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Motive Review

Mark Fairlie
Written by:
Mark Fairlie, Senior Analyst
Shari Weiss editor headshot
Editor verified:
Shari Weiss,Senior Editor
Last Updated Apr 29, 2026
Business.com earns commissions from some listed providers. Editorial Guidelines.
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Table of Contents

Open row
Editors Score:9.3/10
Motive is our pick for the best GPS fleet management solution for driver accountability. Its scalable platform pairs AI-powered dashcams, driver training and human-reviewed safety events to give managers clear insight into driver behavior.
Thumbs Up Pros
  • Motive's driver scoring stands out for its contextual, data-driven approach to measuring performance.
  • AI-powered dashcams paired with human-reviewed safety events give Motive a clear edge in driver accountability and safety monitoring.
  • Real-time GPS and telematics provide continuous visibility into fleet activity.
Thumbs Down Cons
  • Pricing isn't transparently listed on the website, so you'll need to go through sales to get a quote.
  • For smaller fleets, the platform and its hardware setup may be more than what's necessary.
  • There's no obvious free trial, which makes it harder to try before you commit.
Motive logo
Editor's Rating9.3/10

Home shopping and international trade growth have made businesses and consumers more reliant on delivery vehicles than ever. For companies that regularly transport goods, a continually updated GPS fleet-tracking system is a reliable way to manage delivery vehicles on crowded roads and freeways.

Motive stands out by balancing core fleet management needs with a strong focus on driver accountability. The platform scales with your business and offers customizable reporting and alerts based on the vehicle and driver data you care about most. With intelligent routing, AI-powered dashcams backed by human review, and data-driven driver scoring and training, Motive is our pick for the best GPS fleet management solution for businesses prioritizing driver accountability.

Motive Editor's Rating:

9.3 / 10

Contract length
9/10
Price
9/10
Refresh rate
10/10
Customer support
10/10
Hardware type
9/10
Functionality
9/10

Why We Chose Motive for Driver Accountability

We like that Motive builds driver accountability directly into its platform, rather than treating it as an add-on. Its integration of Compliance, Safety and Accountability (CSA) scores gives fleet managers a clearer view of driver risk and where problems are starting to show up. It also ties into Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) compliance requirements, including electronic logging device (ELD) mandates.

Motive pairs that compliance data with AI-powered dashcams and telematics insights to identify risky driving behaviors in real time. When safety events are flagged, they’re reviewed by Motive’s safety team before reaching managers, which helps reduce false positives and gives teams better context into what actually happened.

That combination — automated detection with human review — makes a noticeable difference. Fleet managers aren’t chasing alerts that don’t matter, and drivers aren’t penalized for mistakes they didn’t make.

Layer in driver scorecards and built-in coaching tools, and the platform gives businesses a clear way to track performance over time and guide drivers toward safer habits. For companies where accountability and safety go hand in hand, Motive stands out as a more complete solution.

Did You Know?Did you know
Motive, formerly KeepTruckin, has expanded beyond ELD compliance into a full fleet management platform with safety, telematics and spend management tools.
AI dashcam interface detecting unsafe driving behaviors.
Motive’s AI-powered dashcams identify risky driving behaviors in real time and flag events for review to improve driver accountability and safety. Source: Motive

Ease of Use

Motive’s interface is clean and easy to navigate, with most of the screen dedicated to real-time fleet data. A simple left-hand menu keeps core tools — like fleet tracking, safety, compliance and dispatch — within easy reach, so you’re not digging through layers to find what you need.

The Fleet View is where most managers will spend their time. It provides a live map with vehicle locations, status updates and driver details in one place, making it easy to check in on your entire operation at a glance. From there, you can quickly click into a specific vehicle or driver to see trip history, recent activity and dashcam footage.

We also like how the platform connects information across sections. For example, safety alerts and flagged events link directly to video and driver score data, so managers can review issues and take action without switching between multiple tools.

While Motive offers a wide range of features, the layout keeps things manageable. Most tasks — whether checking compliance, reviewing safety events or dispatching drivers — follow a consistent structure, which helps new users get up to speed quickly.

FYIDid you know
Motive's Motive Card ties driver purchases to vehicle location data, so you can see when something doesn't line up — a quick way to flag potential credit card fraud. You can also export those records into the best accounting software when you're reconciling.
Motive dashboard showing vehicle trip history alongside dashcam footage and timeline controls for reviewing driver activity.
Motive’s dashboard lets managers review trip history and dashcam footage side by side, making it easier to understand driver behavior and coach in context. Source: Motive

Motive Features

Here’s a look at the features we found most notable, particularly in relation to driver accountability.

