Madison County Sheriff’s Office

Industry: Law Enforcement
Fleet Size: 37 vehicles
Location: Madison County, North Carolina

“RoadFlex has been smooth from day one. We are not getting the complaints, we are not getting the calls, and our deputies are finally able to fuel without issues.”
— Darlyne Rhinehart, Accounting Specialist/Fleet Administrator

Introduction

Fueling used to be a recurring point of frustration for the Madison County Sheriff’s Office. The department’s 37-vehicle fleet of Dodge Chargers, Dodge Rams, and older Ford Explorers fuels entirely at retail stations across the county. With no onsite fueling, deputies depend on consistent access wherever they are. However, their legacy fuel card caused regular problems. As Darlyne Rhinehart explained, “We had drivers calling from the pump, stuck, and not able to get gas at all.”

Inside the office, the challenges were just as disruptive. The sheriff’s team did not have access to the system managing their fuel cards, so any new card request, change, or troubleshooting had to go through the county finance office. Rhinehart described the situation as “chaos most days,” and Cindy recalled that they were “just having issues constantly,” often during busy shifts or late at night. Deputies sometimes had to pay for fuel out of pocket and wait weeks for reimbursement, something Rhinehart said “was not a workable way for a sheriff’s office to operate.”

The ongoing interruptions pushed Rhinehart to look for a new solution, which led her to RoadFlex.

The Challenge

Fueling failures routinely affected both patrol schedules and administrative workflows. Deputies often arrived at gas stations only to discover that their card would not authorize or that a PIN number would not work. Borrowing another officer’s card became a common workaround, which created mismatched fuel logs and unnecessary steps in the field. Rhinehart noted that deputies “shouldn’t have to call another officer just to get fuel,” yet that was happening frequently.

Because the sheriff’s office had no access to the legacy fuel card system, they were unable to monitor usage, deactivate cards, or run reports. Every request was routed through the finance office, slowing down even simple tasks and making month-end reporting difficult. Cindy described the routine as “one hurdle after another,” especially when reconciling gallons for the state’s road tax reporting.

A recent hurricane made these gaps even more obvious. With most stations out of power, deputies relied on fueling at the school bus garage, and any card failure during that time created significant risk.

Where the legacy program fell short:

• Cards and PINs frequently failed when deputies tried to fuel
• Borrowed cards created inaccurate records and confusion
• Deputies sometimes paid personally for fuel and waited for reimbursement
• The sheriff’s office had no system access, control, or visibility

The Solution

When Rhinehart found RoadFlex online, she immediately saw how much flexibility the Visa-based card would give them. Deputies could fuel wherever they were without worrying about network limitations. She said the Visa option “was the best part,” and the program matched their needs closely enough that she did not feel the need to evaluate other providers.

RoadFlex also delivered the kind of support the sheriff’s office had been missing. Rhinehart said she was “surprised at how quickly customer support got back to me each time,” often hearing back within minutes. Cindy added that “it finally felt like someone was actually helping us,” and the team appreciated the hands-on help from RoadFlex support during onboarding to make sure everything was set up correctly.

Just as important, RoadFlex gave the team the visibility they had wanted for years. Rhinehart especially valued seeing usage separated by vehicle, noting that “the sheriff is all about saving money,” and RoadFlex made it easy to understand price-per-gallon trends and monthly totals. Month-end reconciliation also became far easier because the data was organized and available on demand.

Key improvements with RoadFlex included:

• Deputies able to fuel wherever they are without worrying about card network limitations
• Quick and responsive support that resolves questions the same day
• Clear reporting that shows usage, fuel costs, and trends by vehicle
• Easier month-end work, including the data needed for the state’s road tax reporting
• An onboarding experience that felt simple and supportive for the entire team
• A fueling setup that aligned with the county’s existing accountability structure

The Results

Fueling reliability improved immediately after switching to RoadFlex. The steady stream of calls from deputies reporting card failures stopped, and Cindy said she noticed “the quiet almost immediately.” A chief deputy, who also serves as a county commissioner, told Rhinehart he was relieved she found RoadFlex because he had previously struggled most with fueling issues.

RoadFlex also gave the sheriff’s office control they had never had before. They no longer depend on the finance office for every change or update, and they can now reconcile fuel usage accurately each month. Rhinehart said, “It saves us so much time,” because it removes the guesswork and back-and-forth that used to consume their workflow.

The program also fit smoothly into the sheriff’s office structure, allowing them to maintain strict separation between fuel purchases and other spending while gaining better insight into how the fleet uses fuel.

Most importantly, deputies fuel reliably, administrative processes are cleaner, and day-to-day operations are smoother across the entire department.

Conclusion

RoadFlex provided the Madison County Sheriff’s Office with the reliable fueling and clear visibility they needed. Deputies can fuel without interruption, the administrative team can manage the program directly, and support is immediate when needed.

As Rhinehart put it, the ease of the program, the transparency it provides, and the time it saves have made a noticeable difference across the entire department, from the patrol fleet to the administrative office that supports it.