Fleet Management Software Development Cost and Key Features

Today, fleet management software development is crucial for a business that uses vehicles. It offers various incredible features like real-time tracking, maintenance scheduling, monitoring driver behavior, and fuel management in order to enhance operations and save money.

Nowadays, more customers prefer having goods delivered rather than picking them up themselves especially due to pandemic restrictions. This shift is pushing many companies to find better ways to manage their fleets, so they can stay competitive and meet customer expectations. Creating fleet management software is an ideal solution for business owners to streamline daily tasks and offer logistics managers, drivers, and customers with user-friendly tools that provide advanced features for everyone.

However, building a custom fleet management software involves a little big investment.

In this blog, we will cover all the important topics related to fleet software management, the factors that affect its cost, and the important features businesses should consider when creating this type of software.

Key Facts

• In fact, the fleet management software market was valued at $16.9 billion in 2020 year and is expected to reach $19.6 billion by the end of 2024.
• Experts also predict that by 2028 year, the market could grow to $59 billion with a 17% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2021 to 2028.
• These figures show that many companies are already investing in fleet management software and plan to increase their investment to further improve and automate their operations.
• The global market for fleet management software is expected to hit $23.67 billion by the end of 2024 and grow to $79.82 billion by 2030 with an estimated annual growth rate of 19%. This highlights how important fleet management software is becoming for the logistics industry.

For these reasons, we have decided to explore this topic and cover the following points.

What is Fleet Management Software?

A cloud-based tool, fleet management software is the best option for businesses that helps them keep track of their vehicles, drivers, and technicians in one place. Here are some of the things you can monitor in real time: –

• Control over reefer and trailer
• Vehicle location and route using GPS
• Speed, temperature, fuel levels, and door openings
• Driver hours of service (HOS) and power take-off

The software provides a single platform to track and control various areas as provided above. With this software, business can run their fleet more smoothly, boost safety, and also reduce the overall cost.

How Does Fleet Management Software Work?

Looking to develop your fleet management software and aren’t aware how does it works? No worries we are here to help you! Implementing a fleet management system may seem simple but it’s actually a complex or long-term process. It involves everything from real-time data requests and satellite GPS to a final dashboard that shows lots of information in one place.

First, you need to build fleet management software with the right features and scalability to fit your business needs and satisfy customer expectations. Then, powerful and secure cloud servers are essential to receive and process real-time data from vehicles and display it on the dashboard for managers.

One key element is electronic logging devices (ELDs) which must be plugged into each vehicle’s OBDII port to start sending real-time data via the network. You can choose either a cellular or satellite network to transfer data from trucks to dashboards. GPS tracking works by getting data from satellites orbiting the Earth.

These satellites gather a lot of information including details about your fleet management, and send it straight to your dashboard using a satellite connection.

Different Trends In Logistics Are Causing This Growth

• Half of the companies have started using new GPS fleet tracking systems to monitor and manage their fleets in real time.
• Vehicle management holds the largest market share at 45% which shows that tracking vehicle performance and maintenance is the most important part of fleet management.
• Fleet tracking is paying off! 62% of GPS users say tracking their vehicles has resulted in a positive return on investment.
• Spending on fleet management in the U.S. is expected to grow at an annual rate of 10% between 2023 and 2033 year, starting from a market value of USD 3,151.6 million in 2023 year.

Best Fleet Management Software Options

Now we are going to share the list of the best fleet management software solutions that offer ready-to-use systems on a subscription basis.

Onfleet

Onfleet is one of the top fleet management software options which was created in 2012 by engineers from Stanford University. The company offers robust logistics software that helps you track various delivery vehicles no matter whether they’re trucks, bikes, or cars. Onfleet’s system is especially designed to improve delivery and customer service. It features custom reporting tools, automatic updates, advanced route management on driver status for customers, and detailed analytics. A top fleet management software offers these important features: –

• Cross-platform and detailed analytics dashboard for making data-driven decisions.
• A comprehensive app for customers that combines calls, automatic status updates, messages, and feedback collection.
• AI-driven and web-based routine and dispatch in one place.
• User-friendly mobile apps for drivers that cut down onboarding time, track real-time data and provide proof of delivery.

