10 Features to Look for in Fleet Management Software

These days, heavy-duty repair shops can’t afford to manage fleets manually. This outdated process isn’t just inefficient: it offers limited visibility into your fleet’s operations and could even increase your risk of breakdowns. 

Are you still managing your fleet by hand? If so, it’s time to start thinking about fleet management software—and the first step is knowing what to look for. These six features c-

*da-da-DA, da-da-DA, da-da-DA-da-da-DA*

Hold on, we need to take this. Hello?

Wait, seriously? TEN features? Wow. And here we thought six sounded like a lot.

Thanks for the heads-up—talk later.

*BOOP, BOOP, BOOP*

Okay! It turns out there are actually ten features that can make or break fleet management programs. In this article, we’ll explain every fleet management software feature you need and help you find software that delivers what you’re looking for.

1. GPS Tracking and Real-Time Vehicle Monitoring

It’s 10 PM. Do you know where your trucks are?

When your fleet management system is compatible with GPS tracking, you’ll always have an answer to that question. This technology offers real-time updates on where your vehicles are and what they’re doing, which you can view from your fleet management program.

Telematics integration can lower your risk of vehicle theft and allow you to dispatch trucks with maximum efficiency. Plus, you’ll get valuable insight into driver behavior (including bad habits like speeding and harsh braking).

2. Preventive Maintenance and Fleet Maintenance Scheduling

When you make preventive maintenance a priority, your trucks won’t just consistently be in good shape—they’ll have longer lifespans than they would otherwise. While that alone would be enough to justify prioritizing this work, preventive maintenance can also deliver benefits like improved fuel efficiency and heightened driver safety.

Unfortunately, it can be difficult for fleet managers to keep up with PMs across multiple trucks. Fleet management programs can help by automatically sending alerts when one of your vehicles needs maintenance. That way, you can take care of these services immediately, minimizing the effects of breakdowns and downtime on your fleet.

3. Fleet Reporting and Data Analytics

Once they have real-time reporting on their fleet’s performance, fleet managers won’t have to rely on guesswork or pore over spreadsheets while making big decisions. (Yes, “pore” over. We looked it up.) Instead, they can use trends and patterns from this data to make the right choices for their fleet.

Your fleet management program of choice should help you track metrics like:

• Operational costs. Reporting programs excel when it comes to providing financial data—including the cost of running your fleet.
• Maintenance history. You already know maintenance tracking can deliver major benefits for fleet managers, unless you’ve been reading this list out of order for some reason. As part of that, you’ll want software that can give you an in-depth look at your trucks’ previous repairs.
• Vehicle utilization. When your fleet uses smart trailers, you’ll know how your drivers are using your trucks—and where there’s room for improvement.

4. Compliance and Regulatory Reporting

Is your fleet in compliance with industry regulations? If it isn’t, you could have to pay fines or deal with other consequences. Of course, staying in compliance is difficult when you don’t have reliable data on your fleet’s condition.

To make sure you aren’t violating safety regulations, you’ll need to know vital stats like your trucks’ hours of service and emissions. Thanks to fleet management software, you can access this data with ease.

Meanwhile, regular maintenance can go a long way toward helping your trucks comply with regulations. Since fleet management solutions can give you automated reminders of your trucks’ maintenance needs, this software can help you keep these vehicles in great shape—whether or not you have an audit or inspection coming up.

5. Automated Work Orders and Inventory Management

If you’ve managed a fleet for long enough, you know how quickly an out-of-stock part can put a truck repair on hold. Fleet management programs with inventory management capabilities let you know when you’re about to run out of components. Thanks to this fleet management software feature, you’ll have a chance to reorder parts before this happens.

All-in-one fleet management software can also automatically create work orders from service requests. By eliminating much of the work associated with this process, you can provide more efficient service to your customers and reduce busy work for your technicians.

6. Integration Options for Seamless Fleet Management

Modern heavy-duty repair shops use all sorts of programs and digital services, and the easier it is for these systems to work together, the better. That means your fleet management software should support various integrations, such as integrations with compliance tools and fuel cards.

The best fleet management programs also integrate with your dispatch, accounting, and telematics systems. When these systems are fully compatible with each other, you’ll be able to see all your data in one place…without having to jump through hoops.

7. Operational Cost Analysis and Reporting

A good fleet management program will give you access to valuable information on how much you’re spending—and what you’re spending money on. In contrast, bad fleet management programs only display a deck of cards on a green background. Come to think of it, we may just be describing the game Solitaire.

The point we’re trying to make is this: reporting from fleet management software can help you reduce expenses around your shop. High-quality fleet management systems can even display your costs per mile, giving you the best possible picture of your fleet’s financial situation when you need to make decisions.

8. Scalability and Future-Proofing Your Fleet

The more vehicles your fleet contains, the more data your fleet management system will have to track. But if your fleet management system is ready to scale, that isn’t something you’ll need to worry about. Today’s best fleet management software can handle growing fleets without struggling to keep up, allowing you to prioritize efficiency while managing your trucks over the long term.

You’ll also want to consider a cloud-based solution for fleet management. Since you can use these programs across multiple screens and locations, you won’t have trouble accessing this software as your business expands.

9. Ease of Use and User-Friendly Interface

It’s easy to overlook the importance of an intuitive interface when it comes to fleet management software. But while this might not be at the top of your list of priorities, fleet managers and technicians need a dashboard that isn’t difficult to understand or navigate.

When your fleet management program’s interface is easy to get used to, the people working at your shop won’t have to spend hours or days figuring it out. As a result, you’ll be able to improve the adoption of this program while keeping training time to a minimum.

10. Simple and Fast Implementation

Finally, it’s wise to think about the process of switching from your current fleet management method to a new system. Ideally, the setup process for your new software will be easy and quick. When that’s the case, you’ll be able to make this switch with minimal downtime.

The most user-friendly programs in this category will allow you to sidestep the process of installing software on dedicated workstations. Instead, cloud-based programs let fleet managers and other people use modern fleet management solutions across desktop computers and mobile devices alike.

The 1 Fleet Management Program to Look For

When you find fleet management software that offers these 10 features (unless we get any more last-minute calls), you’ll have no trouble taking your fleet to the next level. That said, you may still be wondering how you can find a program delivering these benefits for repair shops at an affordable price.

Good news: you already have! Fullbay gives fleet managers access to every fleet management software feature you could imagine, including detailed financial information, work order automation, PM reminders, GPS tracking, and much more. Better yet, you can access all of these features from a straightforward interface. 

If you want to learn more about our powerful fleet management software, schedule a demo today!