Fuel Monkey Aids Customers With Thunder Creek MTUs

Tue August 19, 2025
Fuel Monkey and Thunder Creek

Diesel delivery without the drama. That's what customers can expect from Fuel Monkey — around the clock and year-round — for industries ranging from construction and agriculture to manufacturing, grocery and logistics, plus emergency services, according to the company.

It aims to keep partners in the Dallas and Houston metro areas, as well as the Texas Panhandle, operating smoothly and without delay, with options for on- and off-road diesel and diesel exhaust fluid (DEF).

"Typically, we're servicing generators, job site trailers, yellow iron equipment, small fleet, really anyone in need of diesel fuel — whether on a scheduled basis or in response to a same-day emergency," said Ethan Dunlap, operations manager of Fuel Monkey. "Weekly, we're running about 40,000 to 50,000 gallons a week in each market."

Fuel Monkey accomplishes this with Thunder Creek No HAZMAT Fuel and Service Truck Upfits, or MTUs. These medium-duty trucks are an all-in-one solution for fueling that helps Fuel Monkey service customers, big and small.

MTU Advantage

For its fleet, Fuel Monkey chose the Ford F-550 model of MTU, which can carry 920 gal. of diesel, along with 100 gal. of DEF and options for grease and auxiliary oil. The MTU consists of eight 115-gal. tanks that connect via a common manifold and pumping system. When the manifold is closed, it mitigates the need for drivers to have a CDL or HAZMAT endorsement.

According to Dunlap, that fuel capacity, along with the maneuverability of the MTUs , is essential for supporting their customers. Unlike a truck and trailer, the MTUs all-in-one configuration makes it easy to drive to hard-to-reach locations and makes quick work of fueling. That's important because Fuel Monkey recognizes its services mean more to their customers than just fuel. It's a way for those customers to maintain their productivity, meet deadlines and generate a profit.

"The Thunder Creek trucks are freaking amazing. You can get into these job sites, and you can go around obstacles. There are no issues," he said. "These trucks are very efficient, simply because you get in and get out fast. They've saved us tons of time compared to trailers simply because they're nimble. Plus, we can fuel more, smaller fleet jobs faster with the truck than we can with the trailer."

That maneuverability of the MTUs also provides Fuel Monkey with a competitive advantage over fuel service companies with larger equipment.

"They've helped us as far as being able to service the accounts that the bigger companies can't send a Bobtail fuel truck out on," said Dunlap. "We can get to the job sites faster and service more accounts. Plus, we can take on the small jobs they don't want to get to. That's the value of Thunder Creek trucks. They get the job done when the big boys won't even touch it."

Dunlap and his team appreciate the versatility of their Ford F-550 MTUs in terms of carrying both diesel and DEF.

"These trucks are great because we've got a hundred gallons of DEF on them," he said "You can carry clear or dyed diesel. So, that really helps for any system as far as fuel trucks go."

The hose and pumping system on the MTUs also offer advantages for Fuel Monkey. Thunder Creek installs a hydraulic-driven centrifugal pump on each truck upfit, along with a retracting hose. Fifty ft. is the standard hose length, but Fuel Monkey opted for longer and is pleased with their decision.

"We've got that 100-foot hose and that has saved us several times," Dunlap said. "Say you back up to a muddy job site, and that generator is way over there in the mud. We can stretch out that long hose and go."

Dunlap added, "The pumping speeds on our trucks are also pretty darn good. I mean, we're getting sometimes upwards of 15 to 18 gallons a minute with a long hose."

When asked about the reliability of their MTUs and the service support Thunder Creek provides, Dunlap has nothing but a positive response.

"It's so important to have good support equipment in the field. If you break down, you can have issues," he said. "I've personally changed out valves and so forth on our trucks. Every time I've called Thunder Creek, I get answers to my questions, and the parts are shipped out right away. They have been wonderful to work with."

Solid Investment

Based on the amount of jobs Fuel Monkey has taken on since buying its Thunder Creek MTUs, it anticipates it will be close to even on the investment by the end of the year. Dunlap is optimistic.

"We need to make about 30 drops per driver, per week, to break even. Anything over 30 drops, that's money. And we have guys in the Dallas market doing 40 to 50 drops a week, easy," he said. "If we can get one to two an hour, that's even better. So, that's our goal."

According to Dunlop, the investment and hard work is well worth it and, once they reach the goal, they plan to add more Thunder Creek MTUs to the Fuel Monkey fleet.

"I've been around a lot of equipment over my lifetime, and I've seen a lot of okay stuff. This is like the Porsche of a fuel tank," he said. "If I'm going to buy something that's going to make me money, I want it built tough. These are tough, and they go to work with us. I guarantee that as we grow, Thunder Creek will grow with us."