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Best Fleet Tracking Software Practices
Fleet tracking software empowers fleet businesses to make smarter decisions and optimize their fleet activities. It provides managers and business owners with crystal clear visibility over their fleets, vehicles, and drivers, which results in boosted fleet efficiency and reduced costs. Moreover, fleet tracking software can present businesses with valuable information and data they would not be able to collect otherwise to aid them in smarter decision-making.
Every business system and software has its own practices that are advised to use for maximum efficiency. The same goes for fleet tracking and management software; consistently following its best tips and practices will ensure your business stays compliant, boost its fleet operations, satisfy your customers, and overall increase your return on investment (ROI).
We rounded up the best practices you could follow to fully utilize your fleet tracking software and its features.
Best Fleet Tracking Software Practices
1. Live-track Your Vehicles
The most obvious fleet tracking software solution is fleet tracking, which allows you to locate your vehicles at all times precisely. Live-tracking allows you to prevent any unauthorized vehicle use and detect any route diversions or any potential theft.
Live-tracking will also help you divert your drivers from busy streets, constructions, and accidents in real-time to save time and reduce downtime. Overall, you will also cut down on your fuel costs as your drivers take the best possible route to reach their destinations and not waste fuel on excessive idling or unwanted stops.
2. Use Asset Tracking and Management
Most fleet tracking and management software provides its business customers with asset tracking and management. Asset management allows you to register your vehicles' assets and equipment into the system to track their health, reduce their wear and tear, and prolong their lifespan.
Asset management also allows you to monitor your vehicles' maintenance with scheduled maintenance alerts, purchase orders, warranties, and documentation. The system will alert you when maintenance processes are due or past their due maintenance. Some fleet tracking and management software also provide you with parts inventory so you can keep track of your asset or equipment parts.
3. Adopt a Consistent Maintenance Schedule
Regular fleet maintenance is key to a prolonged fleet lifespan; whether it's for your vehicles, equipment, or other assets, it is vital to set up a consistent maintenance schedule for it all. Scheduled maintenance is a breakdown and downtime preventative measure that ensures your fleet stays operational and eliminates unwanted downtime, which could ultimately affect your customers' satisfaction.
Proper vehicle maintenance will cost less than surprising breakdowns and will help you avoid any costly insurance premiums. Moreover, vehicles with proper maintenance are less likely to lead to accidents that can injure or kill your drivers if the breaks fail, for example, or the steering system malfunctions or engines stall.
4. Use Relevant Metrics
Fleet tracking and management software provides fleet businesses with a ton of valuable data and analytics. However, it is how you use such data and metrics that will benefit your business the most. Some of the most vital pieces of data you should consider, for example, are the cost per mile, total fuel costs, and operational costs summary. Such data will help you reduce your fuel costs and optimize your spending.
Fleet management systems also offer digitalized cloud storage, where you can store your reports, invoices, receipts, employee records and be able to share them with your team of drivers, managers, dispatchers, and field workers.
Summary
Fleet tracking and management software packs a heft number of useful features, capabilities, and practices that you should utilize to maximize your fleet's efficiency. Opting for a cloud-based fleet tracking system will allow you to manage your fleet operations and tasks on the go from anywhere using your mobile phone, which ultimately offers more flexibility as your drivers and customers can get a mobile application for their convenience.
Best Fleet Tracking and Management Software
Now that you know about the best fleet tracking software practices, allow us to present you with our top three recommendations, their top features, and prices so you do not get lost in the whirlpool of hundreds of vendors out there.
1. Samsara
Samsara earns our top recommendation for one of the best fleet tracking and management software on the market. Simply because it supports businesses of any size across a wide range of industries such as construction, field services, healthcare, education, government, and much more.
Samsara will offer your business real-time visibility into all its facilities, fleets, and end-customers services. Some of its software top features include:
- Integrated routing and dispatch tools
- Custom reporting
- Fuel management
- Maintenance workflows
- Mobile fleet tracking application
- Dash Cameras
- Integrations
Samsara does not have any defined plans or prices for its fleet tracking and management software; it rather customizes its pricing to business's needs depending on their vehicle types, numbers, and requirements. We recommend you reach out to their team at [email protected] or click on "Get Started With Samsara" on their official website.
Get Started With Samsara
2. AUTOsist
AUTOsist is our second pick for one of the best fleet tracking and management software. AUTOsist fleet tracking software offers an intuitive yet easy-to-use interface packed with a range of useful features and solutions. Some of its key features include the following:
- Maintenance tracking
- Web Portal
- Offline Use
- Automated maintenance scheduling
- Fuel management
- Real-time communications with drivers
- Detailed trip log
- Customized reports
One of AUTOsist's best strongholds is its scalable plans that allow you to pay by either the number of users you want on your system or by the number of vehicles you want to track. Choosing the right plan will help you save money and only pay for what you need. We will present you with one plan from each plan type:
1 User Plan: $149/month, plus two free months with annual billing.
The 1 User plan will provide you with the following features:
- Up to 1 User and Sync 2 Devices
- Manage Unlimited Vehicles/Assets
- Unlimited Records & Storage
- User Permission Control
- Inspection Checklists
- Parts Inventory Management
- Mobile App Access
- 24/7 Email and Phone Support
5 Vehicle/Assets Plan: $59/month, plus two free months with annual billing.
This plan will provide you with the following:
- Manage up to 5 Vehicles/Assets
- Unlimited Users & Devices
- Unlimited Records & Storage
- User Permission Control
- Inspection Checklists
- Parts Inventory Management
- Mobile App Access
- 24/7 Email and Phone Support
3. Azuga
As for our third and last recommendation, we present you with Azuga. Many reviewing sites highly rate Azuga, and customers praise its intuitive and rich features. Azuga also supports many industries and business sizes and will help you choose the package plan that suits your fleet business best.
Its fleet tracking software top features include the following:
- Asset Tracking
- Route Optimization
- Field Service Management
- Scheduled Maintenance
- Driver Safety Rewards as a Service (RaaS)
- ELD Compliance
Azuga offers three packages for its fleet tracking software, and each comes with a set of features and capabilities. For their pricing, we recommend you contact Azuga's team, as they will customize your price to your fleet needs.
Its plans are:
BasicFleet Plan
The BasicFleet plan includes core vehicle tracking features plus driver scoring and rewards. Its features include:
- GPS Tracking
- Alerts and Notifications
- Driver Scores
- Driver Rewards
- Reports
- Geofence
- Unlimited phone, email, and web-based support
- Dual-facing HD camera
SafeFleet Plan
This plan includes everything in the BasicFleet plan, plus the must-have safety features and efficiency-boosting tools, such as:
- SpeedSafe
- Distracted Driving
- Panic Alert
- Vehicle Diagnostics
- Scheduled Maintenance
- Trip Logs and Tags
- Fuel Card Integrations
- API Integrations
- TrackMe
- Occupant Recognition
- Messaging
CompleteFleet Plan
The Complete plan includes everything in the previous plans, in addition to:
- Azuga Coach
- Fuel-Saver
- One-minute Tracking
- Custom Reports
- Quarterly Fleet Review
- Concierge Support