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Choosing a GPS Fleet Management System
GPS fleet tracking software helps you track vehicles and assets and monitor driving behaviors. Here's how to select the right platform for your needs.
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Hundreds of thousands of transport managers nationwide use GPS-based fleet management platforms to track driver locations and behaviors and monitor fuel costs and vehicle maintenance. These platforms share many similarities, but specific features, contract requirements, pricing and integrations may make one better for your business than another.
We’ll explain more about GPS fleet management systems and share tips and considerations for choosing a fleet and asset tracking solution that helps you improve safety and efficiency.
What is GPS fleet management?
GPS fleet management is the process of using GPS tracking devices to gain greater insights into vehicle locations, driver behaviors, fuel consumption and much more. GPS fleet management systems ensure drivers act safely and responsibly on the road and that vehicles operate more efficiently.
These systems use hardware and software to meet their goals. Hardware is installed in vehicles to track their location, generate maintenance diagnostic information and monitor driving behaviors. The hardware sends real-time data to the system software via a cellular network (and occasionally by satellite) to provide the most current information possible.
Among other things, GPS fleet tracking systems can:
- Optimize driver routes
- Run driver safety scoreboards
- Track vehicle and asset movement
- Change driver job specs
- Schedule vehicle maintenance
Tejas Bhakta, CEO of AirPinpoint, an asset tracking firm that uses Apple’s AirTags to track company machinery and equipment, explained that GPS and asset tracking systems can be transformative for companies.
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“Instead of relying on radio check-ins, firms now get automated location, usage and health updates across vehicles, trailers and even small tools,” Bhakta said. “Businesses with fleets can see where their drivers are, plan routes involving more drop points, and set preventative maintenance plans to keep their vehicles on the road for longer.”
Bhakta also noted that GPS fleet management systems can help businesses identify underutilized vehicles they could potentially sell. “One logistics client of ours found 12 percent of their assets were going unused for weeks — this insight alone cut rental costs by five figures per quarter,” Bhakta recalled.
How to choose a GPS fleet management system
With numerous options to consider, selecting the ideal GPS fleet management service for your business can be a challenging task. Follow these steps to get on the right track:
- Know and understand your fleet. First, create a list of every vehicle and asset you need to monitor. This list will inform your tracking hardware needs. For example, tracking a truck will require different equipment than tracking a container or a piece of construction site machinery.
- Consider the metrics you want to track. Your fleet makeup will dictate your specific needs, but priorities will vary depending on your business. “The vendor a company chooses should provide features that allow them to monitor and meet their business objectives,” explained Adam Lang, director of customer advisory services at AI fleet safety firm Netradyne. For example, driver safety and accountability may be your top priority. If so, you’ll want to track driver behavior, ideally with dashcams. In contrast, if you’re concerned about asset management for your construction business, you’ll likely want technology that records and analyzes maintenance metrics and provides utilization alerts.
- Select “must-have” features. GPS fleet tracking is a considerable investment. Without clearly prioritizing your business’s must-have features versus nice-to-have features, overspending is easy. List features you consider non-negotiable and note others that would be helpful if you can afford them. For example, you may want tracking functionality but feel you can forego dashcams. Or you may feel that AI-powered dashcams are non-negotiable, but you don’t necessarily need extensive third-party integrations.
- Establish a budget. With your fleet size and must-have features in mind, set a maximum per-vehicle budget. You may need to up your budget later, but a starting point is necessary.
- Consider your ideal commitment level. Consider whether you prefer an easy-in, easy-out agreement or are willing to commit to a three-year contract with a specific provider if the price and service are ideal.
- Research the market. There is no shortage of GPS fleet tracking solutions. Thankfully, most providers list available features and services on their websites. You can also check out our comprehensive reviews of the best GPS fleet management services to compare and contrast features and functionalities. Compile a shortlist of promising providers with the functionality you need at a price within your target budget.
- Check out free trials and demos. Contact the providers on your shortlist to see if they offer a free 30-day trial for testing the system. Providers that don’t offer a free trial will likely provide a free demo. Bhakta recommends test-driving a system in a real-world environment. “Set up three to five assets across types — truck, tools, trailer, small equipment — and run them for seven to 10 days,” Bhakta advised. “Check if the location updates fast enough for live dispatch, see if you can automate idle alerts and maintenance reminders, evaluate the mobile experience, and look at data export or APIs.”
- Seek opinions and reviews. Check out online reviews to gain an unbiased perspective of any potential platform’s usability and customer service. If you know fleet managers at other companies who use a particular provider, ask them about their experiences.
