GPS Tracking for Fleet Management

GPS is one of the best tools available for effective fleet management. From keeping customers happy to automatically logging vehicle stops and routes, GPS tracking offers a host of business-related benefits. 

You’re sure to gain a competitive advantage from GPS tracking if you’re in any of the following businesses:

• Construction

• General contractor

• Plumbing

• Heating, cooling, HVAC

• Landscaping and lawn care

• Painting

• Repair services

• Towing services

• Last-mile delivery

• Long-haul freight

Not convinced? Let’s take a closer look at fleet tracking GPS solutions and what they can do to save you time, money, and brain space so that you can run your business better.

Benefits of the Best Fleet Tracking Systems

The best thing for your business depends on your unique needs, but generally speaking, the best GPS fleet tracking systems have a handful of common core capabilities. There are two main components: 

• GPS tracking devices that are either battery-powered or vehicle-powered

• GPS tracking software to access, process, and manipulate GPS tracking data 

Here are some of the top examples of what GPS tracking can do for both your fleet and your business.

1. Keep Customers Informed and Happy

We’ve all been through this before (on both sides of the coin): an unexpected delay made the driver late, and now the customer is angry and frustrated, demanding to know when the truck will show up. It’s hard to repair relationships with customers who are already upset, but with GPS tracking, you can build trust and loyalty by keeping those customers in the loop.

Instead of leaving customers to wonder, you can give them a live tracking link that shows the team member’s location and estimated arrival time. That’s a core GPS capability, and can help you provide top-tier customer service. By managing expectations, you can get ahead of complaints and negative reviews. 

2. Ensure Drivers are On Route and On Time

Live tracking isn’t just great for your customers–as a business owner or manager, it also saves you the headache of trying to pin down where everyone on your team is. Save yourself the phone calls and guesswork. Get the kind of peace of mind that only GPS tracking can offer. 

A top-notch GPS tracking system will allow you to see your whole life at a glance, with customizable views and easy-to-use maps. The best systems will even allow you to view past location data, so you always have an accurate record of where your vehicles have been. 

3. Confirm Departures, Arrivals, and Completed Trips.

You can use your fleet tracking GPS solution to see when and where stops and deliveries were made. This is possible because GPS tracking software saves past location data and routes for further review. 

You can even use geofencing to set virtual boundaries around a specific location, and then configure alerts that will tell you when a vehicle crosses that digital boundary. These boundaries are highly customizable from within the app, so you can mark areas of any shape or size. Monitor large industrial complexes or small warehouses and parking lots. And with time-stamped location data, you’ll know exactly when your vehicles depart or arrive at those places.

4. Identify Efficient Travel Routes

While everyone knows GPS is great for navigation, when it comes to choosing the most efficient route for your drivers, there’s more involved than simply getting from point A to point B. 

With a GPS solution that stores location data, you can evaluate how long each trip actually takes, and drill down into things like traffic and other routine slow-downs that keep your drivers from making better time. 

That way, you can see whether there are ways to spend less time in transit, spend less money on fuel, and spend less resources on vehicle maintenance. 

Bottom line: GPS doesn’t just get your drivers there. Across your entire fleet, GPS can save your business time and money by tightening up routes and cutting down on cascading costs.

5. See Past and Current Driver Behavior

A real-time fleet GPS tracking solution can help you see historical data about each driver’s performance. You can see where they stopped and for how long, whether they made it to appointments on time, and even how fast they were going. This data helps you identify coaching opportunities to improve performance, better represent your business on the road, and comply with safety regulations. 

6. Align Vehicle Maintenance Schedules

GPS software gives you a centralized place to see mileage information without having to manually check every odometer. Set up custom alerts when a device hits a certain number of miles so you can take immediate action on vehicle maintenance. 

If one vehicle is getting considerably more use than another, consider adjusting driver routes and schedules to spread out wear and tear more evenly. With features like these, your GPS solution becomes a valuable member of your crew–part admin assistant, part mechanic.

7. Recover stolen vehicles

Every vehicle is a valuable asset–even more so for small businesses, where losing a vehicle is a major hardship that can set the whole business back.

In addition to losing the vehicle itself, the theft robs you of time, productivity, and the ability to perform revenue-generating services. But with a GPS tracking solution, you would put the would-be criminals at a disadvantage. Set up customized boundaries and alerts and configure them to send you instant notifications whenever the vehicle leaves the lot.

Then, aided by the location data from the GPS tracking device, the police can hunt them down and recover the vehicle, thus protecting both your investment and future income. 

OBD GPS Trackers and Hardwired GPS Trackers for Vehicles

There are two types of tracking devices we recommend for best fleet management results: an OBD GPS tracker or a hardwired vehicle GPS tracker. Both these devices are powered by your vehicle and don’t need battery replacement or charging. 

These devices can track: 

• Real-time location

• Stop duration

• Stop location

• Mileage

• Ignition status

• Speed

• Direction

The main difference between an OBD tracker and a hardwired tracker is that the OBD is easier to install and remove, because it simply plugs into your vehicle’s OBD port. 

The hardwired tracker is a great option if you want a long-term tracker in place and don’t need the ability to switch between vehicles. Unlike the OBD tracker, the hardwired tracker isn’t visible or easily accessible and must be installed in the engine compartment.

GPS Tracking Software for Fleet Vehicles

GPS hardware devices are just one half of the equation for an effective fleet management solution. You have to pair the device with robust, easy-to-use software to make a complete GPS tracking solution. 

With a desktop or mobile app designed for fleet tracking, you can have all the data and reporting options you need on the go or at your desk. Some interfaces are easier to use than others, and customized data reporting options vary depending on the provider you select.

Consult our 2025 Vehicle GPS Tracker Buyer's Guide to find the right tracker for your fleet.