Fuel Supplier

Fuel Purchase Orders

Purchase order numbers for fuel consist of eight characters, four numeric and four alphabetical. 

Example: Purchase order number 1234-UPXC. 

  • 4-digit number before the hyphen is specific for this supplier and location
  • UP(first two alpha characters after the hyphen) designates the company the purchase order is tied to for accounting purposes (UP = Union Pacific Railroad). 
  • X (third alpha character) designates the type of fuel grade being ordered. (In this case of a purchase order for fuel transportation, T is used as the third character.)
  • The last alpha character indicates if the purchase order is for Contract purchases, Emergency purchases, Spot purchases, or Tank wagon purchases.  

Union Pacific also purchases lube oil and other refined products from our diesel fuel suppliers. Most of these purchases are made through our material purchasing system, which uses a non-stock purchase order format (see above information on purchase order numbers for non-stock items). 

Delay in payment can result when material is sold without a purchase order, or when the correct purchase order number is not included on the invoice. In such cases, the invoice will be returned to the supplier with a letter explaining that the invoice can not be processed with a correct, verifiable purchase order number. Material sold without a purchase order may require research in multiple departments, as well as issuance of a confirming requisition and purchase order, all resulting in delays. 

Locomotive Fuel Purchases