- Get a quote and negotiate with suppliers. Ask your reps for a quote that includes your non-negotiable features and services. Some providers won’t be able to deviate from set price lists, but others may negotiate with you to win your business. Bhakta cautions against long-term contracts due to the rapid evolution of software and recommends asking about API access, monthly or annual terms, and pause options for seasonal businesses. The goal is to secure the best outcome for your organization.
- Sign up with a fleet management service. Your final choice will accommodate your fleet’s needs and priorities at a price you can afford and contract terms you can live with.
10 things to consider when choosing a GPS fleet management system
If you’re new to the world of GPS fleet management, you may feel overwhelmed by the industry’s jargon and vast array of options. Here’s a quick primer on essential considerations when choosing a GPS fleet tracking solution:
1. Cost and contracts
GPS fleet management costs vary widely depending on your fleet’s size and the features you need. Most vendors charge a monthly fee, with per-vehicle costs ranging from $20 to $100 per month. Some providers offer free hardware, while others charge per user.
These vendors offer various payment options, including annual subscriptions and pay-as-you-go plans. Some services require an annual or multiyear contract, but many don’t require a long-term commitment.
2. Real-time alerts and notifications
GPS fleet management solutions and other types of telematics software provide real-time fleet-related notifications. For example, you can get notifications when a vehicle leaves your facility and arrives at its destination and receive driver behavior alerts. “We use telematics to track driver behavior for things like speeding, harsh braking, idling and route adherence,” noted Ari Raptis, CEO of cannabis industry logistics provider Talaria Transportation.
Look for a platform with driver reporting functionality so you’ll receive notifications related to a specific route or driver. These features can be essential for fleet and asset safety and security. Gaining more visibility into your fleet can help you build a more efficient business.
Brendon Hill, senior vice president of product at fleet management platform Lytx, added that fleet managers across the company’s client base rely heavily on alerts to stay ahead of issues. “[Managers monitor] key events such as unauthorized vehicle use, geofence violations and diagnostic alerts (DTCs), the last of which is critical for identifying vehicle health issues early, before they lead to costly repairs or impact driver safety,” Hill explained.
Raptis says proactive alerts can be particularly valuable. “We use proactive alerts to monitor everything from delivery times to vehicle maintenance,” Raptis explained. “If there’s a delay due to traffic, weather or any other disruption, our dispatch and customer service teams are immediately notified so we can communicate with clients quickly.”
3. Customizable dashboards
The top GPS fleet tracking services allow you to customize your home dashboard. You can select the analytics you want to monitor — including real-time asset tracking, fuel efficiency metrics and driver safety scores — and organize them into one intuitive dashboard.
4. Ease of use
The best GPS fleet management software is straightforward and intuitive. Once it’s implemented, you should be able to track essential metrics routinely and seamlessly, gaining valuable insights to help create a more efficient company.
5. Vehicle diagnostics features
Top fleet management solutions provide unparalleled insight into driver safety, fuel efficiency and vehicle maintenance. By tracking mileage and general vehicle health, you’ll know when your vehicles need to be serviced.
The best fleet management systems store all your vehicles’ maintenance histories in one easily accessible place, allowing you to understand the life cycles of individual vehicles in relation to your overall fleet.
6. Driving behavior tracking
Driver safety tracking is one of the marquee features of many telematics solutions. When you work with fleet management companies, you’re opening the door to a safer fleet, which can lead to safer roadways.
Telematics services can gauge driver safety, compile data and present it via easy-to-read driver scorecards. Hard braking, rapid acceleration and swerving are examples of activities that telematics solutions track to create driver safety scores.
Lang emphasized that real-time feedback can transform driver safety. “Driver safety has improved through features such as real-time in-cab audio alerts for speeding, following distance, distracted driving, or inertial events like harsh braking, hard turns and other indicators of aggressive driving,” Lang noted. “Many platforms now come with built-in training programs you can fashion around an individual driver’s bad driving behaviors.”
7. Signal and uptime
The best GPS fleet management solutions provide near-real-time data collection and updates. This means you can have 100 percent visibility into your fleet at any time. This technology is unmatched in other industries.
8. Mobile access
Telematics solutions are cloud-based platforms you can access from any device. Many also have stellar driver and admin mobile apps to streamline operations. If you’re a fleet manager who travels or can’t access your office computer, you’ll still be able to check in on your fleet.
9. Third-party integrations and automation
Many telematics platforms offer helpful third-party integrations. By connecting other business solutions to your fleet management software, you can integrate your overall business technology suite. Integrations vary based on the platform, so work closely with your fleet management system representative to ensure you have access to the tools you need.
