5 Features to Look For In Fleet Management Software

Managing a fleet without the right software is inefficient, costly, and full of blind spots.

As fleet operations grow more complex, digitalization isn’t just an optional upgrade—it’s a necessity.

But not all solutions deliver the control and visibility that fleet managers need.

This guide explores five must-have features to help you choose a fleet management system that makes a difference, driving your operational efficiency and profitability.

Let’s dive right in!

GPS Tracking

GPS tracking enables fleet managers to stay on top of each vehicle’s location in real-time.

It’s an essential fleet management feature that drives operational and cost efficiency while increasing security.  

The combined benefits of GPS tracking yield a strong ROI, with one report showing that a third of businesses saw positive returns within six months.

Illustration: GoCodes / Data: Automotive Fleet

Automotive Fleet’s findings reveal a five-year trend of nearly one-third of businesses achieving ROI within six months, which has reached an all-time high this year.

But how does GPS fleet tracking unlock savings across so many key areas?

Simply put, real-time visibility gives fleet managers greater control over their fleet movement and detailed insight into individual asset usage.

Consider delivery or shipment tracking.

No matter the shipment, GPS trackers enable close monitoring of each trip, starting with the designated route.

Source: GoCodes

By tracking assets from point A to point B, businesses gain insights into individual trips to optimize routes and ensure accountability.

However, this also means you’re continuously mapping trends, helping you address persistent issues related to driver behavior and eliminate delays in the long run.

Let’s go back to the statistics for a little bit.

The aforementioned AF report shows the impact of GPS tracking on fuel savings, which have nearly doubled from 2024 (9%) to 2025 (16%).

This is especially important given the latest predictions about climbing fuel costs, but where does it come from?

GPS trackers help record idling events, unauthorized detours, and cases of fuel theft, with many solutions focusing on fuel consumption, as shown in the video below.

Source: V Zone on YouTube

Real-time insights into asset locations and movement enhance accountability, but also play a crucial role in driver and operator safety.

Think about it: GPS solutions provide fleet managers with a comprehensive view of vehicle and equipment locations, which ensures better oversight and security, especially in remote locations.

Taylor Burman, Fleet Manager for Axis Europe, emphasizes that the very knowledge of vehicles being tracked makes a difference for employees working in remote locations.

Illustration: GoCodes / Quote: Fleet News 

With these benefits, it’s no wonder why GPS has become an essential feature in modern fleet management, helping companies improve efficiency, safety, and overall operations.

Geofencing

Geofencing takes fleet tracking one step further—it enables businesses to set up virtual boundaries and receive alerts whenever a vehicle enters or exits a specified area.

Provided by almost all top fleet management solutions, geofencing delivers utilization insights while preventing unauthorized vehicle use.

Geofencing capabilities enhance security by improving fleet managers’ response time, increasing the odds of recovering stolen assets.

GPS tracking recently helped recover three stolen vehicles worth over $100,000 in California by providing the owner with precise location data for law enforcement.

Source: KRCR

However, the outcome could have been very different if the owner didn’t actively monitor the vehicles’ location.

This is where geofencing comes in—any asset movement outside a designated area, such as a storage yard or job site, triggers an instant alert, notifying the fleet manager or other relevant personnel.

Of course, not every alert signals a theft, but it prompts a swift investigation, helping the crew assess the situation and take appropriate action.

C.A.T. Inc.’s VP of Safety, Compliance, and Driver Development, Michael Robinson, agrees that faster response time is a game changer for companies looking to bolster security and safety.

Illustration: GoCodes / Quote: Truck News

At this point, you might assume that such benefits can only come with a complex setup.

However, establishing geofences is surprisingly simple—especially with our geofence-enabled asset management solution, GoCodes.

All it takes is to pull up a map, select a geofence shape, and draw it around the area in question.

Source: GoCodes

Next up, since geofencing has many use cases, you need to choose which events will trigger alerts.

For instance, the most common triggers are for exit or entry, but geofence boundaries can also be time-based, sending alerts if equipment moves within or outside specified zones after hours.

You can even be notified about engine ignition coming on.

Source: GoCodes

The bottom line is this—geofencing is simple to use, but incredibly powerful, improving your control over each asset and the overall site security.

Real-Time Alerts

Fleet management software is equipped with a whole range of real-time alerts that improve driver safety, reduce operational risks, and enhance vehicle maintenance.

You guessed it: it’s not just geofencing or theft prevention.

Real-time alerts enable fleet managers to detect and effectively address bad driver habits such as speeding or harsh driving but also act fast in cases of engine malfunctions.

The value of this feature becomes more evident when we take a closer look at the statistics.

According to a Motive report, 39% of fleet managers say improving driver safety is one of their biggest challenges.

Illustration: GoCodes / Data: Motive

And it’s not hard to see why.

Roads are highly unpredictable even when we don’t factor in risky driver habits.

Luckily, telematics systems powered by real-time alerts make it easier for fleet managers to react by both tracking drivers’ movements and evaluating their performance.

Ongoing monitoring of driver behavior reveals a wealth of insights that drive self-corrective behavior, ultimately improving safety.

Here’s one example of how Lytx’s video telematics solution aids real-time coaching by warning drivers about speeding events, harsh braking, and more.

Source: Lytx Inc. on YouTube

Research shows that 60% of fleet managers invest in fleet management software in a bid to reduce the number of accidents, while also cutting down on insurance and repair costs.