Driver Safety Scoring (formerly DRIVE)

Nearly every GPS fleet-tracking and telematics system includes driver scores. Like its competitors, Motive assigns drivers a score out of 100 based on their driving behavior. Where it stands out is how that score is calculated.

Motive’s driver scoring system — previously called DRIVE and now referred to as its Safety Score — uses a predictive risk model to evaluate performance in context. Instead of judging behavior in isolation, it compares drivers across your fleet and a broader network, helping create a more balanced view of risk.

Drivers are rated from very poor to excellent. The system is especially useful for spotting patterns tied to a driver’s typical routes, rather than overreacting to one-off events.

The Safety Score draws on several inputs, including:

  • Driver behavior: Speeding, hard braking, rapid acceleration, fatigue-related events and compliance issues
  • Road conditions: Terrain, obstacles and road type
  • Video data: AI-reviewed dashcam footage, including events like tailgating and unsafe lane changes
  • Vehicle data: Telematics data and maintenance insights
  • Environmental context: Traffic, weather, visibility and time of day

We like that Motive accounts for context. A driver navigating dense city traffic isn’t judged the same way as someone on an open highway, so scoring doesn’t penalize people for the conditions they’re working in.

Scores are calculated on a rolling basis and updated regularly, giving fleet managers a clear view of trends over time and making it easier to identify drivers who may benefit from coaching.

Motive Safety Score dashboard and mobile app showing driver behavior alerts, risk factors, and safety trends.
Motive’s Safety Score dashboard and mobile app highlight risky driving behaviors, trends and coaching opportunities so managers can step in quickly. Source: Motive

AI Cameras With Human Backup

Motive’s driver accountability tools center on its AI-powered dashcams and the human review process behind them. The system detects unsafe driving behaviors (e.g., cell phone use, close following, drowsiness and speeding) and flags those events for review. Motive says its safety team includes more than 400 experts who review AI-flagged safety event videos, helping reduce false positives and giving fleet managers more context before they take action.

Here’s how those pieces come together in practice.

AI Dashcam Plus

Motive’s AI Dashcam Plus is the centerpiece of its camera system. It combines the dashcam and vehicle gateway into a single device and runs more than 30 AI models simultaneously, using video, telematics data, GPS and motion inputs to identify risky behaviors in real time. 

Additional features include:

  • Stereo vision: Dual forward-facing cameras improve depth perception and distance tracking.
  • License plate recognition: A high-resolution lens can capture plates in low visibility or at a distance.
  • Voice commands: Drivers can say “Hey Motive” to save footage or request support without taking their hands off the wheel.
  • Live communication: Drivers and managers can connect in real time when something comes up on the road.
  • First responder integration: If a severe collision is detected, the system can trigger a RapidSOS alert that shares vehicle location and crash details with emergency responders.

AI Omnicam

For fleets that need more visibility, Motive offers its AI Omnicam as an add-on camera system. It expands coverage beyond the front of the vehicle, providing side, rear and cargo views. This can be especially useful for monitoring blind spots, handling loading disputes or reviewing incidents that happen outside a standard dashcam’s field of view.

Human video review

What really sets Motive apart is the human review layer. Instead of sending every AI alert straight to managers, flagged safety event videos are reviewed first by Motive’s safety team. That extra step cuts down on noise, helps prevent drivers from being unfairly penalized and keeps managers focused on incidents that actually require attention.

Bottom LineBottom line
Motive's combination of AI detection, human review and integrated hardware gives businesses a more complete way to monitor driver behavior, reduce risk and build a stronger long-term safety program.
Diagram showing Motive's AI Dashcam Plus combining a traditional AI dashcam and a vehicle gateway into a single integrated device.
Motive’s AI Dashcam Plus combines the dashcam and vehicle gateway into one device, simplifying installation while supporting advanced AI-powered safety features. Source: Motive

Driver Training and Coaching

Motive’s driver training tools are built around real driving data, using the platform’s AI-powered dashcams and automated coaching workflows to help managers reinforce safer habits over time.

