MT. VERNON, IL - Jefferson County Sheriff's Office will be using five Fleet One cards to help offset the costs of fueling for transport vehicles as well as keep the county from paying state motor fuel taxes and sales taxes on its purchases, according to the Mt. Vernon Register-News.

Last month the board was approached by Jerry Cook of Agripride FS about the card, and after additional information was provided to Jefferson County Sheriff Roger Mulch and the County Board, the decision was made to start with five cards, which would be assigned to five different transport vehicles used by the sheriff's office.

The fleet cards will allow users to fill up anywhere without paying the 19 cent motor fuel tax and the state sales tax, which saves about 24 cents total per gallon, county board member Wayne Hails reported to the board. "The sheriff will be able to go online and check fuel usage."

Hails, who researched how the cards work, said although there are other fleet cards available, the Agripride FS card is the only one that will complete and file the paperwork to allow the county to take advantage of its motor fuel tax and sales tax exemption. The county could fill out the paperwork and be reimbursed for the taxes at the end of the year, however, the cards will allow the exemption to be taken as the fuel is purchased.

According to information from Fleet One, the cards are available to businesses and government agencies, and the company offers fuel and maintenance purchasing controls, detailed reporting, online account management and additional money-saving services. The card can be used at more than 40,000 fuel and maintenance locations throughout the United States.