Monte Guerrette estimates that his firm will face at least a 10 percent increase in its gas at the pump costs this year as compared to 2011. And that is a conservative guess when it comes to volatile gas prices, which go down and up, but mostly up, depending on geography, season, refinery problems, oil supply, world politics and speculators.

Ironically, “in this tight business economy, we have to more often drive longer distances to get business and service accounts,” points out Guerrette, senior project manager with Mid State Electric of Ocala, Fla.

So what’s an integrator to do these days to better manage his or her fleet fuel expenses? Here are seven ways numerous firms use and that can apply to fleets from a handful of vehicles to thousands.