Here’s how the system supports coaching in practice:

  • Video-based coaching: Managers can send clips from specific incidents straight to drivers, or let the system flag “coachable events” when something crosses a threshold. It’s a straightforward way to make sure issues actually get surfaced instead of sitting in a queue.
  • AI-generated coaching videos: Motive’s AI Coach creates short, personalized videos based on each driver’s recent activity. They focus on the events that matter most for that driver’s score and walk through what to change, usually starting with what went well before getting into what needs work.
  • Faster feedback loops: In a lot of fleets, coaching doesn’t happen until days — sometimes weeks — after an incident. Motive tightens that window by getting feedback in front of drivers sooner, while the situation is still fresh.
  • Flexible coaching approach: Managers can choose between automated coaching and hands-on sessions. If preferred, they can review footage one-on-one with drivers, walk through incidents together and tailor feedback in real time.
  • Coaching documentation: Managers can add notes to each event, capture the driver’s version of what happened and mark incidents as “coached.” This creates a clear record of follow-up and helps track accountability over time.
  • Real-time driver alerts: Drivers receive in-cab warnings for risky behaviors like drowsiness or following too closely. Managers are alerted to the same events, making it easier to reinforce those moments later during coaching.
  • Performance tracking and incentives: Motive ties coaching to driver scorecards, giving managers a way to track improvement over time. Teams can also use these insights to run incentive programs that encourage safer driving habits across the fleet.
Motive coaching dashboard showing a driver's close-following incident with dashcam footage, AI risk detection overlay and options to review, add notes and mark the event as coached.
Motive’s coaching dashboard lets managers review flagged driving events, add context and mark incidents as coached, creating a clear record of driver feedback and follow-up. Source: Motive

Fleet Manager Reporting and Oversight

Motive brings together reporting, fuel tracking, dispatch and compliance tools in one place, giving fleet managers a clearer view of day-to-day operations without jumping between systems and ultimately helping reduce fleet idle time.

We were especially impressed by the following capabilities:

  • Custom reporting: Managers can generate reports across key areas like fuel use, maintenance, driver behavior, inspections, safety, compliance and vehicle utilization. The ability to pull this data into one view makes it easier to spot trends and address issues before they escalate.
  • Fuel tracking and benchmarking: Motive’s Fuel Hub helps track fuel consumption by vehicle and driver while flagging behaviors that drive up costs, such as idling, hard braking and aggressive acceleration. Performance can be benchmarked against a large network of vehicles, giving managers helpful context when evaluating efficiency.
  • Motive Card (fuel and spend management): The Motive Card combines fuel purchasing with broader spend controls, allowing managers to monitor transactions by driver, vehicle, location and amount. Built-in controls — like requiring drivers to unlock the card for each transaction — help reduce misuse, while location and vehicle data provide additional context when reviewing purchases.

Beyond fuel and reporting, Motive includes several tools that support day-to-day fleet oversight:

  • Driver management: Track compliance with hours-of-service rules, ELD requirements and safety alerts in one place.
  • Dispatch management: Gain real-time visibility into trip progress and driver location, with the ability to assign work and track job completion from a central dashboard. Motive reduces manual coordination by automating parts of the dispatch workflow, while also allowing managers to message drivers in real time through the Motive Driver app.
  • Asset tracking: Monitor asset locations and usage patterns in real time and identify underutilized or idle equipment. Motive also offers hardware like the Motive Beacon for tracking smaller assets and containers. The Beacon uses a Bluetooth-based mesh network, relying on nearby vehicles and gateways to report its location, which works best in active fleet environments.
  • Group messaging: Send updates to your full fleet or specific subfleets directly from the platform.
  • Geofencing: Create custom geographic boundaries and receive alerts when vehicles enter or leave designated areas, with that data feeding into reports on movement, downtime and exceptions.

Motive has also expanded its workforce management capabilities with more automation. The platform can help manage compliance documents and timecards, pull in driver and vehicle records and extract key details from uploaded documents like licenses. This reduces manual data entry and helps keep records organized without slowing down day-to-day operations.

Motive dashboard showing a distance summary report with vehicle-level data, fuel usage and jurisdiction breakdowns, along with filters for fleet, date range and fuel type.
Motive’s reporting dashboard lets managers break down distance, fuel use and vehicle activity by driver, region or time period. Source: Motive

Intelligent Routing

Fleet managers can view the real-time location of drivers, vehicles, trailers and equipment from the Motive dashboard, making it easier to plan routes and respond to changes as they happen. The system surfaces key context, including driver status, vehicle health and hours-of-service (HOS) limits, so managers can make more informed routing decisions.

Motive also layers in factors like traffic conditions, stop locations and delivery windows, helping teams map out more efficient routes and adjust schedules when conditions change. We like that managers can see how traffic, weather and available drive time may affect a route before assigning it.

While Motive isn’t a full route optimization tool, it gives you enough visibility to plan routes more effectively and avoid the kinds of delays that tend to pile up during the day.

