Equipment tracking for contractors.
From GPS telematics and maintenance scheduling to tool-crib management and utilization analytics.
Do you need this
software yet?
The honest answer: maybe not. Many small operations software operations need better discipline before they need a full operations platform.
Most roundup posts pretend every reader is the ideal buyer. They're not. Before you compare the tools below, work through this checklist. If you land mostly on the right side, save your money — a better spreadsheet will do more for you this quarter than any of these.
- ✓equipment sits idle on job sites while other crews rent similar machines
- ✓maintenance is reactive instead of scheduled, leading to costly breakdowns
- ✓theft or unauthorized use is a recurring problem
- ✓job costing is inaccurate because equipment time is not tracked properly
- ✓multiple job sites make it hard to know where assets are located
- —the fleet is small enough that everyone knows where everything is
- —maintenance is handled by a single mechanic with a paper log
- —equipment is leased and the lessor handles tracking and maintenance
- —the real bottleneck is crew scheduling or material delivery, not asset visibility
Tenna
"Tenna was built for construction first. That focus shows in every feature from equipment reservations to Procore integration."
Tenna tracks heavy equipment, fleet vehicles, tools, and attachments through GPS, Bluetooth, and QR codes. The platform includes utilization analytics that show which machines are earning their keep and which are sitting idle. Maintenance scheduling is based on engine hours and usage data, not calendar dates. Tenna integrates with Procore and Viewpoint, which matters for contractors already invested in those ecosystems. Recently acquired by John Deere, Tenna now has deeper OEM connections with John Deere, Volvo, Komatsu, and Caterpillar through AEMP 2.0.
- +Purpose-built for construction with mixed-asset tracking.
- +Strong utilization and idle-time analytics help justify rentals and reallocations.
- +Integrates with Procore, Viewpoint, and major OEM telematics.
- −No published pricing. Every engagement starts with a sales conversation.
- −Smaller contractors with simple needs may find the feature set overwhelming.
HCSS Equipment360
"When equipment costs need to flow directly into job costing, Equipment360 is hard to beat."
HCSS Equipment360 is designed for heavy civil contractors with large fleets of dozers, graders, scrapers, and earthmovers. It connects directly to HCSS HeavyJob for field time tracking and HeavyBid for estimating. Equipment costs — fuel, maintenance, depreciation, operator wages — flow into project reports automatically. The telematics integration pulls data from Caterpillar, John Deere, and Volvo OEM systems. If your company is not already using HCSS, the value proposition is weaker because the real power comes from the ecosystem connection.
- +Direct integration with HCSS HeavyJob and HeavyBid for job costing.
- +OEM telematics integration with major heavy-equipment manufacturers.
- +Strong preventive maintenance and work-order automation.
- −Minimal value if you are not already in the HCSS ecosystem.
- −No public pricing; implementation and training are significant investments.
Samsara
"Samsara combines equipment tracking with AI dash cameras and driver coaching in a single platform."
Samsara is an enterprise-grade fleet management platform that includes GPS tracking, equipment monitoring, AI-powered dash cameras, and compliance tools. The construction vertical supports heavy equipment, vehicles, and powered assets. Real-time GPS updates with high-frequency positioning. Safety features include harsh braking detection, speeding alerts, and incident reconstruction from dash-cam footage. Samsara is best for companies with 50+ assets where safety and compliance are as important as location tracking.
- +AI dash cameras with incident detection and driver coaching.
- +High-frequency GPS updates and strong compliance reporting.
- +Modern interface with robust analytics dashboards.
- −Enterprise pricing and contract terms. Not a fit for small contractors.
- −Construction-specific features are not as deep as Tenna or HCSS.
Fleetio
"Fleetio treats maintenance as the primary feature and tracking as secondary — which is the right priority for some operations."
Fleetio focuses on maintenance workflow automation, parts inventory, fuel card integration, and cost analysis. The interface is clean and intuitive. Equipment tracking is available but often relies on third-party GPS integrations rather than native telematics. For contractors who care more about keeping machines running than knowing exactly where they are every minute, Fleetio is a strong option. The platform handles work orders, inspections, preventive maintenance schedules, and vendor management.
- +Excellent maintenance workflow automation and parts inventory.
