Best GPS Fleet Tracking Software and Systems for 2021

GPS fleet tracking is a management system that businesses in transportation industries, such as trucking and car services, often use to monitor company assets, including vehicles, equipment, and drivers. GPS fleet tracking systems (telematics) allow companies to know where their merchandise and equipment are in near real time and provide useful data about fleets and driver performance.

A telematics solution can help your business reduce costs (such as those for fuel consumption), manage vehicle maintenance, monitor your mobile workforce and maintain driver safety and compliance.

Key takeaway: GPS fleet tracking is a management system used to monitor company assets, such as vehicles, equipment and drivers.

The total cost of a GPS fleet tracking service varies depending on several factors, including the kind of hardware, the number of devices and the features included in the system.

Costs typically involve an upfront charge for each hardware device and then a monthly service fee for the tracking service capabilities. Pricing starts at around $100 for one hardware device and about $15 to $25 a month for subscriptions. Some plans allow you to rent the hardware for an additional monthly fee. 

The average service agreement length ranges from 12 to 36 months. Only a few companies we reviewed offer month-to-month plans. This flexibility is something to look for if you need GPS fleet tracking only for a short time. Some companies also offer free trials or money-back guarantees.

Key takeaway: GPS fleet tracking services charge an upfront hardware fee starting at about $100 per device and a monthly software fee of about $15 to $25. Contracts range from 12 to 36 months.

GPS fleet tracking systems are a combination of tracking hardware and software that collect data and converts it to usable information. For example, GPS tracking systems can help you optimize navigation, monitor vehicle health and maintenance, and ensure driver safety and efficiency.

Here is a rundown of some of the many features GPS fleet tracking systems offer:

• Tracking hardware: To collect vehicle and driver data, you need some combination of tracking hardware. There are several device types, depending on what you want to track. Standard trackers include plug-and-play devices, as well as hardwired devices. You can also set up accessories like in-cab cameras, environmental monitors, asset trackers, trailer trackers, panic and privacy buttons and ID card readers.

• Performance and optimization: Most GPS tracking systems give you the ability to track driver behavior and navigation, which can help ensure driver safety and route optimization. You can track actions like speeding, harsh acceleration or braking, idling, cornering, seat belt usage, over-revving, and more. Managing these types of activities, along with tracking fuel performance, can help you optimize the usage of your fleet.
  
  
• Driver safety: Users can track driver behavior through data and video telematics. When your drivers engage in risky activities, they can receive an alert warning. The best systems can also monitor and block certain smartphone usage while driving (e.g., calling, texting, app usage). Most systems have some form of driver scorecard, so you can see who your best drivers are and who needs additional training. Some systems even come with driver coaching, so you can keep your drivers up to date with the safest driving policies and behaviors.

• Geofencing and mapping: To keep your fleet safe and accountable, GPS tracking systems come with geofencing and mapping features. This allows you to set specific ranges that your fleet should stay within. You can track your fleet in real time and receive notifications if they travel outside their assigned location.

• Maintenance and vehicle health: Pretty much every GPS fleet tracking system we researched tracks vehicle health and maintenance needs. Common analytics include fuel levels, battery voltages, temperature, RPM, seatbelts, engine fault codes, odometers, and service history. In addition to tracking engine diagnostics, the software can send out vehicle maintenance reminders based on mileage or engine hours. These alerts allow you to schedule preventative maintenance and keep your fleet safe and healthy.
  
  
• Alerts and reporting: Every telematics system comes with alert and reporting features. For example, you will often see diagnostic alerts like low battery or fuel levels, check engine lights, panic alerts, sensor alerts, unauthorized usage, temperature alerts, geofencing, and aggressive driving. Common reports, like trip and mileage reporting, give employers a clear view of where their fleet is optimized and where it can be improved.

Employers and fleet managers should be aware of the many advantages and limitations of using GPS fleet tracking services. Weigh the pros and cons to determine if these services are right for your business.

Pros

GPS fleet tracking offers several advantages, including improved driver safety, and vehicle and fuel management. The software helps employers maintain legal compliance and ensure their drivers are being safe on the road. With features such as dash cameras and driver ID readers, employers can gain insight into their fleets' operations. [Read our article on how to reduce driver idle time.]

GPS fleet tracking software includes alerts and reporting features that can aid businesses' decision making. By tracking driver performance, route trends, and fuel consumption, businesses can optimize fleet performance and save money.

Cons

There are two potential disadvantages of using GPS fleet tracking software: low employee morale and significant upfront costs. Your team may be uncomfortable with the monitoring system and view it as a lack of trust – so be upfront with your employees about how and why you are tracking them, and focus on the benefits of the software. You can also mitigate this downside by using GPS tracking software data for performance-based incentives.

GPS fleet tracking software can also be expensive. However, in the long term, the benefits of optimizing routes and cutting fuel costs often outweigh the initial upfront and monthly costs.

Key takeaway: GPS fleet tracking can help businesses improve driver safety, reduce fuel consumption and monitor vehicle health, but it can come with hefty upfront fees and lower employee morale.

What should you look for in a GPS fleet tracking service?

