Method for shippers to manage fuel costs

A computer-implemented method for managing fuel costs, comprising:

• receiving, compiling, and storing transaction information and product information at a Network Administrator loaded on a computer, the transaction information being associated with:
• (a) a shipper who has arranged for a shipment of goods along a pre-defined route from an origin to a destination;
• and (b) a corresponding carrier that has agreed to transport the shipment along the pre-defined route using
• (i) a pre-determined maximum number of eligible units of fuel,
• (ii) the fuel purchased by the carrier at a pre-set base price per eligible unit, and
• (iii) the fuel purchased from pre-selected fueling locations selected by the shipper;
• wherein the maximum number of eligible units of fuel and the base price per eligible unit for the shipment are established by the shipper, the base price per eligible unit of fuel is fixed before the shipment is made, and the fueling locations are established by the Network Administrator, provided that if the carrier can acquire fuel at a price more beneficial to the carrier than the pre-set base price, at a fueling location that is a non-pre-selected fuel location, the carrier may purchase the fuel at the non-pre-selected location;
• and
• wherein the product information includes identity and quantity of the goods being shipped, and minimum and maximum allowable temperature for the goods if applicable;
• and
• transmitting to the computer on which the Network Administrator is loaded carrier fuel purchase information associated with fuel purchases made by the carrier at the pre-selected and non-pre-selected fueling locations, wherein the carrier fuel purchase information comprises the number of units of fuel purchased by the carrier and a price per unit paid by the carrier for all units of fuel purchased.

An apparatus comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a storage device coupled to the processor and storing instructions adapted to be executed by the processor to:
• receive transaction information and product information, the transaction information being associated with:
• (a) a shipper who has arranged for a shipment of goods along a pre-defined route from an origin to a destination;
• and (b) a corresponding carrier that has agreed to transport the shipment along the pre-defined route using
• (i) a pre-determined maximum number of eligible units of fuel,
• (ii) the fuel purchased by the carrier at a pre-set base price per eligible unit, and
• (iii) the fuel purchased from pre-selected fueling locations selected by the shipper;
• wherein the maximum number of eligible units of fuel and the base price per eligible unit for the shipment are established by the shipper, the base price per eligible unit of fuel is fixed before the shipment is made, and the fueling locations are established by a Network Administrator, provided that if the carrier can acquire fuel at a price more beneficial to the carrier than the pre-set base price, at a fueling location that is a non-pre-selected fuel location, the carrier may purchase the fuel at the non-pre-selected location;
• and
• wherein the product information includes identity and quantity of the goods being shipped, and minimum and maximum allowable temperature for the goods if applicable;
• and
• transmit to a Network Administrator carrier fuel purchase information associated with fuel purchases made by the carrier at the pre-selected and non-pre-selected fueling locations.

A computer-executable program tangibly embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and adapted to be executed by a processor to perform a method for managing fuel costs, the method comprising:

• receiving transaction information and product information at a Network Administrator, the transaction information being associated with:
• (a) a shipper who has arranged for a shipment of goods along a pre-defined route from an origin to a destination;
• and (b) a corresponding carrier that has agreed to transport the shipment along the pre-defined route using
• (i) a pre-determined maximum number of eligible units of fuel,
• (ii) the fuel purchased by the carrier at a pre-set base price per eligible unit, and
• (iii) the fuel purchased from pre-selected fueling locations selected by the shipper;
• wherein the maximum number of eligible units of fuel and the base price per eligible unit for the shipment are established by the shipper, the base price per eligible unit of fuel is fixed before the shipment is made, and the fueling locations are established by the Network Administrator, provided that if the carrier can acquire fuel at a price more beneficial to the carrier than the pre-set base price, at a fueling location that is a non-pre-selected fuel location, the carrier may purchase the fuel at the non-pre-selected location;
• and
• wherein the product information includes identity and quantity of the goods being shipped, and minimum and maximum allowable temperature for the goods if applicable;
• and
• transmitting to the Network Administrator carrier fuel purchase information associated with fuel purchases made by the carrier at the pre-selected and non-pre-selected fueling locations.