The Best Fleet Management Services of 2024

GPS fleeting tracking uses GPS satellites to monitor the location and movement of vehicles or assets within a fleet. This tracking system provides businesses with real-time data on their fleet’s whereabouts, enabling them to optimize operations, improve efficiency and reduce costs.

Several types of businesses can benefit from GPS fleet management:

• Trucking companies, delivery services and courier services
• Construction and field services
• Rental car companies
• Government agencies
• Private fleets for retail, manufacturing and distribution services

GPS fleet management uses a combination of hardware and software to track company assets like trucks, equipment and drivers. GPS fleet management hardware records and sends a wide variety of data that used to improve driver safety, maintain and service your vehicles better, decrease fuel costs, protect against damage and theft, and increase the number of jobs individual drivers can carry out in a day thanks to route optimization.

Most GPS fleet tracking providers don’t require you to download apps or programs to your PC or Mac to access data. You can access their platforms via internet browsers like Chrome, Firefox and Edge. You will need to download mobile phone apps.

On GPS fleet tracking dashboards, you can see live information on your vehicles, their location and the trip they’re making. You can run reports on driver safety and performance, fuel efficiency and optimization, geofences and route navigation and vehicle condition and maintenance to improve efficiency.

GPS fleet tracking offers numerous advantages for businesses that manage fleets of vehicles. These benefits include:

Improved efficiency

GPS tracking allows you to plan and optimize routes, reducing travel time and fuel consumption.

By monitoring vehicle performance and identifying potential issues early, you can schedule preventive maintenance and avoid costly breakdowns.

Enhanced security

GPS tracking can help deter theft by allowing you to locate and recover stolen vehicles.

You can monitor vehicle usage to prevent unauthorized use, as well as set virtual boundaries to alert you if vehicles enter or exit specific areas.

Improved customer service

GPS fleet tracking can provide customers with real-time updates on the location of their shipments or services. This allows you to respond quickly to customer inquiries or issues by tracking the location of field workers or delivery drivers.

Reduced costs

GPS fleet tracking helps to optimize routes and reduce idle time to minimize fuel consumption. This preventative maintenance can help identify and address issues before they escalate, reducing costly repairs. Some insurance companies also offer discounts to businesses that use GPS fleet tracking.

Better visibility

Tracking vehicle locations and activities in real time provides valuable insights into your fleet’s operations. Analyze data on driver behavior, fuel consumption and vehicle maintenance to identify areas for improvement.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution to fleet management tracking. Providers know this and they aim to provide solutions tailored to your business’s specific needs. While many providers require a 36-month contract, others offer 30-day rolling contracts.

The price depends on the number of vehicles or assets you track and the vehicle, driver and asset data you want. Some providers include all data and features with their per-vehicle, per-month price while others offer a base set of functions that you can supplement with additional subscriptions and third-party contracts.

When choosing a GPS tracking service, “consider key features like real-time tracking, fuel efficiency, and driver safety,” said Tim Peters, chief marketing officer at Enghouse Systems, which specializes in fleet management and telematics.

Here are some factors that you should keep in mind during your search:

Hardware and Installation

All GPS fleet tracking services we reviewed offer plug-and-play hardware, including the trackers themselves. They plug into the OBD-II port on your vehicle. With most providers, it takes around 10 minutes to install a device and connect it to the software. You can move GPS trackers between vehicles at any time.

“Look for platforms offering robust data integration with telematics,” Peters advised, as they provide comprehensive fleet insights.

Some providers offer hardwired trackers. Some require professional installation, often at an additional cost. They are less prone to tampering and do not require as much maintenance.

Most providers offer dashcams (many of them powered by AI), asset trackers, trailer trackers, heavy equipment trackers and driver ID readers.

This Azuga dash cam is AI-powered and films the road and the driver in-cab. Source: Azuga

Driver Safety and Performance

GPS fleet tracking systems allow companies to monitor the performance of their drivers for safety and fuel efficiency.

Incidents of unsafe driving that waste fuel are recorded and sent to the control dashboard. These include events like harsh driving, speeding, hard braking, rapid acceleration, aggressive cornering, idling, fuel usage, cell phone distractions, unauthorized usage and engine on/off times.

Some systems create driver quality scores from this information, allowing you to quickly identofy which drivers are behaving responsibly and which may need additional training.

Vehicle Condition and Maintenance

Maintaining the health of your fleet is imperative to reduce costs and increase safety and performance. Fleet management software can record the fuel level, battery voltage, odometer reading and coolant and engine temperatures of each company vehicle. The sensors within your vehicle hardware also alert you to DTCs that indicate emerging problems, sending fault data to your control dashboard.

