Fleet Management Software
Get the best fleet management software for your business. Compare product reviews, pricing below. Read our buyer’s guide for more help.
What Is Fleet Management Software?
Fleet management software is an application that assists in tasks related to the acquisition, operation, and maintenance of an organization’s vehicles. This is useful for any business which requires multiple vehicles in the field. This can range from delivery trucks and vans to corporate cars for management and C-suite executives.
Fleet management systems primarily help manage and maximize the lifetime performance of company cars, vans, trucks, buses, and other vehicles. Most systems are designed to keep track of the following in real-time:
- vehicle metadata (make, model, VIN, etc.)
- vehicle history (miles, repairs, etc.)
- drivers (insurance, performance, behavior, etc.)
- predictive maintenance
- route optimization
- purchasing and leasing
Features of Fleet Management Software
Basic systems allow for simple asset tracking. Other features associated with powerful fleet management solutions also include:
- Driver records. Keep records of driver information such as insurance information and driving history. This is useful for risk management by letting you analyze driver behavior for signs of potential issues.
- Work orders. Maintain accurate work orders for all maintenance requests, vehicle history, and driver behavior.
- Service management. Create alerts for scheduled maintenance. Maintain a historical list of maintenance performed.
- Parts database. For those companies which maintain their fleet internally, track parts and materials used for maintenance.
- Route mapping. Mapping systems can include GIS mapping and turn by turn instructions. View a map of all your assets to see their locations. This is handy when you need to find the closest capable driver.
- Vehicle location history. View animated vehicle history trails. Not only create a route for the vehicle but also see where the vehicle has been down to each turn, each stop and time at each stop. Decrease route times and hold your drivers accountable. The mapping function also allows you to see when your drivers are driving faster than posted speed limits.
- Route optimization. Route optimization will help you and your drivers to create the best and most efficient route for better fuel management. make Also allows you to re-route drivers or technicians as needed.
- Maintenance. Whether you manage your fleet maintenance in house or you outsource to a third party, entering and tracking the data from those service calls is very important.
How Much Does Fleet Management Software Cost?
Software price varies by product, but typically is dependent on required features and number of managed vehicles. Knowing these two factors can help you calculate potential costs to generate a reasonable budget.
Typically premium features like GPS tracking, route planning, or condition monitoring increase costs. Most systems are priced per vehicle, per month. Enterprise on-premise systems can be purchased for a higher upfront fee, but a lower monthly vehicle cost.
Prices range from $15 to $150 per vehicle, per month. Typical use cases average $35 per vehicle, per month.
In-House Maintenance in Fleet Management Software
Managing your fleet internally takes a lot of resources, especially when you need to remove vehicles for repairs, schedule divers, and plan out maintenance. Fortunately, the right fleet maintenance software can help you take some pressure off of those resources by streamlining your review process. Managing staff, scheduling work, ordering parts, and maintaining records in-house is all possible with fleet management software.
Parts Management
Track inventory of commonly used parts including filters, oil, and fuel. Also maintain an inventory of other parts that may not be used as frequently but also track what is on hand by make, model and year. Track usage of inventory and set up alerts to notify you when you are running low. Because you are scheduling your service work, it is easier to maintain a small inventory and order just before the maintenance is scheduled. This allows you to keep a small number of items on hand.
Coordinate Scheduling
When managing a small fleet, scheduling work may not seem too difficult. When you are managing dozens of vehicles, scheduling becomes more important. You need to make sure you have the staff on hand to complete the work, the parts available and make sure you are able to get the vehicle back into service and back on the road.
Reduce Liability
Keeping records on drivers and vehicle history can pay off for your company in more ways than one. Fleet managers can use GPS tracking tools to see which drivers follow assigned routes and stay within posted speed limits. These driver records can lower your insurance costs by providing proof of good behavior. Similarly, maintenance records can protect your company in the event of an accident by showing when maintenance was last performed and what parts were used.
Outsourced Maintenance in Fleet Management Software
If you outsource your maintenance to a dealer or repair shop, it is still important to track the work completed. You need to keep a service history of those items and the associated cost of the repairs. Additionally, use the service history to determine when the vehicle needs to go in for scheduled maintenance.
Third-Party Fleet Services
If your fleet maintenance is provided by a third party organization, integrated management software can make it easy to keep track of their work. Fleet tracking tools show real-time updates to vehicle locations and maintenance work orders, keeping your third-party partners accountable.
Out-of-State Fleet Services
Have employees in multiple states? No problem. Have the driver mail or scan the invoice and service record into the system where the document can be stored with the vehicle for better records management. Gather records from different repair facilities and store those records in the software.
Vehicle tracking systems are particularly valuable for fleets which operate over multiple states or countries. Know which vehicles are under maintenance and which are on the road at all times. And real-time fleet tracking services let you know where all your vehicles and drivers are, no matter where they are in the world.
Additional Software Options for Fleet Management
Fleet management depends on business processes provided by software. Some systems are Cloud-based for access anywhere, ideal for global corporations. Others include mobile apps for on-the-go updates. The right software will fit your needs.
If you are at the point where you are ready to find which fleet management software options are right for you, we can help. Through a brief phone call, our software specialists will look to better understand your business and software needs to help you locate a handful of solutions that can address the issues you are currently experiencing. Get started today with Software Connect.
