The top 5 must-have fleet management features driving success

If you’re exploring fleet management software, chances are you’re looking for more than basic vehicle tracking. 

The right fleet management features can help you do far more than track vehicles. They can connect every part of your operation, reveal hidden inefficiencies and keep your business running smoothly no matter how complex things get — and they do get complex.

Fleets relying on disconnected tools, handmade spreadsheets or basic GPS trackers are often leaving too much to chance. Delayed repairs, compliance gaps and missed insights can add up fast. That’s why today’s most successful fleets are built on connected platforms designed to centralize information, automate tasks and turn insight into action.

To help you find the right fit, we’ve broken down five must-have fleet management features that separate basic tracking from true operational intelligence — and show what to look for in a solution built for long-term success.

Dig deeper into today’s most powerful fleet management features and how to evaluate them with our fleet management buyers guide.

1. GPS tracking and Live Map

At the heart of any highly effective fleet management platform is location insights that go beyond basic tracking. Verizon Connect’s fleet management features offer visibility into every vehicle, asset and driver in near real time. Driven by GPS tracking, these features offer a complete picture of your fleet’s movement 24/7:

• Live Map: See every vehicle’s current location, so you can find your people instantly, verify activity in a click or dispatch the closest driver to a job.
• Geofencing: Create virtual boundaries around key locations, so you get alerts when drivers come and go, allowing you to confirm service completion or detect unauthorized movement quickly.
• Route history and replay: Analyze your drivers previous routes to verify stops, identify delays and streamline future planning.

Together, these capabilities deliver precision and accountability across your fleet, giving managers a clear, data-driven view of daily operations.

Learn more about GPS fleet tracking software.

2. AI-powered video

Safety isn’t just a policy — it’s a practice supported by visibility, accountability and trust. AI-powered video telematics are among the most valuable fleet management software features for protecting both your team and your bottom line, providing video that raises driver awareness and provides objective evidence of events.

• Intelligent dashcams: Capture HD footage both in and outside the cab with AI-powered video solutions that automatically detects and categorizes risky driving like tailgating, stop sign violations, near-misses, distracted driving, speeding. Fleet managers can be notified in near real time or review categorized footage later. Drivers can also receive in-cab alerts to correct behavior instantly.
• Extended view cameras: Help drivers see what’s happening outside their vehicles from many angles so they can more effectively maneuver through backups and tight spots, reducing the potential for collision.
• Objective coaching: Use video footage to personalize coaching with drivers' real behaviors. This provides them with objective evidence-based feedback that’s easy to see and understand.
• Accident defense: Access incident footage instantly that tells the full story of a crash, potentially exonerating drivers and preventing false claims. Many insurance providers offer discounts to fleets that are equipped with video as well.

By pairing visibility with machine learning, fleets can strengthen safety culture, reduce accident costs and foster more confident driving.

Discover how AI-powered video helps protect fleets.

3. Fleet maintenance management

Unplanned downtime can be a real drag on your fleet’s productivity. But built-in fleet management features for maintenance and diagnostics can help you shift from reactive fixes to proactive performance.

• Diagnostic trouble codes (DTC): Get real-time DTC alerts for critical issues like low fluids or failing batteries. You can also run reports on DTCs with severity rankings to get a better understanding of vehicle health.
• Automated maintenance scheduling: Schedule service reminders based on actual mileage, engine hours or time intervals — not guesswork.
• Digital inspections: Customizable, electronic driver vehicle inspection reports (DVIRs) keep vehicle health top of mind and streamline communication between drivers and mechanics for faster repair scheduling. No bulky paperwork to track down here.

These maintenance insights, powered by connected telematics, form the foundation of a proactive fleet maintenance management strategy. With the right technology, you can identify patterns, prevent costly breakdowns and extend vehicle life, ultimately increasing uptime and reliability.

Learn more about connected fleet maintenance management.

4. Asset tracking

Many companies have specialized vehicles or heavy-duty equipment that don’t operate like the rest of their fleet. Verizon Connect’s asset tracking capabilities help managers determine if those assets are used efficiently and serviced accurately.

• Engine hour reporting: Track usage and mechanical stress when vehicles idle or operate auxiliary equipment to fine-tune maintenance intervals.
• Power take-off monitoring: Verify when pumps, lifts or cranes are in use to confirm service delivery and ensure maintenance aligns with real-world operation.
• Equipment utilization: Usage trends can  help you identify underutilized assets or bottlenecks so you can improve asset allocation, balance workloads or retire equipment. You can also forecast demand and supply for specific assets based on lifecycle stage and anticipated use.

These insights give you a better picture of how your fleet and equipment are used and if they’re performing appropriately. With better equipment accountability, you can plan replacements strategically, allocate assets more effectively and control costs.

Learn more about smart asset tracking for proactive operations.

5. ELD and HOS compliance tracking

Regulatory requirements don’t have to slow you down. Programs designed to manage regulatory compliance integrate seamlessly with fleet management and bring automation, customization and simplicity to your compliance efforts. These fleet management features can handle:

• ELD/HOS tracking: Automatically record hours of service data to reduce manual errors and prevent costly fines.
• Driver-friendly design: Simplify log submissions, reduce paperwork and make inspections less stressful for operators and administrators.

These connected compliance tools keep fleets in line with U.S. and Canadian mandates while giving managers instant access to driver status and hours all from a single dashboard.

Learn more about ELD compliance management software.

Do you have the right fleet management features?

Verizon Connect delivers a comprehensive suite of fleet management features that unify operations, safety, maintenance and compliance into one connected ecosystem. With 99.7% uptime,1 dedicated customer support and the backing of the Verizon network, fleets that partner with Verizon Connect can get up and running quickly and count on long-term reliability. 

By bringing these capabilities together, you move beyond tracking and into true operational intelligence. Fleets that invest in these features often experience reduced costs through lower fuel consumption, fewer claims and less emergency repairs. They also see greater efficiency with faster dispatching, routing and less downtime. They support safety through driver monitoring, proactive coaching and video-backed accountability.

Stop managing your fleet reactively. See how these key features of fleet management systems can help you scale smarter by booking a demo today.

1 Why Verizon Connect eBook