Many fleet tracking platforms allow you to set a timetable for preventive maintenance.

Alerts and Reports

Many systems send automatic alerts to drivers, system admins and supervisors, as well as people at destinations where your vehicles are headed. Choose what you want them to be notified of and the system will take care of it.

For example, in addition to DTC alerts, you can tell the system to notify you and your driver of unsafe driving habits in real time.

Your system collects and stores a lot of data on vehicles, drivers and trips. You can run reports on that data to identify driver training needs and fuel consumption trends, such as fuel wasted through unsafe or poor driving habits.

These reports provide the insight you need to save money and increase efficiency across your business.

Cost

It’s also important to consider pricing. It’s not just about the month-to-month costs but the value of what you get for the money spent.

Matt Graber, co-owner of Cool Hand Movers, said they prioritized finding GPS tracking software that allowed them to pay for what they need and not a bunch of add-ons they wouldn’t use.

“We have a relatively small fleet that operates locally 90 percent of the time, so it was important not to overpay for features we don’t need or a fleet size far larger than anything we would grow into in the next couple of years,” Graber said.

Many GPS platforms allow you to set alerts to be notified immediately on factors ranging from driver behavior to vehicle engine performance. Source: Samara

Usability

Fleet management systems are controlled via the online dashboard. All providers have attempted to create an intuitive UI, although some do this better than others. For brand-new fleet tracking system users, you may want to choose a provider with an extensive online knowledge base that offers tips and techniques about how to get the most from your system.

Some mobile apps offer system supervisors and administrators the full range of features available on the PC/Mac desktop dashboard; however, some providers offer limited mobile functionality.

Many providers offer REST API interfaces, allowing data on the platform to be integrated into third-party programs like Salesforce and other top CRM software solutions.

Customer Service

Customer service levels vary from provider to provider. Some offer 24/7 access while others are available during working hours only. Some make it easy to speak with representatives on the phone while others prefer you to communicate by email, help desk or ticketing system. A few companies provide named accounts or customer success representatives to customers.

Chris Dukich, owner of Display Now, said finding a provider that offered help getting set up in a seamless fashion was critical when searching for a GPS tracking solution.

“Onboarding support also was of pivotal importance as we expected no interruption during the course of the deployment,” Dukich said.

Future trends

Peters believes that business owners should keep up with the latest GPS tracking developments to ensure that they are using the latest technology.

“Future trends point towards AI-powered predictive analytics, enabling smarter route planning and vehicle maintenance, and 5G integration,” Peters said. “[This] will revolutionize data transmission speed for real-time updates.”

GPS fleet tracking systems offer a wide range of features to help businesses optimize their operations and improve efficiency. Here are some of the most important features to consider:

Real time tracking

GPS fleet tracking systems provide real-time location data for each vehicle in your fleet, allowing you to monitor their movements and activities.

Route optimization

Many systems offer route optimization features that help plan the most efficient routes for your vehicles, reducing fuel consumption and travel time.

Driver behavior analysis

GPS fleet tracking can be used to monitor driver behavior, such as speeding, harsh braking and excessive idling. This information can help improve driver safety and reduce operating costs.

Geofencing

Geofencing allows you to create virtual boundaries around specific areas. You can receive alerts if vehicles enter or exit these boundaries, which can be helpful for security, compliance and ensuring that vehicles are staying within designated areas.

Fuel and maintenance monitoring

GPS fleet tracking systems can track fuel consumption for each vehicle, allowing you to identify areas where fuel efficiency can be improved in an effort to reduce costs. Some systems also provide alerts when vehicles need maintenance or repairs, helping you avoid unexpected downtime.

Reporting and analytics

GPS fleet tracking systems can generate reports on various metrics, such as fuel consumption, driver behavior and vehicle utilization. This data can help identify areas for improvement and make data-driven decisions.

There are many excellent vendors offering GPS fleet management solutions. Six more you may wish to consider are:

ClearpathGPS

ClearpathGPS is ideal for companies on a tight budget. For $20 per month per vehicle, your subscription includes driver reports, ELD support, geofencing, and traffic overlays. For $5 extra, you get real-time alerts, advanced reports, open API access, and more integrations. AI dash cams cost $30 per month per vehicle. ClearpathGPS offers flexible terms with just 30 days’ notice and a 30-day free trial.

The platform is easy to use and feature-packed. There are two maintenance options to keep your vehicles on the road and managers can set a wide range of alerts to be notified on issues like speeding and out-of-hours usage. We like how ClearpathGPS gives you the choice between plug-and-play and hardwired GPS trackers – many providers now only offer plug and play. Click to find out more with our comprehensive ClearpathGPS review.

