As a CEO of a time tracking and attendance app company my team and I are constantly looking at the best B2B software to know what’s going on in the market. That means we’re often researching about and/or playing around with their products, you know, it’s part of the job. Here, I share my findings of that research, giving credit to those products where credit is due and being honest about which products I believe you really need to avoid. And so, there you have it, this review, and in it, I try to be honest, fair, and insightful. I hope it helps you make the right decision…
Overview
Fleet management has evolved significantly in recent years with advancements in technology, particularly in the field of live location tracking apps. These innovative tools have revolutionized the way fleet managers monitor and manage their vehicles, providing real-time information on their whereabouts and allowing for efficient and effective decision-making.
In this article, we will explore the six best live location tracking apps for fleet management. These apps offer a wide range of features and functionalities to help fleet managers streamline their operations, improve driver safety, and reduce costs. From real-time vehicle tracking and geofencing to driver behavior monitoring and predictive maintenance, these apps provide comprehensive solutions to address the unique challenges faced by fleet managers.
Whether you are a small business with a handful of vehicles or a large enterprise with an extensive fleet, incorporating live location tracking apps into your fleet management strategy is crucial for optimizing operations and enhancing productivity.
The Definitive List:
1. Jibble
Jibble is primarily a time tracking app, but it also offers businesses an efficient solution for fleet management. With its live location tracking feature, the app provides businesses with a powerful tool to streamline their operations and enhance productivity.
One of the key benefits of Jibble’s live location tracking feature is the ability to optimize routes. The app provides businesses with real-time information on the location of their fleet vehicles, allowing them to identify the most efficient routes. By avoiding traffic congestion and road closures, businesses can save valuable time and resources.
Another advantage of Jibble’s live location tracking is improved fuel efficiency. By monitoring the real-time location of their fleet vehicles, businesses can identify inefficient driving practices such as excessive idling or speeding. With this information, businesses can provide feedback and training to their drivers and reduce the distance traveled by their vehicles
Safety is a top priority for businesses managing a fleet of vehicles, and Jibble’s live location tracking feature helps in this aspect as well. In case of any emergencies or accidents, the app allows businesses to quickly locate their vehicles and provide immediate assistance if needed. This ensures the safety of both drivers and valuable cargo, minimizing risks and potential losses.
By providing real-time GPS tracking, Jibble enables businesses to optimize routes, improve fuel efficiency, enhance driver safety, and improve customer satisfaction. With these benefits, businesses can streamline their operations, reduce costs, and maximize productivity, ultimately leading to long-term success.
Key Features
- Facial recognition and integration with biometric devices
- Geolocation
- Compatible with mobile and desktop
- Automated timesheets
- Customizable settings
What Users Like
- 100% free
- Comprehensive features
- Accurate
- Simple and easy user interface
- Detailed and accurate reporting
What Users Don’t Like
- The CEO wears crazy white glasses
2. Motive
Motive is an app that aims to provide comprehensive fleet management solutions for companies in various industries. Originally known as KeepTruckin’, Motive rebranded as its focus expanded beyond trucking and logistics. The app offers a range of hardware, including specialized tools for refrigeration and a GPS tracker that can be connected to vehicles.
Motive’s live location tracking enables users to monitor the real-time position, use, and health of their fleet, equipment, and assets. This means that users can have instant and up-to-date information on the whereabouts of their fleet or equipment.
One of the things that I commend Motive for is its focus on driver safety and minimizing risky behaviors. The app utilizes a standard dashcam that generates footage that’s not only analyzed by AI systems but also undergoes human oversight to catch any events that may have been missed by the AI.
Motive also provides a driver-specific app that is ideal for tracking expenditures and ensuring compliance with electronic logging device (ELD) regulations. This feature helps drivers and managers stay organized and ensures adherence to important transportation industry requirements.
