Every business benefits from their own work fleets, and that’s why having access to good fleet management software is a big competitive edge. Fleet tracking software lets you know what’s going on with your vehicles at all times.
Luckily, the market is filled with excellent options. You can find the features you need, regardless of your goals. There’s a system for everything, but that can make it difficult to choose. Experts, like Akveo, agree that making the right choice is as important as integrating these systems.
Today, we’ll compare several of the most popular solutions to find the best fleet management system.
Why is fleet management software important?
You can find both free fleet management software or paid versions. However, the latter usually offers better features and lower limitations. That said, it’s easy for many of us to think whether or not fleet management solutions are really necessary.
Well, fleet software allows you to know exactly what’s going on with your work vehicles. That includes the routes they’re taking, but fleet management systems go as far as assessing fuel consumption and ideal routes.
In essence, using a vehicle fleet management system enables you to:
- Optimize your operations.
- Relocate management staff to more important tasks.
- Find room for improvement in routes, drivers, and more.
- Offer a better service for your customers.
What makes a good vehicle management software?
Now, fleet management systems vary a lot depending on the brand. Not all them offer the same functionality. Free fleet management software versions usually have several limitations.
The truth is that there’s no universal solution. The best vehicle management software depends on what you’re looking for. That said, there’s plenty of fundamental features you should expect from vehicle management software.
Here, we’ll break down several of them, as detailed by BetterBuys.
Route tracking
Almost every fleet management software review agrees with this point. GPS tracking fleet management software features shed unique insight. You can assess exactly how your drivers move and behave.
This information is vital for optimizing routes and schedules. You can provide a better service just improving your routes. You can deliver orders quicker, reduce commute times, and more.
Maintenance management
Good fleet maintenance software features are also a great advantage. Some systems provide remote diagnostics. Therefore, you can assess when maintenance is necessary for your fleet.
Most advanced systems use special devices to track your vehicles’ health. You’re free to schedule maintenance and repairs from a single dashboard. Failing to do so can translate into prominent losses.
Driver monitoring
GPS fleet management software often translates to driver tracking. These features let you understand how your drivers behave on the road. That includes how often they take rests and for how long.
All this data goes into driver profiles. You can access these profiles whenever you want. It guarantees you can stay on top of everything your drivers do at all times.
Fuel consumption
Fuel management system software functionality is another key aspect. Top fleet management software reports how much fuel your vehicles consume. That includes idling, which can save you a lot of money.
It’s a vital feature for truck fleet management software. Trucks can remain idle for hours every day. Understanding this fuel expense is key to improving your profitability.
Order and delivery tracking
Many delivery companies leverage fleet management GPS tracking software. In these cases, you should look for shipment management. It’s excellent for assessing schedules, costs, and compliance.
The most advanced software lets you track business metrics. The data includes rates, quotes, and other costs.
Accident detection
Finally, fleet scheduling software should help your drivers remain safe. Features for this task include accident detection and speed levels. Knowing where accidents have happened is a key benefit for any fleet manager.
Specialized software also lets you predict how much the repairs will cost. Again, these features are vital for ensuring profitability.
Best fleet monitoring systems in the market
Software magazine PC Mag has a list of the best fleet management software available right now. They offer a great place to start. Let’s curate that list into the best options you can find in the market.
However, it’s worth noting that we’ll focus on paid driver management software. A free tracking and fleet management system means having to deal with limitations and less features.
Granted, you can find here excellent open source solutions for vehicle and fuel management system software. However, these usually require more software expertise to exploit.
Fleetio
Fleetio is an amazing tool if you want to track all operational aspects. The sheer amount of information you get is impressive. It also allows you to handle the information without too much effort.
Adding new data is straightforward. The price is also great, and it has a mobile version. However, its reports are somewhat basic compared to its competitors. New users might also feel overwhelmed by the interface.
AUTOsist
AUTOsist is an ideal platform if you’re inexperienced and on a budget. Its interface feels natural, and the price it’s great. The pricing structure is quite flexible. Loading times are excellent, and you can track different vehicle types.
The main disadvantage is how it lacks a map view for your vehicles. Larger fleets will increase the price noticeably as well.
Avrios
Avrios is the winner for administrative features. Using it is seamless, yet it doesn’t sacrifice advanced features for this. You can also manage workflows with zero effort. It’s a lifesaver if your administration department is having trouble.
Just keep in mind that’s its specialization. You don’t really get vehicle tracking as with other platforms. Entering data into this automobile fleet management software is also cumbersome.
Chevin FleetWave
Finally, Chevin FleetWave offers some of the best fleet tracking features. Its core features cover almost everything you need. It synchronizes with NHSTA data automatically. Its reports are also detailed and offer many types
The main disadvantage is how vague its pricing structure is. You’ll have an easier time using it than customizing your plan. Map functionality is also missing in this app.
Conclusion
Fleet management is key for success. Its importance is only likely to increase in the following years. With that in mind, you must understand what your goals are. The same goes for how you can get there.
Our main GPS fleet tracking comparison focus was on paid systems. That’s because of their advantages over open source and free fleet maintenance software:
| Free fleet scheduling software | Paid fleet scheduling software |
| It usually requires extensive programming knowledge to leverage their full potential. | It’s more intuitive. It offers a comprehensive package from a single dashboard. |
| Free versions of fleet monitoring systems limit the features and vehicle number. | Paid plans accommodate your needs and business size. |
| They’re more basic overall. Smaller businesses benefit better than medium and large companies. | You can find paid plans for multiple business sizes. Features become more advanced with better packages. |