FYIDid you know
Motive’s vehicle gateways send updates to the dashboard roughly every one to two seconds, resulting in a fast refresh rate that gives managers a near real-time view of fleet activity. Competing platforms like Samsara offer similarly quick update intervals; learn more in our full Samsara review.

Fleet Maintenance Tools

When vehicles are down for maintenance, everything else slows down. Motive’s maintenance tools are designed to help managers stay ahead of issues so fewer vehicles end up off the road in the first place.

Managers receive alerts when diagnostic trouble codes are triggered, making it easier to catch small issues before they turn into bigger repairs. From there, the platform supports ongoing maintenance with a mix of scheduling, inspections and reporting tools, including the following:

  • Inspection records: Vehicle and asset inspection data is stored in the platform and is easy to access when you need a full maintenance history.
  • Maintenance alerts: Managers can schedule routine maintenance based on mileage, engine hours or time intervals and send reminders to drivers when service is due or overdue.
  • Inspection workflows: The Motive Driver app has an inspection mode that guides drivers through required checks. Drivers can flag issues as they go, helping fix problems that might otherwise be missed.
  • Early issue detection: Real-time fault code alerts and inspection data help managers identify patterns — including issues that may impact fuel efficiency — and take action before they lead to downtime.

Motive also lets managers customize inspection forms by vehicle type and generate reports that highlight recurring issues, giving teams a clearer picture of overall fleet health.

Driver using the Motive app to view maintenance alerts, including upcoming and overdue service based on mileage intervals.
Motive’s maintenance alerts highlight upcoming and overdue service, helping fleet managers schedule work in advance and avoid unexpected downtime. Source: Motive

Third-Party Integrations

The Motive platform is packed with built-in functionality, but we appreciate that the provider has opened its software to third parties to expand what the system can do. Motive offers more than 350 integrations through its App Marketplace, giving it one of the broader ecosystems among GPS fleet management platforms.

Partners include WEX, Slack and Microsoft Teams, while manufacturer integrations span brands like Stellantis, Volvo, John Deere and Komatsu. Motive has also expanded its ecosystem through partnerships like Fleetio, helping fleets bring fuel, maintenance and telematics data together in one place.

The marketplace includes a wide range of tools across safety, compliance and operations. For example, integrations like Nirvana Safety can help managers gain deeper insight into driver behavior and identify higher-risk drivers, while other apps focus on areas like fuel management, maintenance tracking and regulatory compliance.

There are also numerous insurance-focused integrations designed to help fleets potentially lower their commercial auto insurance premiums by sharing driver and vehicle data with participating providers.

Did You Know?Did you know
Motive has partnered with Sentry Insurance to help fleets lower commercial auto insurance costs, with potential savings of up to 5 percent for those that choose to share driving data, including ELD logs and dashcam footage.

Mobile Apps

Like many fleet platforms, Motive offers two mobile apps, one for drivers and one for managers. While the design is consistent across both, each app is tailored to its audience with different navigation and shortcuts.

The manager app mirrors many of the desktop dashboard’s core functions, allowing teams to stay on top of fleet activity while on the move. Managers can:

  • Track vehicles, assets and drivers: Monitor locations in real time with GPS tracking.
  • Customize map views: Adjust how fleet data is displayed for different use cases.
  • Access detailed data: View driver, vehicle and asset information in one place.
  • Manage maintenance: Keep up with schedules and vehicle health data.
  • Monitor compliance: Check ELD status and driver activity.
  • Review safety footage: Access real-time dashcam images.
  • Communicate with drivers: Reach drivers directly from the app.
  • Contact support: Connect with Motive’s 24/7 customer service team.

The driver app is just as well thought out and focuses on simplifying day-to-day tasks. Drivers can:

  • Complete inspections: Perform vehicle checks and report issues from the app.
  • Log hours of service: Manage HOS documentation and stay compliant.
  • Reduce paperwork: Digitize routine forms and records.
  • Confirm deliveries: Record delivery times and job updates.
  • Stay in touch: Communicate with fleet managers as needed.

Both apps are available on iOS and Android devices.

Motive Pricing

Like many fleet management providers, Motive no longer publishes pricing on its website. Instead, businesses need to contact the company directly for a custom quote based on factors like fleet size, hardware requirements and the features they need.

While that approach allows for more tailored pricing, it also makes it harder to compare costs upfront. We would have preferred at least some baseline pricing guidance. This lack of transparency is fairly common in the category, but it still puts more of the burden on buyers to do the legwork.

Motive offers free demos so you can see the platform in action before committing, but there’s no clear free trial option. Contracts are typically required, so it’s worth taking advantage of a demo to make sure the platform fits your needs.