What I don’t like, however, is the opaque pricing. You can’t even reach out to the sales team directly; you’ll have to send them an inquiry, then wait for them to reach out to you. If you want to compare prices and features, you’ll have to do it on the Motive sales team’s time instead of yours. There have also been quite a lot of user complaints about Motive’s customer service.
Key Features
- Real-time tracking and telematics for fleet and assets
- AI behavior analysis with human oversight
- Advanced dashcam with immediate feedback
- Simplified app for drivers
- Cloud-based dispatch management system
What Users Like
- ELD compliance
- Driver safety scoring
- Detailed and helpful reports
- Easy-to-use software and hardware
- Comprehensive fleet management tools
What Users Don’t Like
- Expensive pricing with surprise increases
- Customer service is unresponsive or unhelpful at times
- Connectivity issues with hardware
3. ClearPathGPS
ClearPathGPS is a popular app that specializes in providing full fleet and asset visibility for field services businesses. The app is designed to help businesses identify and eliminate blind spots as well as streamline operations, which ultimately helps businesses increase their profits.
The app’s key functionalities include live GPS vehicle and asset tracking, driver behavior monitoring, virtual timecards, geofences, fleet maintenance tracking, and historical data. Users can access the app via the web or through the mobile app, which is available for both iOS and Android devices.
In my opinion, this app’s best feature is its monitoring tools. It gives real-time updates on vehicles in the field, with color-coded status updates, track points, and the ability to see vehicles moving automatically. ClearPathGPS also offers a wide range of reports and alerts, allowing businesses to monitor and analyze their fleet’s activity over a specific period.
One of the best things about ClearPathGPS is that it currently offers several hardware devices to meet various tracking needs. One of the available options is the plug-and-play GPS device, which is perfect for light- to medium-duty trucks and cars. It offers decent memory storage and boasts location accuracy within a 10-foot radius.
What I don’t like, however, is that ClearPathGPS only includes advanced reports and alerts in its higher-tier plan. This means that businesses on lower-tier plans may not have access to the same level of insights and alerts, which could hinder their ability to proactively address issues or make data-driven decisions.
Key Features
- Plug-and-play GPS devices and other hardware
- Driver behavior monitoring
- Live traffic feeds to avoid traffic
- Maintenance schedule and monitoring
- Alerts for maintenance, geofencing, and more
What Users Like
- Easy to use system
- Time tracking feature
- Real-time vehicle location tracking
- Detailed and varied reports
- Excellent and efficient customer service
What Users Don’t Like
- Mobile version is less accurate and detailed
- Addresses and locations can be inaccurate
4. GPS Insight
GPS Insight is a comprehensive fleet management software that provides innovative solutions and actionable insights. With a focus on reducing fleet operating costs, ensuring safety on the roads, and eliminating inefficiencies, GPS Insight offers a wide range of fleet solutions for organizations with vehicles, trailers, and other mobile assets
What’s remarkable about GPS Insight is that it offers multiple channels for customers to reach out for help. Customer support responds to critical phone calls and emails even outside of office hours. They also promise to respond to non-urgent inquiries as soon as possible within working hours.
In addition, there’s an online knowledge center to assist users in navigating the system and performing specific functions.
GPS Insight also stands out for its specialized live location tracking devices. Rather than offering just one type of tracking unit, GPS Insight provides a range of devices designed for specific purposes. These devices include the GPSI-3900, which is discreetly installed in a vehicle’s dash, the AT-3000 series for monitoring assets, and the TT-3000 for tracking assets in areas with no cellular coverage.
Another notable feature of GPS Insight is its driver management capabilities. Users can view historical vehicle activity, send and receive SMS messages, track driver histories, see violation reports, set up custom alerts, and view driver scorecards.
One thing I didn’t like, however, is that GPS Insight’s reports are less detailed than those of similar fleet management apps. Additionally, the company charges for installation, even though many other suppliers offer this service for free.
