Whether you chauffeur clients around the city or dispatch truckers across the United States, tracking driver hours, fuel costs, and maintenance alerts is essential. The best fleet management software protects your small business with dual-view dashcams and near real-time feeds. These tools can lower your insurance rates with in-cab driver coaching and safety scoring.
Moreover, automated maintenance reminders let shop technicians know when a vehicle needs service. Fleet management tools often sync with your existing software, from routing systems to fuel cards. Explore the following options to find the right fleet management app for your business.
Verizon Connect
Verizon Connect provides customizable fleet management software solutions. Its advanced tools focus on midsize and large fleets, but you can start with at least five tracking units, which can be any combination of vehicle or non-powered assets and trailers.
Verizon Connect’s all-in-one electronic logging device (ELD) platform works well for carriers required by the U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to use e-logs and maintain records of duty status.
Verizon supplies asset management tools for tracking heavy equipment and electric vehicle fleet software, which includes battery-level alerts and a live map with charging locations. And Verizon Connect offers custom prices for advanced metrics and add-ons like dashcams and fuel card integrations.
[Read more: Self-Driving Truck Entrepreneur: “Don’t Be Afraid of Passion”]
Motive
If skyrocketing fleet insurance costs impact your bottom line, Motive’s fleet operations platform can help reduce your rates by up to 25%. It uses artificial intelligence (AI) to detect unsafe behaviors and score drivers. Unlike its competitors, Motive considers your driver’s locations, so city-based drivers are evaluated differently than long-haul truckers.
It alerts drivers to unsafe behavior in real time and provides mobile apps so truckers can view reports and actionable insights after their trips. Dispatchers appreciate Motive’s advanced collision detection and ability to view up to 235 hours of dashcam footage. Aside from fleet telematics, Motive offers maintenance, spending management, and dispatch tools.
Azuga
Gamify safety, protect assets, and manage operations with Azuga’s end-to-end fleet management application. Azuga offers custom pricing based on your fleet size and feature options. You can choose from GPS tracking, gamification features, route optimization, field service management software, and dashcams.
Simply set a budget with Azuga’s rewards as a service program, and Azuga handles driver scoring, reporting, and reward issuance. Its Fleet eLogs program satisfies hours of service and driver vehicle inspection report (DVIR) regulations, while Azuga’s asset tracking has built-in geofencing.
Samsara
Samsara supplies an integrated platform for fleet management, compliance, and safety. It offers plug-and-play equipment installation, requiring zero configuration and allowing small businesses to be up and running within 15 minutes.
The hardware works on all vehicles, including buses, passenger vans, company-owned cars, and trucks. Dispatchers can view live vehicle locations while drivers benefit from in-cab voice coaching.
Samsara’s customizable solution covers everything from vehicle telematics and video-based safety to equipment monitoring and driver workflows. The cloud-based platform features 300 prebuilt integrations and an open application programming interface.
[Read more: How to Manage Company Vehicle Usage and Maintenance]
Fleetio
Fleetio is a unified platform for fleet management and maintenance. It helps business owners schedule maintenance activities, track vehicle and equipment records, and handle DVIRs. Fleetio can automate various tasks, ranging from mileage-based service reminders to syncing parts purchases to your accounting software. The platform scales from basic vehicle inventory and maintenance management to advanced tools for work and purchase order assignment.
See if the fleet management system offers annual billing or volume discounts. Alternatively, an on-premises license could fit your needs if you don’t plan to change your fleet size.
Fleet Maintenance Pro
Innovative Maintenance Systems offers web-based and desktop applications, allowing small businesses to choose how to handle their fleet management process. Fleet Maintenance Pro for Windows includes unlimited vehicles or equipment, maintenance history, and enhanced reporting. Shop managers can view depreciation information or estimate usage while technicians monitor fluid usage and receive upkeep alerts.
The cloud version is accessible from any device and has apps for iOS and Android phones. It offers single- and multiple-location subscriptions with repair tracking, work order management, and driver vehicle inspections. Managers can create custom reports, whereas drivers can request repairs from a dedicated portal.
Agile Fleet
Agile Fleet FleetCommander is a fleet management information system. Businesses start with Agile Fleet’s core application and then choose optional modules to design their fleet management solution.
It offers assigned vehicle management, fleet maintenance, parts management, motor pool and vehicle sharing, risk management, and fuel management. You can also select from many hardware options, including wireless and cellular GPS and in-vehicle telematics.
With Agile Fleet, shop managers and technicians can prioritize tasks from a central dashboard. Likewise, its routing, messaging, and real-time location tools help you optimize fuel consumption while improving driver safety.
AUTOsist
AUTOsist is an affordable fleet management system for automating maintenance and tracking drivers and assets. It has three monthly subscriptions and offers a 14-day free trial.
AUTOsist syncs with fuel cards, sends maintenance reminders, and supports custom DVIR forms. Technicians or drivers can attach receipts and access all vehicle documents from their digital glove box.