Lang believes that the tighter a GPS system integrates with other apps in a firm’s tech stack, such as a customer relationship management (CRM) platform, the better. “Connecting to a CRM system is a great advantage,” Lang said. “Many platforms offer pre-built integrations, but if yours isn’t covered, you can achieve connection through APIs and software development kits.”
10. Customer support
The best fleet management solutions offer 24/7 customer support. These providers can help you quickly resolve problems with your hardware or software.
Why you should use a GPS fleet management system
If you run a trucking, freight, construction, delivery or any other logistics business, knowing where your vehicles and materials are is crucial. Ensuring safety and compliance is also essential. GPS fleet management systems address these concerns and more.
Here are some of the top reasons businesses use a GPS fleet management system:
- Monitor a fleet’s locations and performance: GPS fleet management systems provide information on location, fuel usage, engine idling time and driver behavior. “[We] know where every driver is, what route they’re on, and how long it’ll take to complete a delivery,” Raptis explained.
- Decrease insurance costs: Many insurance providers offer discounts and lower commercial auto insurance costs for fleet companies with GPS tracking devices installed on their vehicles.
- Save on fuel: GPS tracking systems provide more efficient routes and improve driver behavior, resulting in less idling and fewer stops, which can decrease fuel consumption and help reduce your fleet’s idle time. “Before GPS, drivers might take the route they think is fastest,” Raptis noted. “Now, we optimize routes based on traffic, road closures and delivery windows. That’s cut down our delivery times and fuel costs in a big way.”
- Reduce downtime and maintenance costs: GPS tracking software can send you alerts when routine maintenance is due. Text alerts or emails can inform you when it’s time for oil changes, tire rotations and more, ensuring well-maintained vehicles and decreasing downtime.
- Improve customer satisfaction: GPS tracking systems let you pinpoint your drivers’ precise locations, allowing dispatchers to inform customers of their driver’s estimated arrival time. “[Fleet tracking has] allowed us to be more accurate with ETAs, which boosts customer trust and satisfaction,” Raptis said.
- Locate assets: There is a tremendous risk of theft and misuse involved in transporting goods. GPS tracking systems provide you with the location of your equipment, company vehicles and loads at all times, making it easier to act in the event of a loss or theft. “Automating the reporting of the loss or theft of a vehicle or asset means no one needs to spend an hour of paid time investigating, filling out and filing a loss report,” Bhakta noted.
- Maintain compliance: Compliance becomes more challenging for fleets that travel interstate routes, as rules vary between locations. Many GPS tracking systems solve this problem. For example, Verizon Connect helps drivers comply with state and federal laws, regardless of their location within the country. (Read our Verizon Connect review to learn more.)
Bhakta predicts an AI-driven future in which fleet tracking and management become even more automated and self-managing.
“Whether it’s a $100K bulldozer or a $75 hand tool, every asset will self-report where it is, if it’s being used and if it’s healthy,” Bhakta explained. “GPS and AirTag-style tech will be embedded and disposable. What used to be a full-time dispatcher’s job will be run by AI — detecting waste, scheduling jobs, and flagging risk without human input. We’re going from tracking to self-managing fleets.”
Specialist fleet tracking systems for specific use cases
GPS fleet tracking is increasingly used in high-risk, high-precision environments where knowing a vehicle’s exact behavior and location is crucial. Here are two examples:
- Auto manufacturing: Auto manufacturers use systems like AutoVentive to protect loading crews, manage damage risks and identify inefficiencies faster when vehicles are in transit or waiting in the yard for pickup or loading. “In our industry, clients want to be able to monitor not only the vehicle once loaded onto the railcar but also while in the yard,” explained AutoVentive CTO Lee Williams. “We added in alerting for speeding inside the yard, harsh cornering and braking.”
- Mining: In mining, 250 open-pit sites around the world use Modular Mining’s DISPATCH system to track haul trucks and loaders in real time. It directs each vehicle to the next destination, aiming to minimize wait times at loading points and reduce queues at the dumping site.
These types of advanced, industry-specific systems aren’t yet widespread, but that’s changing. Their growth is being driven by gains in safety, efficiency and cost control, as well as increasing pressure from regulators and insurers, especially when high-value cargo is involved.
In some industries, companies may need to provide time-stamped proof that vehicles are following approved routes, adhering to speed limits, and maintaining routine maintenance. Having this kind of documentation can support insurance claims and help meet stricter safety standards.
