Fleet managers & finance
How much does fuel theft cost a fleet, and what is the payback on locking fuel doors?
By The Work Truck Fuel Vault, Sarasota, Florida · Updated October 2026
Short answer
A single theft event commonly costs $500–$1,000 once you add stolen diesel, crew downtime, emergency fueling, and missed work. At $139.95 and up per door, preventing one event per truck typically pays back the investment. Use the fleet savings calculator to model your own numbers.
How to estimate your payback
- 1Count theft or suspected-loss incidents over the last 12 months.
- 2Add fuel value, labor hours lost, and any tow or repair cost.
- 3Divide by truck count for a per-truck annual loss.
- 4Compare to the per-door price with volume pricing.
Hidden costs
Stolen fuel is the smallest line. Idle crews, late jobs, and contaminated tanks are what make fuel theft expensive.
Related questions
Is there a printable ROI sheet?
Yes — download the fleet ROI one-pager from the fleet fuel theft prevention hub.
Learn more
More answers
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