USFleetTracking

UsFleetTracking is a leading fleet management company in the USA. This company is started by Jerry Hunter in year 2005. The company specializes in creating advanced GPS tracking software to help businesses monitor their vehicle fleets and mobile assets effectively. Recently, UsFleetTracking has introduced a new vehicle fleet management software available by subscription which includes the following features.

• Advanced reporting tool
• Real-time traffic updates and geofencing alerts
• Automated route setup and management
• Alerts for idling, ignition, and maintenance
• 3-month history playback
• Many downloadable product manuals, how-to videos, and spec sheets

Fleetio

Fleetio is one of the leading fleet management companies in the USA. This was established in 2011 by Tony Summerville. They offer easy-to-use web and mobile apps for managing trucks, drivers, and auto parts all in one platform. This makes it suitable for large businesses and even small to medium-sized companies, and startups. A major advantage of using Fleetio is its high level of compliance and comprehensive monitoring features.

• Useful and attractive report generation tool
• Management of fuel, equipment, and fleet
• Scheduled vehicle inspections
• Customizable dashboard fields and various dashboard view options
• Regular maintenance and support for trucks

Rhino Fleet Tracking

Rhino is a top fleet management software provider that started in the 2007 year through a partnership between Smart Start, Inc. and a Senior Software Development Manager from Verizon. They offer advanced fleet tracking systems that let businesses securely and easily monitor and analyze trailers, vehicles, and other equipment in real time. Rhino Fleet Tracking offers these key features: –

• Support via mobile, email, and chat
• Landmark settings to manage and monitor drivers from anywhere
• Easy integration with Google Maps for quick access to data
• Comprehensive alerts for speeding, geofencing, and after-hours
• Detailed tracking analytics with helpful dashboards and charts

Essential Features for Fleet Management Software

Here we will explore the top features that you should consider while creating fleet management software. Implementing these features is essential to meet your business needs and tackle any challenge that may arise in the future.

Fuel usage management

Fuel costs are a major expense for any delivery service. That’s why automated fuel management software is essential for logistics. This software helps you monitor fuel levels in all your fleet trucks, track how often they need refueling or draining and manage overall fuel expenses.

It provides real-time alerts for potential leaks or theft that help you avoid losses that could hurt your profits and customer satisfaction. With this fleet management software development, you can set up alarms to notify you whenever there’s a fuel drain and get ongoing updates on tank levels, average fuel use, and consumption per vehicle.

Automated vehicle maintenance

Today, having vehicle fleet management software with automatic maintenance alerts and reporting tools is essential for your business. To keep maintenance and repair costs down, you need to regularly check and analyze the condition of your fleet based on mileage and vehicle type.

Automated vehicle maintenance with top fleet management software helps by notifying your fleet managers when checkups and repairs are needed. Additionally, you can gather data to create detailed reports on maintenance costs that help you improve processes and save money over time. With online fleet management software, you can track and reduce your current fleet costs, improve vehicle maintenance, enhance driver satisfaction, and lower repair expenses.

GPS tracking for vehicles

Every business has its own motive to develop fleet management software. However one of the main goals of using a fleet management software system is to track trucks and vehicles in real-time. Also, businesses need to get accurate data on their location, speed, trip duration and usage of fuel.

This is achieved by linking GPS tracking devices to your fleet management software so they work together smoothly. Nowadays, vehicle GPS tracking is essential for any effective fleet management system. It helps your business reduce costs, improve productivity, use fuel more efficiently, enhance safety, and reduce theft.

Logging trips and calculating mileage

It’s recognized that advanced logistics algorithms are key to any fleet or delivery business. This feature makes the vehicle fleet management software an excellent tool for monitoring, managing, and improving operations. First, a trip log feature is essential for your fleet. It automatically tracks and collects various data for each trip using electronic vehicle trackers. This means you can skip the hassle of logbooks and spreadsheets since the software handles these tasks automatically and provides real-time data.

