know which oil to choose.

When you go to the store to buy new oil, you have to check the label to make sure that it is appropriate for your engine. Different viscosity and grades are ranked to differentiate between engine oils. Some oils are even designed to handle specific mechanical issues like oil varnish or contaminant buildup. The standard grades for most motor vehicles are 5W-30 and 10W-30. These specifications come from the API “Service Symbol Donut“, a circular label on every engine oil.

In July of this year, new classifications were issued. The new standards are the result of rigorous testing and new industry developments. They are designed to meet the latest government regulations. Automakers, as part of the International Lubricants Specifications Advisory Committee (ILSAC), requested these changes. New testing will account for fuel economy durability, enhanced oil robustness, and protection against low-speed pre-ignition.

What does this mean for you? The label on the oil you buy may change depending on what is appropriate for your vehicle and engine needs. For the past eight years, automakers have pushed for this new category to give consumers more engine protection. The new categories are GF-6A and GF -6B.

In addition to the previous testing, seven new tests were developed for these categories. GF-6A and GF-6B motor oils will undergo more testing than any other engine oil. It’s an improvement in classifying engine products and one that should increase the lifespan of your engine.

The new certifications aren’t set to hit the market for another year as manufacturers develop their products to meet the testing requirements. The good news is that these standards are in place to help consumers. More testing for your engine oils can mean the difference between buying a new vehicle every five or ten years! Engine technology is changing, and now motor oils will be evolving with it.

Finding the right products for your vehicles is essential. It doesn’t just matter what type of vehicle you have. You also have to consider how you use your vehicle and in what conditions you drive. If you have any concerns about the products you are using in your engines, ask our team.

If you want further peace of mind, enroll in our Chevron LubeWatch Oil Analysis program to test your oil. We will examine your engine oil for viscosity, breakdown, contamination, wear metals, coolants and other issues. Our reports will help you find the right oils and lubricants to protect your engine and prevent maintenance issues. Contact us to learn more today!

About Us:

If you need additional information, please know that the team at Greg’s Petro is here to help. As your lubricants supplier in Bakersfield, Fresno, San Luis Obispo, Santa Clarita or Ventura, California areas, we are available to help answer any questions you might have. Visit us online or give us a call to learn more.

Oil is the central component of any hydraulic system, making it one of the most critical products you put into your equipment. And often enough, the most common cause of system failure is contamination. Therefore, it is extremely important to understand contamination control, the importance of using clean oil and following OEM recommendations.

We’ve talked a lot about the importance of using clean oil in past blogs, so now we wanted to take the time to not only talk about cleanliness but to provide OEM recommended oil cleanliness levels by application.

Often, you get the recommended levels from the supplier but not directly from the OEM. Rexroth, a leading OEM of hydraulic components, has put out a full report on the topic. Take it from them: cleanliness matters! Click here for a summary of their cleanliness recommendations, or here to review the full report.

About Us:

If you need additional information, please know that the team at Greg’s Petro is here to help. As your lubricants supplier in Bakersfield, Fresno, San Luis Obispo, Santa Clarita or Ventura, California areas, we are available to help answer any questions you might have. Visit us online or give us a call to learn more.

Since 2001, California has provided partial sales and use tax exemption for farm equipment, machinery, diesel fuel used in farming and food processing, off-road timber harvesting equipment and machinery, and racehorse breeding stock. Agricultural operators also have the ability to save on clear diesel with the Certificate of Farming Use. Are you taking advantage of these exemptions?

Partial Exemption Certificate for our Red Diesel Users

The partial sales and use tax exemption on farm equipment and machinery applies to “qualified persons” who are farmers or ranchers as well as those providing custom services such as soil preparation, crop harvesting, or farm labor and management that use red diesel.

Red diesel is also commonly referred to as off-road diesel, alternative fuel, red fuel, off-highway diesel or farm diesel. And, it’s not intended to be used for vehicles driven on the road. Red dye is only for use off-road. For example, tractors, loaders, cranes, forklifts and any other heavy-duty equipment your operation uses.