- +Fuel card integration and cost-per-mile analytics.
- +Clean, modern interface with fast setup.
- −Real-time tracking is weaker than Tenna or Samsara without third-party integrations.
- −Not purpose-built for construction. General fleet orientation.
Motive
"Motive solves the compliance headache for contractors running trucks and trailers, not just yellow iron."
Motive (formerly KeepTruckin) is best known for ELD compliance and AI dash cameras. The fleet management side includes GPS tracking, geofencing, trip histories, and maintenance alerts. For contractors who move equipment between job sites on public roads, Motive covers both the truck and the cargo. Driver scorecards, spend management with fleet cards, and integrated dispatch round out the feature set. Construction-specific depth is limited compared to Tenna or HCSS, but the safety and compliance tools are among the best available.
- +Industry-leading ELD compliance and AI dash cameras.
- +Integrated spend management with fleet cards.
- +Strong driver safety coaching and incident alerts.
- −Limited construction-specific features like equipment reservations or job costing.
- −Enterprise-focused pricing and contract structure.
Best Equipment Tracking Software for Contractors (2026)
Construction equipment is expensive to buy, expensive to maintain, and expensive to replace. The average unplanned outage costs industrial operations roughly $125,000 per hour. Idle equipment burns about one gallon of fuel per hour while doing nothing. And theft remains a persistent problem on job sites.
Equipment tracking software exists to solve those problems. The right platform tells you where your assets are, how hard they are working, when they need maintenance, and whether they are earning their keep.
This guide covers five options ranging from construction-specific platforms to enterprise fleet suites.
Disclosure: Some links on this page may be affiliate links. If you sign up through one, Contractor Software Hub may earn a commission. That does not change the rankings or the pricing notes below.
Quick picks
| Best fit | Tool | Current pricing posture |
|---|---|---|
| Best for mixed construction fleets | Tenna | Custom quote; contact sales |
| Best for heavy civil contractors | HCSS Equipment360 | Custom quote; HCSS ecosystem |
| Best for large fleets with safety focus | Samsara | Custom quote; enterprise contracts |
| Best for maintenance-first operations | Fleetio | Custom quote; public pricing page |
| Best for ELD compliance + equipment transport | Motive | Custom quote; enterprise focus |
How to choose
Before comparing products, define what problem you are solving.
- Theft and location: You need real-time GPS with geofencing and alerts.
- Maintenance and uptime: You need preventive scheduling, work orders, and parts inventory.
- Utilization and costing: You need engine hours, idle time, and job-cost allocation.
- Safety and compliance: You need ELD, DVIR, dash cameras, and driver coaching.
- Tool-level tracking: You need QR codes, Bluetooth beacons, or barcodes for hand tools and small equipment.
Most contractors need a mix. Tenna and HCSS cover the construction-specific combination best. Fleetio and Samsara excel in specific areas.
1. Tenna — best for mixed construction fleets
Tenna is the most construction-focused platform on this list. It tracks heavy equipment, vehicles, tools, and attachments through GPS, Bluetooth, and QR codes. The utilization analytics show which machines are earning their keep and which are burning cash sitting idle. Maintenance scheduling uses engine hours and usage data rather than arbitrary calendar dates.
Tenna integrates with Procore and Viewpoint, which matters if your project management lives in one of those platforms. The recent John Deere acquisition added deeper OEM connections with Caterpillar, Komatsu, and Volvo through AEMP 2.0 compliance.
Why contractors start here:
- purpose-built for construction, not adapted from general fleet software
- mixed-asset tracking covers yellow iron, trucks, tools, and attachments
- utilization and idle-time analytics help justify rentals and reallocations
- Procore and Viewpoint integrations reduce double data entry
- reservations and scheduling prevent double-booking across job sites
Where to be careful:
- No published pricing. Every engagement requires a sales conversation.
- smaller contractors may find the feature set deeper than they need
- implementation and hardware setup take time
Best fit: General contractors, specialty contractors, and construction firms with 20+ mixed assets who need location, utilization, and maintenance in one platform.