This helps reduce labor costs and frees up time for managers to focus on bigger tasks like growing the business and improving customer relations. A mileage tracking app works like an advanced calculator that enables fleet managers and accountants to easily request reports for tax purposes including all necessary data.

Monitoring driver behavior

Truck drivers are crucial for delivering goods from one place to another which makes it important to monitor their behavior with online fleet accident management software.

This feature helps track drivers and reduce the number of collisions, which in turn lowers operational costs. As per the reports, the average cost of a vehicle accident can be as much as $70,000 per truck which could be a major expense for businesses. Moreover, fleet management software helps by providing real-time metrics and generating detailed reports based on a thorough analysis of driver behavior.

Steps to Develop Fleet Management Software

Now, if you have already planned to get your own fleet management software then it’s time to talk about the main features involved in the procedure. Let’s discuss the fleet management software development process.

Identify Your Key Business Goals

Start your fleet management software development by identifying the key requirements and business needs, as software is meant to address specific goals and tasks. You need to make a list of features that can help make your daily operations more efficient and simplify business processes.

For instance, if you need real-time data on fuel usage then having fleet fuel management as a feature is essential for your fleet management software. By listing features like this, you can decide whether ready-made software or a custom solution is best for your needs.

Select the Right Software Type

After identifying the main business goals and key features, you can move on to selecting the right type of fleet management software. Here are some of the most common choices are fleet maintenance, delivery management, fuel management, truck dispatch software, route planning and many more.

Usually, the top fleet management software offers a variety of features in one system, so you only need to buy a single subscription to access everything. But here’s a difference between off-the-shelf and custom solutions that affect the overall cost of fleet management software development.

Many companies offer various subscription plans but these often come with features your business might never use. If you need specific features and want flexibility for future growth, custom fleet management software is the better option for your business.

At eBizneeds, we can create a custom logistic management system that fits your business needs and helps streamline your daily tasks efficiently. This solution can save you money in the long run since you won’t need to pay for extra features or limit the number of users who can access the system.

UI/UX

After you understand the software’s unique features and target users then create wireframes and prototypes of its UI/UX. This ensures the software works well. Good unique and is easy for fleet managers to use.

Creating MVP

When building an MVP, we only include the features and prepare the basic software functions to test and improve as needed. Hiring a reputable outsourcing development company can help deliver the best results for the MVP before its launch.

Pick Development Option

Before developing custom software, it’s important to first identify the most affordable and appropriate solution for your project. Now, let’s quickly go over three options you can consider to build an effective custom logistics management system.

• Choose a technical partner.
• Hire freelance teams for your project
• Hire a company that specializes in developing fleet management software.

QA Testing

Before deploying the software, make sure to test the software carefully to check its performance, security, and how well it works. Also, do user acceptability testing and unit integration testing to confirm that the program meets all the required specifications.

Implementation

Launch the software officially by setting it up on cloud or server platforms. You should ensure that you have the necessary infrastructure to handle the expected number of users.

Ongoing Support and Improvement

Hire a development team to ensure the software runs smoothly and train users effectively. You may also offer guides and provide support through customer service channels.

Major Benefits of Fleet Management Software Development

Fleet Management Software offers many benefits and is specially designed to meet your business needs. It’s created to fit your exact needs which improves efficiency. Here are some key benefits of building custom fleet management software: –

Customized Solutions

The main benefit of fleet management software is its completely customized solution. Fleet management software is made to fit the specific needs of your business. It should work well with your transportation management systems or have custom features built for warehouse management to ensure everything runs smoothly with your logistics app.

Improved Cost Management 

The custom fleet management software will help you optimize routes, track fuel usage, and schedule maintenance on time. As a result, it can lead to significant savings for your business.

