Private vehicle tracking and commercial vehicle tracking come with different uses, features, and price tags. But which is right for your business?
We’re going to start with an important truth: keeping tabs on your business’ vehicles is an absolute must.
But if you’re a small business with a small fleet – or maybe you’re even a one-person band – you might be struggling to decide whether to install the private vehicle tracking devices available to everyday consumers, or go for a full-blown commercial vehicle tracking system from a specialist business supplier.
Luckily, we’re here to help you decide. Read on for a comparison of these two options, and for a few examples of the systems you might choose to use…
Private vs. commercial vehicle tracking: What’s the difference?
The primary purpose of a vehicle tracking system is to (you guessed it) keep track of vehicles. Usually, a system will consist of a GPS vehicle tracking device, which is installed in a vehicle, and a desktop or mobile software app, using which the vehicle owner can check their vehicle’s location.
So, what’s the real difference between a private vehicle tracking device and a commercial vehicle tracking system? Well, while the GPS technology that powers both remains the same, their uses can differ massively…
What can private vehicle tracking devices do?
Private, or personal, vehicle tracking devices are designed for the everyday car owner – not business vehicles or fleets. For that reason, they’re pretty basic, and don’t come with any fleet management features.
There are two different types of private vehicle tracker that you need to be aware of – active trackers and passive trackers.
Most of the time, active private vehicle tracking is simply used for security purposes. Active trackers can send real-time location updates, so if a thief does make off with your car, you can see where it’s being spirited away to – and help police track it down rapidly. It’s a much more effective security measure than a car alarm (which more often annoys neighbours than it does deter thieves).
By contrast, passive private trackers need to be removed from the vehicle, and the data they’ve collected downloaded to a computer, before you can see where your vehicles have been. This makes them useless in a case of grand theft auto – but useful if you just want to record each vehicle’s routes and mileage.
You can buy private vehicle trackers directly from your vehicle tracking brand of choice, third-party retail sites like Amazon, or specialist shops like Halfords.
You’ll find very basic models for as little as £20, while more advanced, hardy devices creep closer to £100. The majority of reliable personal trackers can be bought for around £40 to £50 each.
What can commercial vehicle tracking systems do?
Just like private devices, commercial vehicle tracking systems enable you to keep tabs on your vehicles. But the key difference is that these systems are designed to be used specifically by businesses that operate fleets of vehicles, rather than everyday consumers.
So, in addition to location and mileage, business vehicle tracking systems also offer a comprehensive range of fleet management features and functionalities. These sophisticated capabilities are designed to give you a bird’s eye view of your fleet’s activities, helping you to cut unnecessary costs, boost your business’ efficiency, and help you run your fleet easily.
Furthermore, commercial vehicle trackers tend to be active by default, which means that they automatically send location data to you at regular intervals – rather than requiring you to download it from each device at the end of the day. Samsara’s system, for example, will show your vehicles moving along a digital map in real-time.
Here’s an overview of the most common commercial vehicle tracking functions – and whether or not they tend to grace private vehicle tracking systems, too:
| Feature | Private vehicle tracking | Commercial vehicle tracking |
GPS tracking | ✓ | ✓ |
| Recording routes and mileage | ✓ | ✓ |
| Route planning | ✘ | ✓ |
| Live traffic updates | ✘ | ✓ |
| Fuel consumption reporting | ✘ | ✓ |
| Vehicle maintenance alerts | ✘ | ✓ |
| Monitoring driver behaviour | ✘ | ✓ |
| Incident reporting | ✘ | ✓ |
| Keeping hours of service (HOS) records | ✘ | ✓ |
| Paperless invoicing | ✘ | ✓ |
Many commercial vehicle tracking providers supply an all-in-one service, including installing the trackers and getting the software set up for you. You’ll need to get in touch with your chosen provider if you’d like to make use of one of these comprehensive systems.
It’s hard for us to say how much a commercial tracking system will cost you, because prices tend to be bespoke, based on the size and type of fleet you run. But if you’d like to find out how much you’d be looking at paying, why not try filling out our quick form? You’ll receive free, tailored quotes to compare from a range of trusted business vehicle tracking providers.
Private and commercial vehicle tracking laws
The legal considerations
Whether you’re using a simple personal tracker or a sophisticated commercial vehicle tracking system, one thing remains the same: the people you’re tracking must be aware of the fact that you’re tracking them, and they must give their consent to being tracked. Otherwise, tracking them is illegal.