Key Features
- Specialized vehicle and asset tracking devices
- Online knowledge center
- Historical vehicle activity tracking
- Live location tracking
- Driver histories and scorecards
What Users Like
- Efficient vehicle tracking
- Helps improve delivery time estimates
- Responsive and helpful customer service
- Easy to set up and use
- Improves time management for drivers
What Users Don’t Like
- Issues with hardware not working correctly
- Low-quality and at times inaccurate reports
5. Force by Mojio
Force by Mojio is a GPS fleet tracking app that’s perfect for small and growing businesses. With a 10-second refresh rate, informative trip histories, and integration with Housecall Pro for home service businesses, Force by Mojio is a great choice for fleet management.
One of the standout features of Force by Mojio is RoadScore, which allows managers to see how safely each driver has been driving with a score out of 100. This real-time vehicle tracking experience is complemented by the ability to track vehicles live on a map, monitor driver activity, and keep tabs on vehicle health.
The app also allows for live location-tracking links, enabling customers to accurately track their drivers and view the estimated time of arrivals. Geofencing is also available to ensure drivers stay in designated areas, and detailed trip history reports hold drivers accountable by providing records of every trip, including start and end times, routes, mileage, and driver performance.
However, the app does have its drawbacks, mainly due to its limitations. Firstly, it’s suitable only for small businesses, and not larger fleet businesses. Additionally, unlike apps like Samsara, the app only works in the United States. This is a major drawback for businesses whose drivers frequently cross into Mexico or Canada.
Moreover, Force by Mojio is unable to track larger vehicles like 18-wheelers, which is a disadvantage for businesses with truck and trailer fleets. The absence of a dashcam feature in the app also limits its ability to provide things like valuable footage for incidents and driver training, which are offered by other competitors.
Key Features
- Driver safety scores
- Geofencing to ensure driver accountability
- Shareable live location-tracking links
- Vehicle health monitoring and maintenance records
- Predictive maintenance alerts
What Users Like
- Designed for simplicity and ease of use
- Live location tracking with 10-second refresh rate
- Easy onboarding and integration
- Provides a lot of information and metrics
- Helpful notifications and alerts
What Users Don’t Like
- Difficulties changing or removing driver names
- Doesn’t allow users to classify and track stops
- Difficulty sending links of locations via text
6. Samsara
Samsara is an app that offers a comprehensive GPS fleet tracking solution for startups and small businesses. It’s designed to be easy to use and affordable, making it an ideal choice for companies with limited resources. The app provides real-time tracking and live alerts, allowing employers and fleet managers to have immediate access to critical data for making informed decisions.
In terms of driver safety and performance, Samsara stands out for its detailed tracking capabilities. It tracks not only common behaviors like speeding and harsh acceleration/braking but also harsh cornering and turning, providing a comprehensive overview of driver behavior.
Another standout feature is Samsara’s real-time tracking capabilities. While many GPS fleet tracking services provide updates every 10 seconds to two minutes, Samsara refreshes every second, giving businesses a truly up-to-date view of their fleet.
What I don’t like about this app, however, is the lack of transparency in pricing. Samsara doesn’t list pricing online and requires potential clients to fill out a form or contact a representative for a quote. This lack of online pricing can be a deterrent for companies that prefer to quickly compare prices without needing to engage in direct conversation.
The requirement for a long-term commitment to the service also leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Samsara requires clients to sign up for at least three years. This long contract length may not be suitable for all businesses, especially startups in their volatile early stages of growth. A shorter-term or month-to-month contract option would provide more flexibility for companies to adapt their needs and make changes as necessary.
Key Features
- Plug-and-play tracking devices and other hardware
- Fleet health management and tracking
- Refreshes every second for real-time updates
- Driver performance management tools
- Fuel usage monitoring
What Users Like
- Real-time tracking and monitoring of vehicles
- Improves driver behavior and safety
- Easy-to-use interface
- Wide range of useful features
- Helps optimize fuel usage
What Users Don’t Like
- Poor customer service
- Continued or additional billing for broken, destroyed, or unused devices
- Reports lack certain tracking details