Scalability and Flexibility 

The custom fleet management software is built to expand as your business grows. It’s flexible enough to adapt to your increasing fleet management needs so the software keeps up with your business.

Real-Time Data and Analytics 

Custom solutions that provide real-time data and analytics help monitor fleet performance, driver behavior, and overall efficiency. This way, decisions can be made more strategically and lead to better planning.

More Security 

Custom software gives you more control over security features that enable you to build strong protection for your sensitive data and meet industry standards.

Competitive Advantage 

Creating custom software for managing your fleet gives you an edge over your competitors by using the newest technologies. This helps you stay ahead of industry trends and makes your logistics business a leader in the field.

Customized fleet management software development offers many benefits including securing, better efficiency, personalized solutions, and cost-saving,

Boost Productivity and Efficiency

FMS helps increase productivity and efficiency by making sure the software fits your mobile app development procedure, automates routine tasks, and simplifies your workflow. This helps you get more done and reduces the chance of manual errors. It also saves both time and money with custom solutions.

Better Customer Service 

Custom software simplifies managing your fleet and also helps you deliver on time and improve service quality. Happy customers are more likely to come back and spread positive word of mouth.

How Much Does It Cost To Develop Fleet Management Software Development?

The cost of fleet management software development plays a crucial role to make accurate decisions and plan a budget for your project. Creating a comprehensive fleet management app isn’t cheap but it’s a worthwhile investment that can improve your business, boost efficiency, reduce costs, and give you an edge over the competition.

In the upcoming section, we’ll break down the factors that affect the cost of fleet management software and give you an estimated price range.

Factors That Affect the Cost of Developing Fleet Management Software

Here, we are going to share the basic factors that impact the overall cost of developing a fleet management system.

Technology Stack

The technology you choose will impact both the progress and the expenses. A few typical technologies used are PHP for backend programming, Angular for frontend development, and various APIs for integrating systems.

Features and Functions

The features and complexity of an app make the software more expensive to develop. Important features include GPS tracking, route optimization and repair scheduling. Extra costs can come from things like monitoring driver behaviour and connecting the app with another system.

Developer’s Location

Development expenses differ based on the location. For example, developers in Asia will charge less compared to NA & EU developers. Engaging a software development firm presents a solution since outsourcing to countries like India allows for cost-effective solutions without compromising on quality.

Team of Developers

The cost is greatly influenced by the size of the development team and the variety of skills needed. Hiring experienced PHP developers and experts for a traditional team of project managers, designers, developers and QA testers will increase the cost.

Timeframe

The duration of the project impacts the cost. Shorter timeframes may require more resources and hence higher costs. A well-planned timeline can optimize resource allocation and reduce costs.

Estimated Price

• Core functions (GPS monitoring, optimal route planning) cost between $20,000 and $30,000.
• Enhanced functions (live data analysis, monitoring drivers) cost between $30,000 and $50,000.
• The cost for utilizing the technology stack (Custom PHP Development, APIs) ranges from $10,000 to $20,000.
• A team of developers (Looking for Offshore PHP developers, designers, QA professionals) may cost between $40,000 to $60,000.
• The overall projected expense is $100,000 to $160,000

Why Choose eBizneeds For Fleet Management Software Development?

Creating fleet management software is crucial for addressing challenges faced by fleet operators. It helps simplify processes, enhance safety, and reduce costs. By using the right software, a complex and diverse industry can become more effective, profitable, and efficient.

eBizneeds is a top logistics software development company known for creating custom fleet management solutions and fulfilling your business needs. Recognized as one of the best in custom software development, we use advanced technology to drive business growth. Reach out to us and let’s help you succeed in the logistics field.

Conclusion

Creating fleet management software could be a tough procedure and requires lots of attention, effort, time, and resources especially when you customize for your specific business needs. You’ll need to decide between using an on-demand platform and creating a custom system which will help you determine the cost of fleet management software development. If you want to choose a custom solution and need a tech partner then we can help turn your business requirement into an advanced fleet management system.

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