Flagging harmful habits and vehicle conditions is central to these efforts.  

When it comes to harsh driving, some of the most common trigger events include harsh braking and acceleration, cornering, and impact events, as shown here.

Source: GoCodes

Nevertheless, it’s important to keep in mind other factors that directly impact overall safety, namely vehicle condition.

While breakdowns aren’t always avoidable, enabling real-time alerts for mechanical issues ensures that fleet managers can quickly dispatch backup vehicles and adjust maintenance priorities accordingly.

Systems with priority-based alert management are especially useful in such circumstances.

For example, Pitstop’s fleet maintenance software categorizes engine and coolant issues as critical or major, while placing connectivity issues further down the list of priorities.

Source: Pitstop

All in all, real-time alerts are a vital fleet management feature, giving you instant visibility into driver behavior and vehicle health to improve safety and keep the operations running smoothly.

Telematics Data Analysis

Fleet data is collected continuously, but it also needs to be processed and put to good use—this brings us to another key feature of telematics systems.

Fleet managers use the data on fuel consumption, driving behavior, and performance metrics to improve decision-making and reduce operational costs.

Cost efficiency has always been a top priority in fleet management, but rising industry-wide costs make it more critical than ever.

Namely, ATRI’s analysis of the operational costs of trucking reveals a 6.6% increase in just one year.

Illustration: GoCodes / Data: ATRI

The current economic environment seems even more volatile than in 2023, making it clear that cost management will remain essential for sustaining successful operations.

While there are no quick fixes for reducing costs, data-driven decision-making is the cornerstone of operational efficiency and business continuity.

Needless to say, fleet management software plays a crucial role in this process.

Take a look at the intuitive dashboards pictured here—each one offers detailed insights that fuel strategic decisions across all areas.

Source: GoCodes

Top-notch telematics solutions balance versatility with in-depth insights to deliver benefits that go beyond cost savings.

Take speed management, for example.

GoCodes’ robust reporting abilities provide an overview of all speed events based on location, time, and vehicle to map trends and create a visual map of speeding hotspots.

Source: GoCodes

Neglecting to analyze and act on telematics data is considered a major fleet management mistake, but this happens more often than you’d think.

One of the root causes lies in the users’ inability to pinpoint the right data.

Michael Lasko, Vice-President of EHS and Quality at Boyle Transportation, draws a difference between actionable data and the kind of “background noise.”

Illustration: GoCodes / Quote: Trucking Info

Differentiating between the two is nearly impossible if the data from multiple sources isn’t well-integrated and presented intuitively.

Moreover, the ability to conveniently generate actionable reports is essential for making sense out of all the collected information.

Below is a sample of several performance reports focusing on different driver metrics.

Source: GoCodes

So, be sure to choose a solution that blends powerful analytics and reporting with an intuitive interface.

This will give you access to insights you need to make smarter decisions, optimize performance, and gain a lasting competitive edge.

Maintenance Scheduler

By relying on maintenance scheduling features, companies ensure both peak performance and extended lifespan of their vehicles.

Asset tracking is a key capability of fleet management solutions, helping fleet managers enhance efficiency and security, but also maintenance planning.

The previously mentioned AF report shows that 40% of fleet managers see asset tracking as highly beneficial for preventing breakdowns, thereby offsetting the costs of downtime and equipment replacement.

Illustration: GoCodes / Data: Automotive Fleet

GPS trackers and telematics sensors provide real-time data on vehicle and equipment location, usage, and condition, but scheduling ensures you turn that data into actionable decisions.

Adding a service schedule with automated reminders for each asset is a staple of proactive maintenance strategies, helping you reduce repair costs, improve productivity, and more.

A maintenance scheduler simplifies this process further by allowing for both bulk assignments and highly customized schedules.

As shown below, setting alert thresholds based on odometer readings, engine hours, date, or GPIO (General Purpose Input Output) ensures that your schedule accounts for varying operating conditions.

Source: GoCodes

Naturally, the schedule changes based on which of the predefined conditions is triggered first.

Automated service reminders protect your key assets, but also reduce admin and ensure efficient resource management.

By directing the technicians where they’re most needed, you’re saving valuable time and making full use of their expertise.

David Auton, maintenance expert and Vice-President of C&W Services, agrees, noting their importance for facilities management.

Illustration: GoCodes / Quote: Buildings

But remember: Efficiency greatly depends on the software’s ease of use.

Gartner’s survey shows that 60% of workers experience frustration with new software, which is why your fleet management solution needs user-friendly scheduling options.

Moreover, all pending tasks should be easily accessible through a single list, and from any device.

In GoCodes’ case, that’s Agenda View.

Source: GoCodes

A well-designed maintenance scheduler may not be the most powerful fleet management feature, but it’s extremely efficient in streamlining upkeep while minimizing downtime.

As such, be sure to factor it into your software search!

Conclusion

As we covered, fleet management software tracks the location, usage, and condition of your vehicles and equipment, providing real-time insights.

However, its true value lies in how it streamlines operations and enables smarter decision-making, driving efficiency and cost savings.

From GPS tracking to real-time alerts and maintenance scheduling, each feature simplifies complex tasks to keep your fleet running smoothly.

Ready to take fleet management to the next level?

Analyze your unique needs and choose a solution that combines powerful capabilities with ease of use—do that, and get ready to see the results!