With real-time fleet GPS tracking and dual-facing high-definition dashcams, safety managers and dispatchers can monitor activities. Driver scoring and safety leaderboard increase accountability while keeping your business compliant.
FleetUp
FleetUp combines trip reporting tools, GPS vehicle tracking, and geofencing into its fleet management software program. It can alert supervisors within 10 seconds of an event occurring and help trucking companies reduce insurance rates and fuel waste. FleetUp’s asset and fleet management platform offers several plans, including four fleet management options, three asset management solutions, and two equipment management subscriptions.
Messaging features let drivers update their status or request information from dispatchers, while FleetUp’s trip-share and real-time estimated time of arrivals keep clients informed. FleetUp sells temperature sensors, ELDs, asset-tracking devices, and AI-enabled dashcams.
Whip Around
Whip Around centralizes your inspections, fleet health data, and maintenance records in a preventive maintenance fleet management app. It helps managers monitor fuel usage in real time, and drivers can use mobile devices to complete U.S. Department of Transportation-compliant inspections.
Whip Around has a free solution for owner-operators. It includes DVIR compliance tools, cloud document storage for inspection reports, and fuel management features. Paid plans add custom forms, dashboards, and reporting, integrations, and driver or asset profiles.
Cost-saving tips when choosing fleet management software
The best fleet management systems should help your small business operate efficiently and safely without significantly increasing overhead costs.
Consider these cost-saving tips when choosing apps for fleet management:
- Search for rightsized plans and modules. Rather than paying for tools and features you won’t use, look for fleet management platforms with tiered plans or modules that align with your main goals, like maintenance tracking or fuel optimization.
- Look for discounts and license options. See if the fleet management system offers annual billing or volume discounts. Alternatively, an on-premises license could fit your needs if you don't plan to change your fleet size.
- Verify if you can use your own hardware. Some vendor-bundled hardware and software solutions cost more than using compatible third-party equipment.
- Use vendor calculators and trials. Take advantage of free trials and return on investment (ROI) calculators to help you understand potential savings and how the features work.
- Check out implementation and training fees. See if you can negotiate activation or setup fees, especially if you don’t need on-site training or customization.
- Compare the total cost of ownership: Look at all costs when comparing small fleet management systems, including hardware, software, implementation, support, and add-on fees. Sometimes cheaper options have hidden subscription or support costs, so check the fine print.
Key features to look for in fleet management systems
Small fleet maintenance and management applications offer core functionalities for managing tasks, drivers, and compliance. Many solutions provide tiered plans or modules that let you add advanced features like route optimization.
Here are fleet management software features to consider:
- Vehicle tracking: This feature allows businesses to monitor vehicle activity such as speed, direction, and location, which 94% of Capterra reviewers rated as a critical fleet management feature.
- Maintenance management: Fleet health tools track asset and equipment performance by manually entering data or recording it using a diagnostic device tracker.
- Inspection management: Create custom checklists that drivers can access on mobile devices. Some apps generate work orders from inspection lists and store histories online for quick access.
- Mileage tracking: Consider fleet management apps with mileage tracking tools for accurate employee expense reporting and regulation compliance.
- Route optimization: Look for tools that help reduce fuel costs by analyzing route, customer, and vehicle data when mapping driver routes.
- Fuel management: Small fleet management programs offer several features to help monitor and manage fuel costs. Real-time tools track fuel levels, consumption, and purchases, while driver behavior features monitor activities that affect fuel efficiency and consumption.
- Inventory management: Many truck maintenance apps include features for managing spare parts and supplies, such as real-time stock level monitoring, low-level alerts, and supplier and purchase order tools.
- Work order management: Schedule repairs and assign maintenance tasks to employees using built-in tools. Managers can monitor work order progress, parts, and technician time through mobile apps or desktop devices.
- Incident reporting: With mobile apps or web-based tools, drivers can report accidents or breakdowns immediately. Fleet management software may provide features for taking photos, capturing GPS data, and gathering information.
- Employee management: This feature helps small businesses manage driver and technician schedules, track time and attendance, and record performance information. Some fleet management apps offer communication tools and alerts.
- Reporting and analytics: Choosing a fleet management system with report functionality can provide insights into inventory costs, vehicle cost per mile, and maintenance issues.
Real-world examples of small businesses using fleet tools successfully
According to Capterra, 45% of phone conversations about fleet management software came from small business buyers with 10 or fewer employees. The top industries included manufacturing, nonprofit, residential remodeling, healthcare or medical, general contractors, and consulting firms.
Check out a few examples of fleet management systems used by small businesses with 50 or fewer employees:
- One Fleetio customer in environmental services uses the maintenance management application to ensure company access to vehicle documents, like bills of sale, registration, and insurance cards. They noted that it eliminates guesswork from maintenance service schedules.
- An AUTOsist user in the information technology and services industry keeps records organized and updated for vehicles across a distributed workforce. They found the weekly and monthly vehicle checklists most helpful.
- A Samsara customer in transportation appreciates the alerts for speeding, cell phone usage, harsh braking, and idling. They use these tools to coach drivers and improve safety.
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