What fleet management means now, and how it got here
Fleet management used to mean keeping trucks running and drivers paid. Regulation, technology, and customer expectations have turned it into something broader, and the tools have had to change with it.
Written by Andrew Bazan
How it changed
Fleet management is the work of running a trucking operation's vehicles, drivers, and compliance so the fleet stays safe, legal, and profitable, and today most of that work runs on data.
That last part is what changed. Your drivers' hours are now recorded electronically, your safety data is published every month, and your customers can set standards based on it. The tools that manage a fleet have had to keep up with all three.
I work on how Simplex's products and services evolve, and my view is simple: the best products evolve with the problems carriers are actually facing. This article looks at how fleet management changed, what drove it, and what that means for the tools you choose.
Key takeaways
ELDs made hours of service digital
Carriers have had to require their drivers to use electronic logging devices since December 18, 2017, under 49 CFR 395.8.
Choosing a device became a compliance decision
ELDs are self-certified by their manufacturers and FMCSA does not endorse any device, so the registered list decides which devices qualify.
Safety data became public and monthly
FMCSA's Safety Measurement System updates once a month using two years of roadside inspection and crash data.
Customers now set data-based standards
Amazon Relay, for example, requires Unsafe Driving and HOS Compliance BASICs below 60% before a carrier can haul its loads.
Tools can fall out of compliance
FMCSA removed five ELDs from its registered list on August 6, 2026, and carriers using them must replace them before October 6, 2026.
Fleet management is now a system
Devices, data, records, and people all need an owner, which is why more carriers run compliance as a managed program.
In this articleContents
What is fleet management?
Fleet management is how a trucking company keeps its vehicles, drivers, and compliance records working together, so every truck is safe to run, every driver is qualified and within hours, and every record holds up if someone asks for it.
In practice it covers a wide set of jobs:
- Vehicles: inspections, maintenance, and repairs
- Drivers: qualification files, training, and hours of service
- Hours-of-service records kept on an electronic logging device (ELD)
- Safety data: your CSA scores and out-of-service rates
- Fuel and tax records, including IFTA filing
- Authority, insurance, and the requirements your customers set
None of those jobs are new. What changed is how much of each one now depends on data, and who can see it.
How fleet management has changed
Three forces reshaped fleet management, and each one changed the products carriers rely on.
Regulation made the log digital
Under 49 CFR 395.8, motor carriers had to install ELDs and require their drivers to use them no later than December 18, 2017. The rule did more than replace paper. It also requires an information packet in every cab and sets deadlines when a device fails: drivers give written notice within 24 hours, and carriers must correct the malfunction within 8 days. The device turned into a process.
Technology made the device a vendor decision
ELDs are self-certified by their manufacturers and registered with FMCSA, which publishes the list and does not endorse any device. That model moves fast, and it can move against you. On August 6, 2026, FMCSA removed five devices from the registered list, and carriers using them must replace them before October 6, 2026. Choosing a device is now a compliance decision as much as a technology one. Our guide to ELD certification covers what that self-certification means.
Data made safety visible to customers
FMCSA's Safety Measurement System uses two years of roadside inspection and crash data and updates it once a month. A large share of that record is public on FMCSA's free SAFER Company Snapshot. Customers use it. Amazon Relay publishes BASIC thresholds that carriers must meet to haul its loads, including Unsafe Driving and HOS Compliance below 60%. For the violations behind those scores, see our guide to unsafe driving violations and CSA scores.
What does a modern fleet management setup need?
A modern setup has to cover each area the rules and your customers now touch.
| Area | What it has to handle |
|---|---|
| Hours of service | A registered ELD, the in-cab information packet, and a written malfunction procedure |
| Records | A 6-month backup of ELD records on a device separate from the original |
| Safety data | A monthly review of your BASICs and out-of-service rates as SMS updates |
| Driver files | Complete, current qualification files for every driver |
| Customer requirements | Tracking the thresholds your customers publish, such as Amazon Relay's BASIC limits |
How to evaluate fleet management tools
The right tool is the one that keeps solving your problems as the rules and your customers change. These questions separate the two.
Step 1: Is the device on FMCSA's registered list?
Check it today, and ask the vendor how they will tell you if that status ever changes. The August 2026 removals show why the question matters.
Step 2: How does it handle malfunctions and data transfer?
Ask to see the instruction sheets your drivers must carry, and walk through a malfunction with a driver before you roll the tool out.
Step 3: Can you see your safety data every month?
SMS updates monthly. A tool or program that only looks at your scores once a year will miss most of what customers see.
Step 4: Who owns the process around it?
Every tool needs a person responsible for packets, malfunctions, backups, and reviews. If nobody owns it, the tool cannot protect you.
Step 5: Will it keep up with change?
Ask how the product has changed over the last few rule changes. A vendor that adapted before is more likely to adapt again.
How Simplex keeps fleet management current
Our products change when the rules and our customers' problems do. Here is where that shows up today.
ELD solutions
Simplex offers ELD solutions for fleets, and we help set up the process around the device, not just the device.
Compliance programs
Our compliance programs include driver qualification file management, CSA monitoring, mock audits, and HOS management.
DOT safety compliance
Our DOT safety compliance team covers ELD and hours of service, substance abuse testing, driver qualification files, and audit support.
Frequently asked questions
What is fleet management in trucking?+
When did ELDs become required?+
Does FMCSA approve ELDs?+
How often is CSA safety data updated?+
What happens if my ELD is removed from the registered list?+
Is fleet management software the same as an ELD?+
Where this information comes from
Internal example. The regulatory facts in this article come from the official sources below, checked on September 18, 2026.
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1
eCFR — 49 CFR 395.8
When ELDs became required.
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2
eCFR — 49 CFR 395.34
What drivers and carriers must do when an ELD malfunctions.
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3
FMCSA — Registered ELD List
Self-certified devices, and FMCSA's statement that it does not endorse any ELD.
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4
FMCSA — ELD Home
The August 6, 2026 removals and the October 6, 2026 replacement deadline.
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5
FMCSA — Safety Measurement System
The two-year data window and monthly updates.
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6
Amazon Relay — FAQ
Relay's BASIC thresholds for carriers.
Written by
Andrew Bazan
Product Evolution & Innovation, Simplex Group
Andrew Bazan leads Product Evolution & Innovation at Simplex Group. His focus is how trucking products and services evolve in response to industry needs, regulation, technology, and customer behaviour, guided by a simple idea: the best products evolve with the problems carriers are actually facing.
Published
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Choose fleet management tools that keep up with the rules
Fleet management will keep changing, because regulation, technology, and customers keep changing. The carriers who handle it best choose tools and partners that change with them, and put a person in charge of the process around every tool.
If you want help reviewing your devices, data, and compliance process, talk to our team.