While certain features (and benefits of those features) depend on your business's unique needs, standard GPS fleet tracking systems should include driver safety tracking, navigation and communication options, fuel card integration, vehicle maintenance tracking, dashboards with trending key metrics, and ongoing customer support. The best GPS fleet tracking systems are easy to use and often have additional features, like alert systems and mobile access.

What GPS hardware do you need to track your fleet?

You will need a GPS tracking device installed on each vehicle or asset. One of the most popular types of tracking hardware is a plug-and-play device that can be easily inserted and removed from your vehicle's OBD II port. Another hardware option is to have a hardwired tracking device installed on each vehicle. Common device add-ons include dash cameras (for video telematics) and driver ID readers (for tracking drivers). You may also consider installing tracking devices on nonvehicle assets and equipment.

What data does GPS tracking provide?

GPS tracking services can provide you with a wealth of data on your vehicles and drivers. Although the specific alerts and reports vary, most GPS fleet tracking software provides data about vehicle location, driver behavior and performance, vehicle health and maintenance, fuel consumption, navigation and route optimization, and fleet safety and security. Most software allows you to customize your reports.

What other components of GPS tracking should you be aware of?

Keep in mind that not all systems offer real-time tracking. Although many services claim to do so, they are actually "near real time." That means that instead of offering second-to-second tracking on where your fleet is, they update every 10 to 120 seconds with breadcrumb trails. This might not be an issue for most businesses, but it is something to consider if you need second-to-second updates. Only a few companies we researched offer true real-time tracking.

What Are the Security Benefits of GPS Trackers for a Business Fleet?

GPS fleet tracking systems allow businesses to monitor their trucks, equipment and drivers in real time. Instead of hoping that their assets are being taken care of, businesses can use GPS fleet tracking to keep their trucks and equipment secure. For example, a company can use a GPS tracker to ensure their trucks are staying within a designated area, or they can leave their large machinery at a construction site overnight and rest assured knowing that it can be safely tracked if needed. Some GPS tracking systems also come with video telematics capabilities, so companies can gain firsthand insight into how their fleet is being managed.  

What Types of Businesses Can Benefit From GPS Tracking?

Although the majority of businesses that use fleet tracking are in transportation industries, such as trucking and car services, virtually any business that needs to monitor company assets, vehicles or equipment can benefit from these solutions. For example, businesses in the following industries may need GPS tracking: construction; utilities; heavy equipment; agriculture; retail and manufacturing; distribution; government and public safety; oil, mining, and gas; food and beverage; and rental fleets.

How Can Fleet Management Software Help You Save Money?

Fleet management software provides businesses with a variety of insights that can help them save money. Viewing fleet trends and GPS data, companies can track and improve driver performance, reduce fuel consumption, optimize driver routes and minimize risks.

As a part of our research to find the best GPS fleet tracking services, we contacted several small business community members who currently use GPS fleet tracking. We asked them what features they look for – and find most helpful – in a tracking service. Based on their responses, we can confidently say that key GPS tracking features include flexibility and ease of use.

Chris Spano, co-owner of Traffic Management Inc., said his fleet of roughly 800 vehicles needed a variety of GPS tracking features, including real-time tracking, trip and mileage reporting, mapping, geofencing, disconnection alerts, and idling reports. However, these features may not be essential for every fleet.

"Fleets at our size care about features like idle reports, but a small fleet may only care where their trucks are," Spano told Business News Daily. "In our case, the idle report tells us which drivers are the worst offenders so we can proactively reach out to them and reduce idling. This has made a significant difference."

Each business will need to assess its fleet goals to determine which features are essential. However, the two things every business should look for, regardless of fleet size, are flexibility and usability. Spano said it was these two items that ultimately shaped his decisions as to the GPS fleet tracking service he selected.

Key takeaway: When consulting with the community, we learned that the most important GPS fleet tracking features are flexibility and ease of use.

To help you find the right GPS fleet tracking service for your business, we researched and analyzed dozens of options. Here is a roundup of our 2021 best picks for GPS fleet tracking services and explanations of how we chose them.

Locating the Best Services

Our review process involves putting ourselves in the mindset of a small business owner and gathering data that would be readily available to potential business customers. We conduct our research by visiting company websites, calling customer service representatives and considering online reviews from customers.

Choosing the Best Services

To find the best GPS fleet tracking services for small businesses, we started by analyzing 25 companies. We compiled this list by looking at major industry players, considering individual review requests, analyzing reputable review websites and searching for GPS fleet tracking companies. Then, we narrowed down this initial list by analyzing each service, including the reputation of the company, how long it had been in business, the breadth of reporting features and whether the service was geared toward small businesses.

Researching Each Service

In our next round of research, we scrutinized each service's tracking and safety features, its dashboard and user interface, the pricing and contract structure, and whether the company earned a review in the past. This left us with 14 companies.

 

Analyzing Each Service

We selected four best picks from this list of 14 based on the standout features of each service. We did a deeper dive into various service aspects, like contract length, software usability, installation fees and setup, software refresh time, minimum vehicle requirements, and customer service. After determining the final four best picks, we conducted sales calls and product demos. We examined the finalists' cancellation policies, support options and overall customer service. For companies that didn't offer demos, we analyzed video overviews of the software provided by the companies.