Why do construction companies need fleet management software?
If you work for a construction company, you know that there’s lots of different equipment and assets you have to keep track of regularly. For instance, you likely have commercial trucks, boom lifts, diggers, and other important assets and equipment that you’re using for multiple different projects at a time.
At the same time, if you’re a manager, you have to ensure your equipment and assets don’t go missing, get damaged, get stolen, or break down. Any of these risky scenarios could be a nightmare for your company both practically and financially.
That’s why construction companies are making use of fleet management software for construction equipment. Fleet tracking software allows managers to track expensive equipment and locate machinery remotely and around the clock.
With the touch of a button, you can find out where your equipment is located in real time. Additionally, you can get other important information about each piece of equipment such as mileage, fuel usage, maintenance and repair needs, idling, driver behavior, and so much more. Not to mention, you can access all of this information in one easy-to-use dashboard. To learn more, take a further look at best practices for fleet management systems.
Fleet management benefits for construction
Exactly how does fleet management software benefit construction companies? Fleet management software for construction equipment does more than just track vehicles and assets using a GPS. While this is a useful feature, there are tons of added benefits to using a fleet management system at your construction business. We’ve outlined 10 of the top benefits here.
1. Visualize live map of equipment location
Most types of fleet management software use a GPS and include a live map, where you can see the location of vehicle, machinery, equipment and other assets in real time. Imagine zooming out and in on the map to see where your equipment is traveling and whether or not you have idle equipment. In addition to giving you oversight over where your expensive assets are located, this can help you to prevent theft.
2. Reduce fuel consumption
Using the software, you can track the fuel used with each vehicle or piece of equipment. The fuel usage and efficiency tool can tell you whether you are using too much fuel and ways you can reduce fuel costs, now and over time. It can also indicate whether vehicles are idling and guzzling gas. Multiply that by all your vehicles and equipment, and you can save some serious money when it comes to fuel costs over time.
3. Prevent equipment theft and unauthorized access
Get alerts when unauthorized personnel attempt to use your construction machinery. While this might not be a common scenario, you’re better safe than sorry. Using fleet management software helps you rest assured that you won’t have to deal with theft of expensive equipment.
4. Better manage maintenance and repairs
Fleet management software will alert you as soon as a vehicle or machinery needs servicing or maintenance. It will indicate what service is needed and how soon to schedule it. Additionally, many types of software will allow you to actually schedule the appointment right then and there using the software!
5. Minimize operational costs
By using an all-in-one fleet management solution, you’ll streamline all your management needs in one place. This is going to help you cut costs on IT needs, fuel, maintenance and repairs, idling, engine hours and employee usage. Overall, you are going to increase your margins and generate more profit for your construction company.
6. Pull equipment utilization reports
Select a period of time, and pull information about equipment utilization. For instance, for any given piece of equipment you can visualize the hours of operation, engine mileage, oil and fuel changes, total fuel usage, idling time, battery voltage and disconnects, among others. This way, you can look for unfavorable patterns and fix them before they cost you money in the long run.
7. Correct poor driver behavior
Your software will track driver behavior and alert you about bad driving habits that are risky and costing you money. For instance, it will detect when drivers are accelerating or braking too harshly, speeding, idling, and more. This way, you can reduce the risk of harm for drivers while also avoiding wasting fuel on poor driving behavior.
8. Expand lifespan of construction assets
When you’re staying on top of maintenance and treating your vehicles and machinery with care, you’re going to expand the lifetime of each vehicle. Think about how much money you can save when you lengthen the lifespan of all your equipment and assets.
9. Improve compliance
Fleet management software helps you stay on top of regulations, avoid penalties and legal issues. Plus, you can stay compliant by using ELD, complying to hours of service, digital inspections, and more.
10. Scalability
If your company grows and you add new vehicles or equipment, you can easily add them to your fleet using the software. Easily add new equipment and start tracking it immediately after buying.
Additional Reading: Is GPS Fleet Tracking for HVAC Companies Necessary?
What fleet management software features are ideal for construction?
Different fleet management software will offer different features and tools. So that’s why it’s important to know what to look for when you’re exploring different options. Some software is better for certain industries than others. You want to keep your eyes open for a fleet management solution designed to help construction companies like yours. Below we have listed the top features and tools to look out for that will benefit construction companies:
- Live location monitoring
- Real-time dispatching
- Overuse or under-use reports
- Engine, fuel, oil and mileage alerts
- Dashboard cameras
- Instant communication tools
- Maintenance and repair notifications
- Digital service history and work orders
- Reports and analytics
How much does it cost?
Your construction company can get fleet management software on a monthly or annual subscription basis. There are often multiple plans to choose from at varying price levels, so you can ensure the software fits within your budget.
You can expect to pay between $14-$50 per piece of equipment. But this pricing will vary depending on how many vehicles or equipment you’re adding, as well as features and tools. Learn more about fleet management software costs.
Top Software Providers for Construction
When looking for fleet management software for construction equipment, make sure to find a provider that specializes in construction equipment and asset tracking. This will ensure you’re getting the most value out of the software and that it will support your construction company’s needs. Here are a few fleet management system providers that help construction companies:
| Samsara | Custom pricing only |
| Azuga | Custom pricing only |
| Fleetio | Starting at $5 per vehicle per month |
| Verizon Connect | Custom pricing only |
| Driveroo | Starting at $5 per vehicle per month |
Compare Prices
360Connect can help you compare prices for construction fleet management software instantly. Just fill out our GPS fleet tracking software form to tell us a few things about your business. Then, we'll match you with our top fleet management software providers that fit your exact needs! You’ll save the time of researching on your own plus up to 30% on the software by comparing!