How to Build Fleet Management Software

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  • By Surya Sharma
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  • clock 11 minutes MIN READ
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  • calendar Updated: November 29, 2022

As fleets increase in size and complexity, managing all the moving parts becomes more challenging. Disruptions such as maintenance, repairs, and unexpected breakdowns can significantly impact fleet operations.

Many businesses are turning to fleet management software to optimize efficiency and reduce costs.

This guide will help you understand fleet management software and whether it’s right for your business.

We’ll discuss the benefits of using this software, the different types of solutions available, the different kinds of solutions available, and some helpful pointers when evaluating options.

What is Fleet Management Software?

Fleet management software is a computer-based application that helps you manage your fleet operations more efficiently and cost-effectively.

With fleet management software, you can optimize your vehicles’ performance and improve your drivers’ experience.

The best fleet management software will allow you to integrate all relevant data seamlessly.

This will make it easier to see the big picture and make informed decisions based on all the facts. And having all the relevant data in one place will make it easier to report on your performance and maintain regulatory compliance.

Fleet Management Software Market Statistics

global-fleet-management-market-size-by-solution

As per the report by gminsights.com, the Global fleet management software market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 17.32% and it is expected that it reach USD 55.77 billion in 2028.

The fleet management software market is growing as businesses look for programs that help them keep track of their assets, communicate with drivers, and adhere to government regulations as the world becomes increasingly complex and disordered.

Small businesses are also turning to fleet management software due to the growing importance of software. Small businesses are increasingly looking for fleet management software as they grow and expand.

It allows them to manage their fleets more effectively and keeps track of vehicle mileage. With GPS mapping, real-time tracking, driver manuals, and other features, fleet management software can help companies improve their fleets.

Fleet management software has grown in popularity as machines become more sophisticated because this technology can help manage large numbers of vehicles effectively.

1. Increased Software as a Service Models

Fleet managers increasingly turn to software as a service model to manage their fleets.

With this model, fleet managers can access the software from anywhere at any time without installing it on their own servers.

This approach makes fleet management easier and more efficient since fleet managers no longer have to worry about installation or upgrades.

2. Integration with other Organizational Functions is Rising.

In the fleet management software market, increased integration with other organization functions is a trend. Some programs allow fleets to be tracked and monitored for safety standards, fuel efficiency, and other regulations. This allows organizations to stay organized and in compliance with all their regulatory obligations.

3. Importance of Machine Learning in Fleet Management Software.

Fleet management software must increasingly rely on intelligent software to manage increasingly sophisticated machines. This has led to increased interest in machine learning, as this technology can help manage large numbers of vehicles effectively.

Why Use Fleet Management Software?

Fleet management software offers many benefits for businesses with fleets of vehicles or other types of equipment. These benefits include:

1. Improved Efficiency

You can increase operational efficiency by managing your fleet digitally. This includes automating manual processes, scheduling routes, and making real-time adjustments.

2. Improved Customer Experience

With better equipment maintenance and fewer delays, you can provide a better customer experience. You can also provide real-time tracking information to customers.

3. Cost Savings

Using fleet management software will help you minimize downtime, improve fuel efficiency, and reduce maintenance costs. You can also use it to optimize your insurance rates.

4. Improved Regulatory Compliance

By tracking your equipment and drivers more effectively, you will be able to meet regulatory compliance obligations more easily.

5. Better Employee Satisfaction

Employees will appreciate management’s investment in the technology. They will also enjoy the benefits of an efficient and streamlined operation.

Types of Fleet Management Software

There are many different types of fleet management software available. The best type for your business will depend on your unique needs and requirements. Some of the most common types are:

1. Asset/Vehicle Management Software

This type of fleet management software will help you track and manage your vehicles. It may offer features such as maintenance scheduling and inspection management, location tracking, trip logs, and resource management tools.

2. Driver Logging/Dispatch Software

This type of software will help you manage your drivers. It will allow you to track their activities and provide customer support.

3. Fleet Management Software

A comprehensive fleet management solution will include all the above features. It will also include other helpful features, such as dispatch management, dispatch optimization, trip planning, supply chain management, and fuel management tools

4. GPS Tracking Software

This type of fleet management software uses GPS tracking to monitor the location of your vehicles. You will typically be able to view the real-time site of your vehicles online.

When Should You Use Fleet Management Software?

You should consider using fleet management software if you have a fleet of vehicles or other types of equipment.

It can benefit companies with any size fleet, from a single vehicle to thousands of pieces of equipment. If there is a constant need to track vehicles, look at fleet management software.

For example, if you have a taxi company, you will want to track the location of your cabs at all times.

This will allow you to dispatch the closest available cab to customers. Or, if you are in the trucking industry, you will want to keep track of the location of your trucks at all times. This will allow you to plan routes efficiently and keep shipments on schedule.

How to Choose the Right Software for Your Business?

When choosing fleet management software, there are many things to consider.

These include the type of data you need to track, the devices you will use, and the size of your fleet.

Your budget, compliance requirements, and integrations are also essential factors to consider.

Data

What type of data do you need to track? Will you be managing vehicles, drivers, or assets? Will you need to track fuel usage, maintenance activities, or location? Will you be working with sensitive data such as driver hours of service?