2. HCSS Equipment360 — best for heavy civil contractors
Equipment360 is designed for heavy civil contractors who already use HCSS HeavyJob for field time tracking or HeavyBid for estimating. The equipment costs. fuel, maintenance, depreciation, operator wages. flow directly into project reports. That connection is the differentiator. Without HeavyJob or HeavyBid, Equipment360 is just another maintenance tracker.
The telematics integration pulls data from Caterpillar, John Deere, and Volvo OEM systems. Preventive maintenance schedules trigger automatically based on engine hours. Work orders generate from fault codes or failed inspections.
Why it earns a spot here:
- equipment costs flow directly into HCSS job costing and estimating
- OEM telematics integration with major heavy-equipment manufacturers
- strong preventive maintenance and work-order automation
- built for the scale and complexity of heavy civil operations
Where to be careful:
- minimal value outside the HCSS ecosystem
- no public pricing; implementation is a significant investment
- overkill for residential builders or small specialty contractors
Best fit: Heavy civil contractors, highway builders, and earthwork companies already using HCSS software.
3. Samsara — best for large fleets with safety focus
Samsara is an enterprise-grade platform that combines GPS tracking, equipment monitoring, AI-powered dash cameras, and compliance tools. The construction vertical supports heavy equipment, vehicles, and powered assets. High-frequency GPS updates give accurate location data, and the safety features are among the best in the industry.
AI dash cameras detect harsh braking, speeding, and distracted driving. Incident reconstruction uses camera footage and sensor data. Compliance reporting covers ELD, DVIR, and hours of service.
Why it earns a spot here:
- AI dash cameras with real-time incident detection
- modern interface with robust analytics dashboards
- high-frequency GPS and strong compliance reporting
- scales to thousands of assets
Where to be careful:
- enterprise pricing and contract terms. not for small contractors
- construction-specific features are not as deep as Tenna or HCSS
- the sales cycle and implementation timeline are long
Best fit: Large construction companies, infrastructure firms, and mixed fleets with 50+ assets where safety and compliance are priorities.
4. Fleetio — best for maintenance-first operations
Fleetio treats maintenance as the primary feature and tracking as secondary. The platform automates work orders, tracks parts inventory, integrates fuel cards, and analyzes lifecycle costs. The interface is clean and modern. Setup is faster than construction-specific platforms.
Equipment tracking is available but often relies on third-party GPS integrations rather than native telematics. For contractors who care more about keeping machines running than knowing exactly where they are every minute, Fleetio is a strong option.
Why it earns a spot here:
- excellent maintenance workflow automation
- fuel card integration and cost-per-mile analytics
- parts inventory and vendor management
- clean interface with fast setup
Where to be careful:
- real-time tracking is weaker than Tenna or Samsara without add-ons
- not purpose-built for construction. general fleet orientation
- may require third-party integrations for full telematics
Best fit: Small to mid-sized contractors with 10-50 assets who prioritize maintenance and costing over real-time location.
5. Motive — best for ELD compliance + equipment transport
Motive (formerly KeepTruckin) is best known for ELD compliance and AI dash cameras. The fleet management side includes GPS tracking, geofencing, trip histories, and maintenance alerts. For contractors who move equipment between job sites on public roads, Motive covers both the truck and the cargo.
Driver scorecards identify risky behavior before it becomes an incident. Fleet cards integrate with spend management. Dispatch tools help coordinate deliveries and pickups.
Why it earns a spot here:
- industry-leading ELD compliance and AI dash cameras
- integrated spend management with fleet cards
- strong driver safety coaching and real-time alerts
- covers both vehicle and equipment tracking
Where to be careful:
- limited construction-specific features like job costing or equipment reservations
- enterprise-focused pricing and contract structure
- not a fit for contractors who only need equipment tracking without transport
Best fit: Contractors with significant equipment transport operations who need ELD compliance, driver safety, and GPS tracking together.
What to check before signing
- Tracking technology: Does the platform support the mix of GPS, Bluetooth, QR, and OEM telematics your fleet uses?
- Maintenance scheduling: Can it trigger service based on engine hours, not just calendar dates?
- Utilization reporting: Can you see idle time, run time, and cost per hour by asset and job?
- Integrations: Does it connect to your project management, estimating, and accounting tools?
- Mobile access: Can field crews and mechanics access the system from job sites and shops?
- Implementation: What is the timeline for hardware installation, data migration, and training?