Fueling Checklist

Capture tractor odometer and trailer hubometer at the pump. These values drive MPG calculations and IFTA jurisdictional mileage. Mismatched start/end odometers across fueling events are the most common IFTA audit finding.

Walk both saddle tanks, the crossover line, and the fuel/water separator. Look for weeping at the cap gasket, hairline cracks at the strap mounts, and stains on the frame rail below the tank. Any active drip is a Part 396 defect — DVIR it and route to the shop before dispatch.

Engine off, ignition off, APU off, cell phones holstered. Static discharge from a running engine or hand-held electronics at the nozzle is the single most common cause of fuel-island fires.

Identify the nearest ABC extinguisher and the pump emergency-stop button before you start dispensing. At unattended cardlocks the e-stop is typically a red palm-button on the dispenser column.

Diesel exposure on skin and eyes is the most underreported driver injury. PPE lives in the cab door pocket; if it's missing, pull a replacement pack from the dispatch office before the next run.

Check the nozzle spout for burrs, the trigger latch for cleanliness, and the hose for abrasion, kinks, or fuel weeping. A torn breakaway coupling is a drive-off hazard — report it to the site operator and use the adjacent pump.

Use the assigned Comdata, EFS, WEX, or RTS card for this tractor — never a personal card. Enter the unit number and driver PIN exactly; mismatched unit/driver entries are the top reason fuel-card transactions get flagged for fraud review.

Split gallons roughly 50/50 between driver and curb-side tanks to keep axle weights legal — a full single tank can push the steer over 12,000 lb. Stop when the nozzle first clicks off; do not top off past the auto-shutoff. Overfilling vents fuel through the cap and creates an EPA spill report.

Open the petcock on the Davco or Racor housing into a clear cup. Water sits at the bottom — clear or slightly yellow diesel above, milky or layered fluid below means water contamination. Close the petcock as soon as clean fuel runs.

Inspect the sample against a white background. Cloudy fuel in cold weather usually means waxing — switch to #1 blend or treat with anti-gel. Visible water, rust, or black sediment means stop and call dispatch before continuing the run.

Wipe the fill neck and bumper with the absorbent pad from the fuel-island spill kit. Drop used pads in the labeled waste drum — not the regular trash, which triggers a SPCC violation on site audits.

IFTA requires a legible receipt showing date, location, gallons, price per gallon, fuel type, and unit/driver identifier. Faded thermal receipts in the visor turn unreadable in a week — photograph at the pump and upload through the ELD or Motive/Samsara driver app.