Implementation and Onboarding

Motive’s setup is relatively straightforward, with a mix of plug-and-play and hardwired hardware options. In most cases, installing a Vehicle Gateway and getting it connected to the platform is quick, especially once the device is powered and within cellular range.

Drivers can get up and running just as easily. The Motive Driver app is simple to download, and the company provides clear guides to help users complete common tasks like inspections, logging hours and reviewing alerts.

We like how easy it is to scale the system. Adding new drivers or vehicles is handled directly in the dashboard, and once hardware is installed, it connects automatically to the platform. That makes it easier to expand your fleet without adding much setup overhead.

Customer Support

Motive provides 24/7 customer support across multiple channels, including phone, email, chat and its online help center. We like that support is easy to access directly from the dashboard and mobile apps, which makes it quicker for teams to get help without leaving the platform.

The company also maintains a knowledge base with guides for drivers, fleet managers, administrators and installers. In practice, that means you can look up things like setting up hardware, handling compliance tasks or checking dispatch and maintenance workflows without having to open a support ticket.

TipBottom line
When choosing a GPS fleet-tracking solution, look closely at how easy it is to access support from within the dashboard and mobile apps. Fast, in-context help can make a big difference when drivers or managers need to resolve issues quickly on the road.

Limitations

While Motive performs well in areas like driver safety and fleet visibility, there are a few limitations worth considering before you commit.

  • No standard free trial: Motive doesn’t offer a clearly defined or widely available free trial, which makes it harder for businesses to test the platform on their own terms. While trial access may be available in some cases, details are set individually, so companies looking for a predictable, self-serve trial experience may prefer providers like those highlighted in our ClearPathGPS review and GPS Trackit review.
  • Contract required: Motive typically requires a contract, which may be a drawback for businesses that prefer month-to-month flexibility. If avoiding a long-term commitment is important, read our Force by Mojio review for an alternative.
  • No Better Business Bureau accreditation: Motive isn’t accredited by the BBB. While that won’t be a deal-breaker for every business, it’s worth noting if third-party validation is part of your decision process.
  • Limited dashcam configurations: Motive’s AI dashcam tools are strong, but its camera setup options are less flexible than some competitors. If dual-facing or more customizable camera configurations are a priority, our Verizon Connect review highlights a platform with more robust options.

Methodology

During our review of the best GPS fleet-management services, we evaluated providers based on their hardware, platform features, scalability, usability, real-time data tracking and integrations. We also considered pricing and customer support.

Motive stood out as the best choice for businesses prioritizing driver accountability. Its driver scoring, human-reviewed dashcam footage and built-in coaching tools give fleet managers more context when evaluating risk and addressing unsafe behavior.

Motive FAQs

Motive is available in the United States, Canada, Mexico and the United Kingdom. Its presence across North America and the UK makes it a strong fit for businesses managing cross-border or international fleets.
Motive doesn't publish pricing for its asset tracking tools. Costs vary depending on the type of hardware you use — such as vehicle gateways or Bluetooth-enabled asset trackers — as well as the size of your fleet and your specific feature needs. You'll need to contact the company for a custom quote.
The Motive driver app is free to download, but it's designed to work with Motive's paid platform and in-vehicle hardware. Drivers use the app to connect to the Vehicle Gateway and access features like hours-of-service logging, inspections and messaging.

Bottom Line

We recommend Motive for…

  • Businesses focused on driver accountability for safety and cost control.
  • Companies that value 24/7 customer support and multiple contact options.
  • Organizations that want a fleet-management system that’s easy to deploy and scale.

We don’t recommend Motive for…

  • Companies that need transparent, upfront pricing.
  • Businesses that want a predictable, self-serve trial before committing.
  • Businesses that need advanced route optimization tools.
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Mark Fairlie
Written by: Mark Fairlie, Senior Analyst
Mark Fairlie brings decades of expertise in telecommunications and telemarketing to the forefront as the former business owner of a direct marketing company. Also well-versed in a variety of other B2B topics, such as taxation, investments and cybersecurity, he now advises fellow entrepreneurs on the best business practices. At business.com, Fairlie covers a range of technology solutions, including CRM software, email and text message marketing services, fleet management services, call center software and more. With a background in advertising and sales, Fairlie made his mark as the former co-owner of Meridian Delta, which saw a successful transition of ownership in 2015. Through this journey, Fairlie gained invaluable hands-on experience in everything from founding a business to expanding and selling it. Since then, Fairlie has embarked on new ventures, launching a second marketing company and establishing a thriving sole proprietorship.
Motive logo
Editor's Rating9.3/10