Devices

What devices will be used? Will you use handheld devices, laptops, tablets, or a combination of devices? Will the devices always be on the road, or will they be used only in a stationary environment?

Fleet Size

How extensive is your fleet? Are you managing a single vehicle or hundreds? – Budget – How much can you spend on fleet management software?

Compliance Requirements

What regulatory standards do you need to meet? What kind of reporting do you need to do?

Integrations

Will your fleet management software integrate with existing systems, such as your ERP, WMS, SCMS, or CMMS systems?

Tips for Running Fleet Management Software

Here are a few tips for running fleet management software:

Tip#1: Ensure your fleet management software supports all the devices you need.

Tip#2: Plan for regular upgrades and updates to ensure you get the most from your investment.

Tip#3: Consider the costs and benefits of cloud-based solutions versus on-premises solutions.

Tip#4: Review your data retention policies and make sure you comply with any legal requirements.

Tip#5: Be transparent with your drivers regarding the tracking technology and how the data is used.

Tip#6: Establish clear policies for device usage, privacy, and security.

Tip#7: Train your staff on proper device use and how to use the fleet management software.

How to develop custom fleet management software?

It is critical to remember that you can build a complex system after some time.

Start with the simple-to-use and simple-to-adopt minimum viable product (MVP), include only critical features that will enhance your team’s performance the most, and then gradually add new features that match your company’s development and immediate key demands.

Your primary focus should be on ROI. If you only partially automate processes, they can have a massive impact on your job, resulting in significant improvements and benefits for your company and a productive fleet becoming a powerful fleet.

However, it is essential that you select features that will enable you to achieve fast results and generate steady revenue or reduce fleet maintenance expenses.

Building fleet management software can be a difficult task in itself. Therefore, it’s critical to be aware of and assess software development risks.

Common Issues During Fleet Management Development

Let’s look at the issues you might encounter during custom fleet management development and how to address them.

1. Lack of Expertise and Miscommunication

An in-house software development team may discover that they need more understanding and technical knowledge during the development process.

This is particularly problematic if the technology stack that the team is unfamiliar with is involved in an unexpected challenge.

As a result, the in-house team’s product may be chock-full of bugs, or the cost might skyrocket.

Of course, communication is critical to the software development process. Whether you hire an in-house team or a reliable outsourcing partner, you should be involved at every step to facilitate communication.

2. Vision is not clear

A project’s success heavily depends on having the right plan and strategy and a clear vision. Developing custom software is a time- and resource-intensive process; therefore, having the right plan and strategy is critical.

The primary purpose of custom software is to help businesses generate revenue, provide a valuable service, attract more customers, and make employee lives easier.

It’s common for firms to need clarification about what features their custom software solution should offer, what features should be included in the MVP, how to design a user-friendly UX, and so on.

To avoid this problem and receive clear instructions from the beginning, hire a logistics app development company that will translate your idea into a functional product.

Key features of the fleet management software

Some Key Features of Fleet Management Software are

1. Fleet tracking is done in real-time

Real-time tracking may save us from experiencing severe mishaps. It warns us so that we may take precautionary steps to minimize the damage. It lets us know the vehicle’s speed, direction, traffic-based route, engine temperature, and other details.

2. Vehicle Tracking via OBD

An OBD tracker can provide information about the vehicle it is connected to. The information may be used to track the vehicle, or mechanics may use it to diagnose the vehicle’s problems.

3. Vehicle Maintenance and Management

A group of people controls the software, which collects information from the vehicle tracker and sends it to the software, where it is managed.

4. Vehicle Fuel Consumption

The car’s engine can be assessed by the software if it is functioning well or not by checking the fuel consumption level.

If the fuel consumption level is excessively high, there is undoubtedly something wrong with the vehicle, which must be attended to immediately.

5. Driver Safety

The software monitors the driver’s condition, whether he is fit to drive or not. The posture of the driver is monitored and processed by the software, which notifies a team managing the software if the driver is unfit to drive or is driving recklessly. Because it is so critical to company safety, this technology is carefully guarded.

6. Route Optimization

The software determines the route with the least traffic and the route with the most traffic, then recommends the route with the best performance.

This is how the route is optimized. Customers can reach their destination faster using the route the software recommends than using the alternative route.

7. Geo-Fencing

An intelligent set of rules which allows you to set up a geofence around a geographic location and then trigger an action when the user enters or exits the geofence.

8. Accident Claim

In case a specific fleet company’s vehicle causes an accident, the company will pay for the damage. The company prohibits insurance for its fleet vehicles.

9. Detailed Summary

The report includes information about the make and model of vehicles, the number of vehicles managed by the fleet management firm, vehicle condition, daily mileage, daily income generated from the vehicles, driver information, and customer records.

Conclusion

Fleet management software is an efficient way to manage all aspects of fleet operations.

This type of software can help your business run more smoothly, from managing your vehicles to tracking their location.

When choosing fleet management software, consider the data you need to track, the devices you will use, and the size of your fleet.

When you run fleet management software successfully, you will enjoy better efficiency, lower costs, and happier employees.

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