When choosing a fuel card for your fleet, it is crucial to find the best fit for your business. Motive has recently added to their innovative list of products a corporate charge fuel card to help your business save money. In the following review, you’ll find a comprehensive outline that goes over who Motive is and what they do, as well as the pros and cons of using Motive Card. If your company has considered using a fuel card, this review should help you decide whether Motive is the right partner for your needs.
Who is Motive?
Motive, formerly known as KeepTruckin, is an advanced technology company that provides comprehensive fleet management solutions to businesses across various industries. With a dedication to innovation and efficiency, Motive has consistently been a leader in the field, bringing transformative solutions to challenges facing the modern fleet industry.
Their newest product, Motive Card, is a testament to their commitment to offering cutting-edge, practical solutions for businesses. Operating on the Mastercard network, Motive Card streamlines the management of fleet expenses, giving businesses savings and control over their spending. Motive removes the hassle of managing fleet and spend separately as its platform seamlessly integrates both aspects. By consolidating data in one centralized location, businesses can gain a holistic view of their operations, unlock valuable insights that drive bottom-line savings, and save time and resources through features such as automated IFTA reporting. This eliminates the need for multiple cards, reducing administrative overhead, and making financial management more straightforward and efficient.
Businesses that use Motive Card also benefit from reduced costs, leading to increased profitability. Fuel is one of the most significant fleet expenses, and Motive Card offers compelling savings in this area. Through discounts averaging over 20 cents per gallon at more than 4,000 fuel and maintenance partner locations, fleets can reduce fuel costs and increase profitability significantly. Unlike many other cards on the market, Motive Card has no hidden fees, providing peace of mind that your fuel savings won't be compromised by set-up, monthly, transaction, administration, or any other unexpected fees.
Beyond Motive Card, the company provides a suite of AI-powered applications that improve various aspects of fleet management, from compliance and spend management to driver safety and sustainability. They offer GPS tracking and telematics for real-time visibility into fleet operations, AI dash cams that alert drivers and managers of unsafe driving behaviors in real time, and dispatch solutions that streamline driver workflows.
Motive Card FAQs
Before diving into the pros and cons of working with Motive, let’s cover some frequently asked questions so that you can learn more about Motive Card.
How is Motive different from other fuel card companies?
Motive Card distinguishes itself in the fuel card industry in two key ways. The first is that it operates on a single, integrated platform, as described above. By incorporating data collection and reporting with the cost savings and functionality of a fuel card, Motive enables busy fleet managers and drivers to become more efficient.
The second way Motive Card is different from traditional fuel cards is its large network. This contrasts sharply with traditional fuel credit cards, which are predominantly designed to enable transactions at fueling stations only. Unlike typical fuel credit cards, Motive Card extends its utility far beyond fuel purchases alone as it can be used anywhere Mastercard is accepted. This broad acceptance offers businesses a level of flexibility and convenience, enabling Motive Card to help manage a vast range of expenses beyond the confines of traditional fuel cards.
With Motive Card, businesses can integrate fuel and non-fuel expenses into one platform, offering an efficient way to track and manage spending. This versatility, combined with the stringent payment discipline that is a characteristic of a corporate charge card, distinctly positions Motive in the world of fuel cards.
How much can Motive Card save me?
Through fuel discounts, efficiency improvements, increased productivity, and fraud detection, businesses can expect to save more than 9% on their fuel expenses, translating to about 45 cents per gallon — a significant figure that can add up to substantial savings over time. These discounts are made possible through Motive's network of partners. With more than 4,000 partners, including brands such as Loves, TA, Casey’s, and Road Ranger, the Motive Card integrates seamlessly with numerous fuel providers.
How does Motive Card prevent fraud?
In addition to its financial benefits, Motive Card also offers fraud prevention. Paired with the Motive Vehicle Gateway, the card's spend management platform uses vehicle GPS and telematics data to intelligently identify potentially fraudulent transactions. It provides managers with the ability to use geofence controls to eliminate undesired spending. Also, it prevents unauthorized spending with controls like mobile-based PIN security and app-based card unlocking features, combined with time and spend limits.
How do you qualify for Motive Card?
To qualify for Motive Card, there are a few steps to follow. Initially, the company evaluates your business on its financial health, prior payment history, and other relevant internal and external information. This data is used to determine an appropriate spending limit, tailored to the financial situation of each individual business.
One of the key aspects of Motive's application process is that they do not check your personal credit score, nor do they report your company's payment history to consumer credit bureaus. Instead, they focus solely on your business credit bureau report, both to determine your spending limit and track your company's payment history. This approach ensures that your business finances are kept separate from your personal finances.
To begin the application process, you'll need to submit a Motive Card application with certain financial documents. You have two options to provide these financial details:
- Submitting your application with Plaid™: This is the quickest and most efficient way to apply for the Motive Card. Motive's integration with Plaid reduces the amount of financial documentation needed and accelerates the decision-making process on your application. Plaid can instantly authenticate you, securely link your account for future payments, and save you the effort of finding and uploading bank statements.
- Submitting bank statements: If you prefer a more traditional route, you can download and submit your three most recent consecutive months of bank statements. Be aware that additional business verification documents may be required when applying via this route.
Regardless of the route you choose, Motive aims to provide a straightforward and efficient application process for its card, keeping your business needs at the forefront.
How long does it take to get approved?
Once a completed application is received, most customers have a decision in three days. If Motive asks for additional documents, they cannot make a decision until you provide them. Once approved, companies typically receive their Motive Cards within three to four business days, depending on shipping.
Additional services Motive offers
Motive's suite of products offers an opportunity to optimize your fleet in many ways. Some of their additional products includes:
- Fleet management
- AI dash cams
- GPS
- ELD
- Telematics
As you can see, Motive can provide you with more than just fuel savings to assist in taking your trucking business to the next level.
Cost
Motive Card pricing is refreshingly straightforward and budget-friendly. There are absolutely no activation, transaction, or membership fees associated with the card, making it completely free to use. This demonstrates Motive’s commitment to providing value and convenience to its customers without burdening them with unnecessary costs. This contrasts with many competitors who charge various setup fees, monthly transaction fees, risk-based pricing fees, and customer service fees.
However, it’s important to maintain a good payment record, as late fees are assessed if invoices aren’t paid in full by the due date, Motive does provide a 14-day grace period before a fee is charged. The late fee is calculated as 5% of the unpaid invoice balance, with a minimum charge of $40. Therefore, to make the most of the Motive Card’s cost-effectiveness, it’s crucial to ensure timely payment of all invoices.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Can be used on any type of purchase where Mastercard is accepted
- No monthly or annual fee
- Robust fraud detection and prevention controls
- All-in-one platform enables businesses to manage fleet and spend from one place, resulting in streamlined, more efficient processes
Cons
- As a corporate charge card, all balances must be paid off at the end of the billing period; failure to do so will result in a late fee
- Sole proprietorships cannot apply for Motive Card at this time