Force

Force has long been a leading provider of GPS fleet management for smaller businesses. While that’s still where their focus lies, we like how the company has adapted the system to appeal to a wider base as they have removed the previous limit of 30 vehicles per fleet and they can now track Class 6, 7 and 8 vehicles.

Force’s smart mix of features and functionality also makes it a great choice for expanding local businesses thanks to its competitive pricing, easy scalability and excellent customer service. We were particularly impressed by the integration with Housecall Pro, which companies can use to create, schedule, and move jobs, and text customers to let them know that a company representative is on their way to their location. The proactive maintenance tools excel, alerting managers to potential and emerging vehicle issues, so you can keep them on the road for longer. For more information, read our in-depth review of Force.

GPS Trackit

For companies needing robust video telematics and a fully-featured GPS fleet management service, we recommend that you include GPS TrackIt on your shortlist of prospective vendors. GPS TrackIt’s VidFleet One and VidFleet AI+ dash cams are best in class, offering 360-degree views, tamper detection and eye-tracking. We love how the platform’s multi channel splitter can record from up to four HD cameras simultaneously so you get the fullest possible view of driver behavior when the system records an event. The platform shines in its reporting and analytics capabilities, allowing managers to track a range of vehicle and driver metrics from speed and onboard temperature to safety and fuel performance. Find out more by reading our GPS Trackit review.

FleetUp

FleetUp boasts a highly satisfied user base thanks to its laser focus on keeping customers happy. Key to this is their comprehensive, around-the-clock support the company offers by phone, email and online chat. After you sign up, you’re assigned a company rep to help you with system set up. It’s excellent that all this help is available but you may not need to use it as FleetUp has one of the most intuitive and user-friendly dashboards on the market. Fleet managers will find vehicle maintenance and management easy setting up alerts on a range of metrics from low battery voltage and engine temperature to idling and sharp turning. We were impressed at how well implemented the driver and admin/manager mobile apps were in handling everything from managing maintenance schedules to sharing DVIRS with mechanics. For a run-down of its main features, visit our review of FleetUp.

RAM Tracking

RAM Tracking stands out as the best GPS fleet management platform for fleets with three to 10 vehicles. This budget-friendly service starts at $10 per month per vehicle for GPS tracking with the option to choose extras live multi-camera tracking and AI-powered dash cams for a minimal extra charge. Users benefit from 30 different types of reports, 60 hours of cloud recording and isolated recording of incidents on the road that can be recalled if needed as evidence. There is a free 30-day trial if you want to try the system out before committing.

To determine the best GPS fleet management services on the market, our team of technology experts and software analysts evaluated an initial list of 25 vendors. We then considered a number of factors, to whittle down our list, including its usability, hardware options, safety features and reporting capabilities.

After narrowing our list down to 14, we chose six services as our top recommendations. Our experts and analysts studied each solution’s functionality and evaluated the systems on more than 30 factors.

These factors were weighted differently in our overall conclusion. The weights were determined based on how much business owners prioritize these criteria when shopping for business software and services and making purchasing decisions.

• Pricing (30%): Our experts and analysts compared and contrasted each vendor’s plans, judging which packages offered the best bang for your buck. They took into account monthly subscription rates, caps on fleet size, hardware costs, contract lengths and add-on fees.
• Features (25%): We looked for standard GPS fleet management functions like dashcam recording, electronic logging, fleet management tools, driver safety monitoring and maintenance tracking. We also assessed the available integrations and awarded extra points for advanced services, like AI-powered dashcams and open API access.
• Ease of Use (20%): We tested the hardware and software ourselves, gauging each solution’s learning curve, user-friendliness and customization options. We also considered whether the GPS devices and other equipment were plug-and-play and if the vendor offered a fully featured mobile app for handling fleet management tasks on the go.
• Customer Service (15%): We evaluated the range of customer service options, including whether phone assistance was provided with all package tiers. We also examined each vendor’s online resources for businesses interested in self-guided help.
• Hardware (10%): We examined the various hardware options for businesses. Was there a range of options? Did they offer options that needed to be professionally installed and plug-and-play ready tools, or just one or the other? We wanted to ensure businesses weren’t locked into hardware that wouldn’t serve their needs.

Based on these criteria, we not only determined which fleet management systems our readers could trust but also the ways in which each solution could best serve different business needs. Some services were better at certain tasks than others or more suited to a particular type of company. These takeaways informed the “Best for” use cases you see on this page.

To learn more about our methodology, see our full editorial process.