An item is considered farm equipment or machinery under the law if it is used “primarily or exclusively in commercial agricultural production or harvesting.” The biggest exception would be any vehicle or trailer designed to carry persons or property on the road, so pickup trucks, flatbed trucks, goose-neck trailers and tires and parts of these vehicles do not qualify. Also, all-terrain vehicles must be used exclusively for agricultural purposes.

This is an exemption only from the state general fund portion of the sales and use tax rate. You are not relieved from your obligations for the local and district taxes on this transaction. Once the application is completed, it will remain on file at all times.

Certificate of Farming Use for our Clear Diesel Users

Only the purchase of undyed diesel fuel used on a farm for farming purposes is exempt. Diesel fuel used in your on-road vehicles on public highways is subject to tax. Therefore, you must pay the tax when you purchase diesel fuel for on-road use.

To qualify for exemption, the buyer will need to indicate that they use the undyed or “clear” diesel fuel for one of the following:

• On a farm AND buyer is the owner, tenant or operator of the farm on which the fuel will be used
• On a farm relating to cultivating, raising or harvesting and Buyer is not the owner, tenant or operator of the farm on which the fuel will be used

If buyer uses the diesel fuel for a purpose other than stated in the certificate, the Buyer will be liable for the state excise tax.

For this certificate, you will need to complete and re-submit each year or whenever the information changes.

We want to make you aware of these options but final determination as to your eligibility for these exemptions should be made by your CPA or by calling or emailing the state board. If eligible, we encourage you to complete the applications and start taking advantage of these savings.

For information on CDTFA's tax programs, see CDTFA's website at https://www.cdtfa.ca.gov/ or call 1-800-400-7115.

About Us:

If you need additional information, please know that the team at Greg’s Petro is here to help. As your commercial fuel delivery provider in the San Joaquin Valley and beyond, we are available to help answer any questions you might have. Visit us online or give us a call to learn more.

Are you always searching for the best products to maintain the life of your equipment?

Here at Greg’s Petroleum Service, we do so much more than provide fleet fueling services. We offer products, expertise, and support to help our customers. We want to support your business, and our local business community. One great way to do that is to help you protect the investment you’ve made in your fleet, equipment, and machinery. That’s why today, we’re explaining why we recommend Havoline oils and lubricants to our customers.

First things first. Did you know that Havoline has been a trusted product in our industry since 1904? That’s more than one hundred years of service, and that means you can trust their products. It also means that they know what they’re doing and have had the time to test and refine the product and innovate along the way. You can read more about the legacy of Havoline heritage and innovation here.

An important thing to note is that Havoline has continued its tradition of innovation. As you know, one size does not fit all when it comes to oils and lubricants. You have to choose a product that is made to match your equipment, conditions, and needs.

Havoline offers different motor oils to meet your needs. They’ve also been on the leading edge of helping to ensure clean oil, free of contaminants, that won’t contribute to early wear and tear through abrasion. Havoline meets ISO clean standards set to meet OEM requirements and recommendations.

The company is also on the leading edge to reduce overall waste by offering Chevron Havoline products in boxes, instead of the plastic bottles. In fact, they offer oils in a six-gallon box, which saves 24-quart bottles. That’s an 89% reduction in plastic and keeps 21 bottles out of the waste stream. The outer carton of the boxes is also 100% recyclable.

Finally, Havoline is a trusted brand that has worked hard to partner with leading automakers to ensure their product is the superior choice for engines. Chevron Havoline is recommended by American, European, and Japanese automakers for use in their cars. Havoline motor oils meet the stringent approval requirements set by all of these automakers: GM, Ford, Chrysler, Porsche, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, VW, and Fiat. You can learn more about that, here.

Want to learn more? Greg’s Petro offers a variety of products for your fleet, including Havoline. Our team will gladly offer its expertise to help you choose the product that is right for your equipment, based on your needs and the conditions that are unique and specific to your business and industry.
If we can help or be of service, please visit us online or call us to learn more. We want to hear from you!

About Us:
If you need additional information, please know that the team at Greg’s Petro is here to help. As your lubricants supplier in Bakersfield, Fresno, San Luis Obispo, Santa Clarita or Ventura, California areas, we are available to help answer any questions you might have. Visit us online or give us a call to learn more.