BUSINESS FLEET TRACKING
Fleet tracking for small businesses.
You do not need a large transport operation to have questions about your vehicles. A small business may need to find a van during the day, check a previous journey or review mileage. Fleet tracking brings those records together.
When is tracking useful for a small fleet?
A location map can be useful when vehicles work away from the office and someone needs an update. Journey history helps with questions about an earlier route, while mileage reports provide a record of distance travelled.
A small team may already manage its work well through phone calls, job notes and a shared diary. Tracking adds location and journey information; its value depends on whether that information helps the business.
Fleet size alone does not tell you what you need. A few vehicles working from different locations may present different questions from a larger group that returns to one workplace every day.
Locations, journeys and mileage.
The main distinction is between knowing where vehicles are now and reviewing what happened earlier. Location maps support the first task. Journey history and mileage reports support the second.
| Information | What it helps you understand | A practical use |
|---|---|---|
| Location map | The position reported by each vehicle | Checking a vehicle's location during the day |
| Journey history | Where a vehicle has travelled | Reviewing a route when a question comes up later |
| Mileage and start-stop reports | Recorded distance and vehicle activity | Reviewing vehicle use alongside job information |
Using the software in a small team.
In a small business, the owner or the person handling bookings may also manage the vehicles. Access to the map and reports needs to fit that person's working day.
Choose access that fits the way those people work. Check the proposed system on the computer or mobile device they will use, and ask to see the reports that matter to the business.
Tracking and job records serve different purposes. Vehicle movements describe travel and activity; your job information explains the work involved.
What makes up the cost?
Equipment, fitting and access to the tracking software are separate parts of a tracking service, even when they are sold together. Compare the complete offer and any continuing commitment, rather than the price of the device alone.
| Part of the offer | What to check | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Tracker hardware | Equipment included and vehicle suitability | A device needs to suit the vehicle and proposed system |
| Fitting | Fitting method, location and any separate charge | A hardware price may not include installation |
| Software access | Included features, access and any charges | This is where the team will use locations and reports |
| Ongoing costs and agreement | Charge basis, agreement period and cancellation conditions | These affect the continuing cost after fitting |
Check whether quoted prices include VAT and whether charges are per vehicle, per account or for a package. Compare quotations for the same vehicle list and features, including the cost over the agreed period.
Adding vehicles or changing provider.
If the fleet may change, ask how additional vehicles are priced and fitted and what happens when a vehicle is replaced. Keep that answer with the quotation so the initial offer and later changes are clear.
If trackers are already fitted, establish whether they can be used with the replacement system. Hardware compatibility and the existing agreement are separate matters to resolve before a changeover.
Learn about fitting and existing tracking equipmentSmall-fleet enquiries to Phace.
Phace Installations Ltd supplies Phace Track Manager from Chudleigh, Devon. It uses Track Manager Lite software, with map locations, journey history, start-stop and mileage reports, and computer, phone and tablet access.
Quotations are based on fleet and installation requirements. Phace supplies hardwired trackers, with fitting at customer premises or the Chudleigh workshop. Devon is the primary area, with fleet enquiries from Cornwall, Dorset and Somerset also welcomed.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Frequently asked questions.
01What counts as a small fleet?
The term is used differently by different providers. Vehicle count is useful for a quotation, but the vehicle types, bases and information you need also matter. Check any minimum requirements with the provider.
02Will tracking replace our diary or job sheets?
Tracking adds vehicle location and activity records. It does not provide the whole explanation of the work, so keep the job information that gives those movements their context.
03Can we start with part of the fleet?
Check the provider's minimum requirements, pricing and terms. If tracking only some vehicles, consider whether those records will answer the questions that prompted the enquiry.
PHACE TRACK MANAGER · PHACE INSTALLATIONS LTD
Ask Phace about tracking a small fleet.
Tell Phace about your vehicles, where they are based and the information you need.