WEX Inc. has announced the launch of Fleet SmartHub, an app designed to give fleets mobile access to their drivers’ fuel accounts to help improve business efficiencies, reduce late fees, gain operational insights, and control unauthorized driver spending, according to the company.

The app is specifically designed to meet the needs of smaller fleets, said Peggy Watson, WEX’s vice president of product management for the North American Fleet Division. Watson noted that smaller fleet or business managers are often in the field, and need a means to pay fuel bills and monitor driver transactions while away from their desks.

"These customers are often out in the field doing their job, and this really will speak to them," she said. "This will allow them to check to see if a bill is due and avoid having paperwork building up back at the office and avoid possible late fees."

The company has been slowly rolling out the app over the past several weeks to some of its fleet customers in advance of its official launch. The SmartHub app is free for WEX customers.

The finished product reflects the input of WEX customers, who were consulted during development, with a number of real-time, customer-driven features designed to give fleet and business managers access in the field, including: view and make bill payments; see all available billed and unbilled credit; access purchase transaction details; re-issue, terminate, and check the status of fleet driver fuel cards; monitor all payment activities.

The app, which Watson describes as "very intuitive," matches the realities of the way these customers are conducting their business.

"According to our research, 89% of our customers are using smartphones every day," she said. "Obviously this is something that they’ll be using every day as well."

While the SmartHub is specifically designed for fleet managers, the company is also developing applications for drivers.

“For drivers’ applications we’re building, there will be a way for the fleet manager to communicate to the driver, and for the driver to see how he or she is doing versus company policy, for example,” Watson said.

SmartHub is available to WEX customers for use on iPhone and Android smartphones, and can be downloaded from the Apple or Android app stores.