Equipment fleet · software
Equipment fleet management software
Equipment fleet management software centralises, machine by machine, the information needed to track it: technical record, hour meter, maintenance and inspection deadlines, history and documents. It replaces the Excel spreadsheet or paper logbook once the fleet grows or several people need to track the same machines day to day.
You're looking for equipment fleet management software for your construction, rental or railway works company. Here is what these tools actually do, how to compare them, and where Trackary fits.
What is equipment fleet management software?
Equipment fleet management software is a tool that replaces the Excel file or paper binder used to track a company's machines: mini excavators, aerial work platforms, telehandlers, mobile cranes, or any other mobile equipment. Each machine has its own record, regularly updated.
The basic principle is the same from one tool to another: a record per machine (category, fleet number, make and model), an hour meter, inspection and servicing deadlines, and a history of past jobs. Some tools add a mobile app for the field, others remain limited to a dashboard consulted in the office.
The terms “equipment fleet manager” or “equipment management software” also refer to the same type of tool, sometimes aimed at a particular sector (construction, rental, industry).
The features expected of equipment fleet management software
Before comparing interfaces or prices, it is worth checking that the tool covers the basic needs of tracking a fleet of machines.
- A record per machine: category, fleet number, make, model, serial number, location
- Hour meter tracking, the basis for calculating most deadlines
- Configurable deadlines for inspections and servicing (VGP, maintenance, and depending on the sector other deadlines such as the bonding/earthing test or RFN approval for road-rail), with alerts ahead of the due date
- The ability to report an anomaly from the field, with a photo and a severity level
- A job schedule and the assignment of technicians to time slots
- A mobile app for technicians, usable even without a network on an isolated site
- A digital maintenance logbook and access to documents linked to each machine
- Exportable job reports, for example in PDF
How to choose equipment fleet management software: the criteria grid
A criteria table makes it possible to compare several offers on the same basis rather than relying solely on a sales presentation.
| Criterion | Question to ask |
|---|---|
| Industry coverage | Does the tool understand construction equipment categories (hour meter, VGP), or does it come from a generalist sector? |
| Mobile app | Does it actually work offline on a site with no network, or only in an office? |
| Deadline alerts | Are VGP and servicing alerts targeted, or just generic email reminders? |
| Data migration | Can you start from your existing Excel file, without re-entering everything by hand? |
| Data export | Can you get your data back if you ever want to switch tools? |
| Onboarding | How long does it actually take for the field team to use the tool unassisted? |
| Pricing | Does the price depend on the number of machines tracked, and what does it actually cover (updates, support)? |
Is there free equipment fleet management software?
Some tools offer a free plan, but it is almost always limited: a reduced number of machines, a single user, or basic features only, with the rest reserved for a paid version.
For a small fleet, a well-built Excel file remains a reasonable way to start. Trackary provides a free equipment fleet tracking spreadsheet to download, with one row per machine (fleet number, category, make, model, serial number, hour meter, last service and calculated next deadline, last VGP and calculated next VGP). Free checklists and a PDF maintenance logbook complete this approach for paper-based or light field use.
These free tools work well as long as a single person keeps them up to date. Once several people need to update the same information, or an inspection deadline has already been missed for lack of an alert, it becomes worth considering dedicated software.
What Trackary covers
Trackary is a CMMS (computerised maintenance management system) built for fleets of construction equipment and road-rail vehicles. It provides a record per machine, hour meter tracking, configurable inspections and deadlines (VGP, safety equipment, and for road-rail the bonding/earthing test and RFN approval) with alerts to set up, field anomaly reporting with photo, affected component and severity (minor or major), a job schedule per technician with assignment, a mobile app that works offline once data is loaded, exportable PDF job reports, and a maintenance logbook per machine.
It covers a wide range of categories: mini excavators, tracked or wheeled excavators, wheel loaders, backhoe loaders, bulldozers, graders, dump trucks, dumpers, aerial work platforms, telehandlers and forklifts, mobile cranes, compactors, rollers, pavers, planers, trenchers, drilling rigs, road-rail and railway vehicles, trailers, generators, compressors and pumps.
Trackary is quote-based, after a 30-minute video demo, with no commitment. A 30-minute video demo is available, with no commitment.
What Trackary does not do
To be clear about scope: Trackary does not carry out VGP inspections itself and does not certify anything — that work remains the job of the inspection body. It does not manage invoicing, hire or contracts, offers no GPS, geolocation or telematics, no QR codes and no parts stock management.
Generalist software or software dedicated to construction equipment
Generalist equipment management software, designed for all types of assets (IT equipment, furniture, light vehicles), does not always account for the specifics of construction equipment: an hour meter rather than mileage, statutory inspections specific to these machines (VGP), and frequent use on sites with no network.
A tool designed from the outset for this field generally makes it easier to configure these specifics, rather than requiring manual workarounds on a generic tool. This is also why the term “equipment fleet manager”, in construction, often refers to a specialised tool rather than a simple adapted spreadsheet.
Trackary covers the tracking and maintenance of your equipment fleet, with no invoicing or GPS: request a 30-minute video demo to see if the tool fits your fleet. Request a demo →