Vehicle tracking law falls under the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), which regulates the way in which businesses can collect and process data. Because you’re collecting data on your drivers (such as their location, the routes they’re taking, and their driving habits) when you track them, it’s important to stay in line with this regulation.
Here’s a quick guide to what’s legal and what isn’t. This applies whether you’re using a few personal tracking devices or a full-on business system:
| What I want to do | Is it legal? |
| Track my business’ vehicles while they’re in business use | Yes, as long as your drivers have been made aware and given their consent |
| Track company cars that my drivers also use in their free time | Yes, but your drivers must have privacy outside of work. To that end, the tracker model you choose must have either:
|
| Use covert vehicle tracking devices | Yes! Covert trackers (devices that attach to the underside of a vehicle so thieves can’t spot and steal them) are legal. But, again, your drivers must know they’re there |
| Track my vehicles without telling my drivers | No. Just. Don’t. Do. It! |
The moral and management considerations
Some drivers may feel resentful that you’re keen to keep tabs on them, believing it’s because you don’t trust them to do their jobs properly.
This is why it’s important to communicate why you want to implement a vehicle tracking system when asking for their consent. It’s for security, for one – and, if you’re going for a commercial system, it’ll help you cut down on fuel costs, devise quicker routes, keep real-time records and reports, help drivers be the best they can be, stay on top of vehicle maintenance, and, overall, run a more efficient fleet.
This’ll make it clear that you’re not trying to play Big Brother – you’re just hoping to run a much better business. Your employees shouldn’t see reason to argue with that!
Of course, keeping your employees happy should be a priority. So, make sure they know they can come to you with questions and concerns – and be sure to answer these with patience, clarity, and positivity.
The best commercial vehicle tracking systems
Interested in a commercial vehicle tracking system? Good news – we can help you choose the right one! To start, we’ve researched the best of the best, and found the top three commercial vehicle tracking systems to be:
- Verizon Connect
- Samsara
- RAM Tracking
Read on for our quickfire explanations of what these systems can offer you…
Verizon Connect
Tracking over 800,000 vehicles every day, Verizon Connect comes highly recommended. You’ll be able to track your vehicles from digital maps on any device, see reporting on a range of fleet and driver activity on handy dashboards, use data analytics to measure your progress against KPIs… and that’s really just the tip of Verizon’s feature-rich iceberg!
Pros:
- Has an intelligent and intuitive interface
- Makes installing the system easy with top customer support
- Comes with a range of advanced reporting and analytics features
- Gathers remote, automated tachograph updates
Cons:
- Pricing isn’t transparent - you’ll need to request a quote
Samsara
As well as tracking your vehicles with futuristic “helicopter view”, Samsara’s system will help you to schedule and dispatch jobs with ease, take care of your motors with remote diagnostics and maintenance info, and more. Samsara is especially big on boosting your efficiency, with reporting on fuel usage, route performance, and driving habits to help you trim unnecessary costs and hours.
Pros:
- Has a clever, easy to use interface
- Comes with a variety of features
- Can be scaled to cover tens of thousands of vehicles
- Its tracking hardware is quick and easy to install, with UK-based customer support
Cons:
- Pricing isn’t transparent - you’ll need to request a quote
- Customers report that the mobile app can be glitchy
RAM Tracking
RAM (Remote Asset Management) Tracking is a mainstay of the UK’s vehicle tracking sector – and for good reason! Its system comes with a free app that’s easy to use on any device, and reports on a range of fleet management info. This includes maintenance and servicing, accidents, and historical data – enabling you to evaluate things like route efficiency and driver behaviour more easily.
Pros:
- Comes with plenty of reporting features
- Provides a specialist tracking system designed specifically for small fleets
- The app easy to use on smartphones, tablets and desktops
- Has an excellent TrustPilot rating
Cons:
- Pricing isn’t transparent - you’ll need to request a quote
▶ Read more: The 5 best UK vehicle tracking providers
Expert verdict
There’s nothing to stop you from using private tracking devices to keep tabs on your business’ vehicles – except, maybe, the fact that you’ll be missing out on a whole host of intelligent fleet management functions!
Really, we’d always recommend commercial vehicle tracking systems to businesses. The level of control, visibility, insight, and security they afford can really help you to streamline your operations and run a truly efficient, money-saving fleet.
In any case, it’s a good idea to compare all the options available to you before settling on one system provider. We can help you there. Simply tell us about your fleet by filling in our fast form, and you’ll receive a range of customised, no-obligation quotes directly from trusted commercial vehicle tracking providers. What have you got to lose?
