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.
What is fleet management software, and which small businesses actually need it?
Fleet management software is an online system that organizes information about vehicles, drivers, and equipment. It offers features for tracking use, maintenance requirements, and issues. Small businesses with five or more company vehicles benefit from managing fleets in a central system. Fleet management platforms can help leaders reduce downtime, identify rising costs, and decide when to purchase new vehicles.
Top vendors for small business fleet management software
Fleet management software pricing, setup, and features differ between solutions. Take stock of the tools your business needs and what problems they solve. While some small businesses require GPS fleet tracking systems, others look for simpler options for exporting expenses to financial software and staying on top of preventive maintenance. Compare top vendors to see which ones offer the most value for your fleet size.
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.
- Fleet size recommendation: Midsize fleets with more than 25 vehicles.
- Price: Custom quotes.
- Key features: Mobile apps for different job roles, live map views, driver behavior monitoring, fuel efficiency and labor cost reports, geofencing, and route optimization.
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 several add-ons, including dashcams, roadside assistance, 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.
- Fleet size recommendation: Small fleets with 10 or more vehicles.
- Price: Custom quotes.
- Key features: Time of day or location-based driver checklists, customizable safety scores, automated collision reports, and over 200 trackable telematics signals.
Motive 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. Simply set a budget with Azuga’s rewards as a service program, and Azuga handles driver scoring, reporting, and reward issuance. Azuga offers several plans and add-ons, including route optimization, field service management software, and a Fleet eLogs program that satisfies hours of service and driver vehicle inspection report (DVIR) regulations.
- Fleet size recommendation: Small fleets with up to 50 vehicles.
- Price: Custom quotes.
- Key features: Fleet mobile apps, GPS tracking, driver safety scores, geofencing, gamification features, and vehicle health diagnostics.
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.
- Fleet size recommendation: Small to midsize fleets with at least three vehicles.
- Price: Custom quotes.
- Key features: Vehicle telematics, equipment monitoring, over 350 prebuilt integrations, vehicle and driver reports, and video-based safety tools.
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.
- Fleet size recommendation: Fleets with five to 100 vehicles.
- Price: Essential: $5 per vehicle per month; Professional: $7 per vehicle per month, billed annually; Premium: $10 per vehicle per month, billed annually.
- Key features: Parts inventory, customizable vehicle inspections, driver vehicle assignments, and custom reporting dashboards.
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, while the cloud version offers single- and multiple-location subscriptions for tracking 50 to an unlimited number of assets.
- Fleet size recommendation: Small to midsize fleets with one to 100 vehicles.
- Price: Web-based plans include Basic: $35 per user per month for 50 equipment assets; Premium: $60 for up to 500 assets; Enterprise: $95 for unlimited assets.
- Key features: Repair tracking, work order management, custom reports, mobile apps, and driver vehicle inspections.
Geotab
Geotab is an AI-powered fleet management and telematics platform. It offers powerful reporting and analytics tools, including personalized benchmark reports and asset utilization dashboards. You can also connect Geotab to AI software like ChatGPT or Claude to ask questions about your fleet.
- Fleet size recommendation: Small to large fleets with one to over 100 vehicles.
- Price: Custom quotes.
- Key features: Live GPS tracking, routing and dispatch optimization, ELD compliance, geofencing, automated driver alerts, and over 400 integrations.
The best fleet management systems should help your small business operate efficiently and safely without significantly increasing overhead costs.
AUTOsist
AUTOsist is an affordable fleet management system for automating maintenance and tracking drivers and assets. It 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.
- Fleet size recommendation: Small fleets with five to 50 vehicles.
- Price: Maintenance: $7 per vehicle per month; Maintenance and GPS: $28 per vehicle per month, billed annually; Maintenance, GPS, and Safety Cams: $55 per vehicle per month, billed annually.
- Key features: Service history tracking, trip logs, parts inventory, real-time engine code alerts, and geofencing.
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. 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’s asset and fleet management platform offers several plans, including four fleet management options, three asset management solutions, and two equipment management subscriptions. It sells temperature sensors, ELDs, asset-tracking devices, and AI-enabled dashcams.
- Fleet size recommendation: Midsize to large fleets with 50 or more assets.
- Price: Custom quotes.
- Key features: Mobile apps for drivers and managers, built-in messaging tools, document scanner, customizable driver score cards, and remote maintenance monitoring.
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, and paid plans add custom forms and driver or asset profiles.
- Fleet size recommendation: Small to midsize fleets with one to 100 assets.
- Price: Basic: free for one asset and user; Standard: $5 per asset per month; Pro: $9 per asset; or custom pricing for FixedUnlimited.
- Key features: DVIR compliance tools, cloud document storage for inspection reports, personalized dashboards, telematics and fuel card integrations, and service scheduling.
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.
How to calculate the ROI of fleet management software before you buy
Calculating ROI helps small businesses determine if the benefits of investing in fleet management software outweigh the costs. Since ROI calculations are not exact, consider evaluating two or more calculations that assume higher or lower gains and costs. This provides worst and best case outcomes.
According to Verizon Connect’s Fleet Technology Trends Report, 44% to 48% of respondents reported a return on their investment in asset tracking, field service management, video telematics, or GPS fleet tracking in less than a year. In addition, users reported saving an average of 11% to 19% on accident, fuel, insurance, labor, and maintenance costs. Follow these steps to calculate the ROI of fleet management software.
Identify the total costs of fleet management software
Start by calculating the total cost of ownership for the first year. Add up all expenses related to a new fleet management system. Along with recurring subscription fees, consider how much you will spend on hardware or sensor purchases, software configuration, hardware installation, and employee training.
Benchmark current operational costs and estimate savings
Examine current fleet costs to see where you could improve. You may track fuel consumption, the average number of accidents and related costs per year, or the total monthly cost per driver or vehicle. Estimate potential savings across any category you monitor.
Here are a few areas where you can cut costs:
- Fuel: Fleet management software can help small businesses reduce idle times, improve driver behavior, and optimize routes. Many software vendors estimate that companies can save at least 10% on fuel costs yearly.
- Maintenance: Monitoring performance and maintaining fleets can prevent more expensive problems from occurring, reduce vehicle downtime, and decrease parts and labor costs.
- Labor: Managers, shop staff, and drivers can save time by following fleet management best practices and automating reports, driver logs, safety scores, and more. Consider how often employees perform tasks and how much time they spend entering and reviewing data.
- Safety and insurance: Some insurance providers reduce premiums for businesses that implement sensors and safety programs. Companies can use fleet management alerts, reports, and safety scores to curb unsafe behaviors and prevent accidents.
Use the ROI formula
Calculate ROI by subtracting your total software costs from your total annual savings. Then divide the result by total software costs and multiply by 100 to get a percentage. This formula shows your first year’s return on fleet management software.
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