Depending on the nature of the business and the number of vehicles required to operate the business will help to determine software package that is required. Companies that operate within the transport industry such as large haulage firms with numerous lorries on the road at any one time, or a small but fast growing taxi business will both find a vehicle monitoring package can have advantages and disadvantages for their business.

Many vehicle leasing and hire companies have until fairly recently, been the main source for vehicle monitoring systems. However, with many companies now looking to web hosting to maintain their records and operate their systems there has been an increase in the number of independent vehicle monitoring suppliers.

Web hosting has seen an influx of vehicle managers moving towards an independent vehicle monitoring system. They prefer having much more control over the service they receive than was previously the case. It also allows them to take advantage of better lease and hire prices when they come to renew their vehicles. The management system can provide them with several quotes to allow for comparison.

By using vehicle monitoring software and web hosting, administration costs can be cut as the system maintenance and monitoring usually becomes the responsibility of the web hosting supplier. Depending on the type of contract with the web hosting company, they can also perform back-up, application updates and the security of the system and data to prevent misuse.

The vehicle manager can concentrate on running his service and leave all the time consuming chasing up and reminders about vehicle service, MOTs, license renewals and a whole host of other tasks to the system. The monitoring system will also provide constant up to date information on relevant health and safety issues and any changes in legislation through updated software packages.

The management information system is a planning and decision making tool. Data and reports can be designed and produced using relevant information for management on vehicle performance and the costs involved in running a fleet of vehicles. The information gathered by the fleet management software is converted into a report and can be used to identify any problem area and allow the manager to address them quickly.