Delivery models compared
- Auto-fill — dealer schedules; no customer effort; suits regular heating users
- Will-call — you monitor and call; flexibility; suits light users
- Scheduled (calendar-based) — fixed delivery day each month/quarter; some dealers offer this for predictable accounts
- Priority / express — paid premium for faster turnaround; useful for run-out situations
- After-hours / weekend — premium rates for outside-business-hours delivery
Picking based on usage profile
Three rules of thumb:
- Burn under 200 gal/year? Will-call is fine. Auto-fill makes less sense for very light usage.
- Burn 200–1,000 gal/year (typical heating customer)? Auto-fill is the default — risk of run-out outweighs flexibility loss.
- Burn 1,000+ gal/year or have backup needs (generator, etc.)? Auto-fill plus a generous tank size — never run close to empty.
Combining delivery with contract type
Delivery model is independent of pricing contract. Common combinations:
- Auto-fill + market-rate per delivery (the most common US default)
- Auto-fill + pre-buy (heavy users locking summer rates)
- Auto-fill + capped contract (winter spike protection)
- Will-call + market rate (light users, maximum flexibility)
FAQ
Can I switch from will-call to auto-fill mid-contract?
Yes, most dealers will switch you at any time without penalty. Some require a brief enrollment period to build a usage profile before auto-fill starts.
Are auto-fill rates better than will-call?
Usually slightly — dealers value the route-planning predictability auto-fill provides and pass back some of the saving. Differences are typically a few cents per gallon, not dramatic.