By RAM Tracking on 20 Mar 2026
By Richard Blown, Chief Technology Officer, RAM Tracking
Since the end of February, petrol prices have risen by up to 20p per litre. Unleaded now averages 143.35p per litre and diesel 163.73p, the highest either has been in nearly three years.
To put the scale of this in context: filling up a typical work van now costs £14 more than it did in late February. For a fleet of just 10 vans filling up once a week, that's £140 more every week and £560 more every month just to keep your fleet moving. And that's before prices rise any further.
The cause is the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has disrupted global oil supply and caused the markets to react quickly.
But vehicles still need to move, and jobs still need to be done. For Fleet Managers, the only real option is to manage the cost as tightly as possible.
The challenge isn't just unpredictable prices. It's that your drivers are out on the road, under time pressure, running low on fuel, and making snap decisions about where to pull in. They default to the nearest petrol station rather than the cheapest one. Without the right information at the right moment, the cheapest option gets missed.
We've been listening to how fleet managers think about fuel spend, and we've added something to the RAM customer portal that puts the right information where it needs to be, at the point of decision.
On the Live Map in your RAM customer portal, you can now find the nearest petrol stations to any vehicle in your fleet and compare live fuel prices before your driver pulls in.
It's built for exactly the kind of situation we're in right now. Volatile prices, time-pressed drivers, and a business that can't afford to overpay.
The Fuel Finder sits directly within the Live Map, the same view you use every day to track your fleet. No new screens, no new logins.
Here's what you can do with it:
See nearby stations and live prices: Open the Live Map and you can see the petrol stations nearest to their current location with live prices displayed. Compare at a glance, pick the best value, and you're on your way.
Filter by fuel type: Running a mixed fleet? No problem. Filter by petrol, diesel, or any other fuel type so your driver only sees the stations relevant to their vehicle. No wasted scrolling, no wrong-fuel risk.
Check what facilities are available: Not all petrol stations are the same. The feature lets you see what facilities each station offers, whether that matters for a driver planning a quick break or simply confirming the site is open and suitable.
Get Google Maps directions straight there: Once you've found the right station, one tap sends directions via Google Maps. Your driver doesn't need to search, type, or fiddle with their phone. They get the route, they go. Simple.
Stay ahead with Vehicle Health Trackers: If your vehicles are fitted with Vehicle Health trackers, you can be proactive rather than reactive. Monitor fuel levels across your fleet in real time, spot which vehicles are running low, and direct drivers to the nearest and cheapest station before it becomes a problem. You're in control of the decision before it's even made.
Want to see it in action? Watch our CTO Richard Blown walk you through the Fuel Finder feature on the RAM Tracking YouTube channel.
Less guesswork for drivers. Less overspend for you.
Drivers get clear, relevant options near their location with directions ready to go in seconds. No searching on their phone, no defaulting to the first station they see.
For fleet managers, the receipts that come back reflect smarter decisions. You're not paying inflated motorway prices when a cheaper station was half a mile away.
The Fuel Finder gives you visibility before the spend happens, not after it.
And if you're using the RAM bp fuel card alongside it, the Fuel Finder makes it even easier for you to get the best price. Use the Live Map to find the nearest bp station that accepts your fuel card, get directions straight there, and then your drivers get their guaranteed discount on every fill up. No hunting around, no missed savings.
Fuel price spikes driven by global events are nothing new, and they won't be the last. The businesses that come out of periods like this in the best shape are the ones with the right tools already in place.
RAM Tracking's Fuel Finder gives fleet managers and their drivers the information they need to make smarter fuel decisions, right at the moment they need it most.
Log into your RAM portal and head to the Live Map. The Fuel Finder is already there waiting for you.
Not a RAM customer yet? Get a free, no-obligation quote and see how we can help your business spend less at the pump.
Richard Blown is Chief Technology Officer at RAM Tracking, where he leads product innovation and technical strategy.
With over 25 years of experience in fleet telematics and connected vehicle technology, Richard has pioneered solutions that bridge the gap between theoretical safety improvements and practical business benefits.
His hands-on approach to product development ensures RAM's solutions solve real-world problems faced by fleet operators across the UK.
A fuel finder for fleet managers is a tool that shows live petrol station prices near your vehicles in real time, so drivers can compare and choose the cheapest option before filling up. RAM’s Fuel Finder is built directly into the Live Map on the RAM customer portal.
The most effective way to reduce fleet fuel costs is to give drivers access to live price comparisons before they fill up, rather than picking up the bill after the fact. Using a fuel finder alongside a discounted fuel card, such as the RAM bp fuel card, gives you two layers of savings on every fill up.
Petrol and diesel prices in the UK have risen sharply in early 2026 due to conflict in the Middle East disrupting global oil supply. Unleaded currently averages 143.35p per litre and diesel 163.73p, the highest in nearly three years.
Prices are powered by a government API that launched in February 2026, which makes it mandatory for petrol stations to submit price updates within 30 minutes. That means the data you're seeing in the Fuel Finder is always accurate and up to date.
You can filter by petrol and diesel types, making it straightforward for mixed fleets.
Yes. The RAM customer portal is accessible through our vehicle tracking app, so drivers or fleet managers can use the Fuel Finder from any device.
Yes. When drivers use the Fuel Finder to locate cheaper stations before filling up, the receipts coming back to fleet managers reflect better informed decisions. It's one of the simplest ways to reduce avoidable overspend on fuel reimbursements.
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