The Best Lorry Vehicle Tracking Systems

Lorry moving down a motorway at speed, front angled upwards from below

Our site is reader-supported – by clicking our links, we can match you with a potential supplier, and we may earn a small commission for this referral.

From our research, the absolute best vehicle tracking platform for lorries is Verizon Connect. While it’s the priciest option out there (scoring a 2.5/5 for affordabililty), it deserves this price tag, scoring a 5/5 for tracking, vehicle management, driver management, and product features.

Whatever kind of large vehicles your fleet contains, your business is bound to benefit from using a lorry vehicle tracking system. But with so many options out there, which providers offer the best systems for managing your vehicular behemoths? Read on to find out, or fill out your business’ info in our quick form. By doing so, you’ll allow various providers to send you quotes tailored made to fit you.


HGV fleet vehicle tracking
Keep your fleet of HGVs rolling efficiently and productively with vehicle tracking software

How lorry vehicle tracking works

As well as tracking your fleet, many lorry vehicle tracking systems also report on important fleet management data, including fuel consumption, route efficiency, and driver performance. You can find out more about the benefits of truck fleet management software in our FAQs below.

To get started with a lorry vehicle tracking system, you’ll need to fit your fleet out with GPS tracking devices, as well as install vehicle tracking software – the live portal you’ll use to monitor and manage all the data your GPS devices transmit.

How Lorry Tracking Can Help with Fuel Prices

It’s not news that with the energy crisis and skyrocketing cost of living, fuelling your vehicles can take a lot out of the wallet. While vehicle tracking does incur its own cost, the money it can save in fuel costs by optimizing your routes and minimizing idling can really add up.


The best lorry vehicle tracking systems

According to our dedicated research, the best truck fleet management software is provided by:

Swipe right to see more
0 out of 0

Verizon Connect

Samsara

Teletrac Navman TN360

Radius Telematics

Price

Custom (From £20 per month)

Price

Custom (From £20 per month)

Price

Custom (From $25/~£20 per month)

Price
Key Features
  • Automatic route optimisation
  • 30-second data refresh
  • Customised locations and geofencing
Key Features
  • Automatic route optimisation
  • Live mapping refresh
  • Driver messaging
Key Features
  • View vehicles and fleet information in real time
  • Driver performance reporting features
  • Send and receive messages
Key Features
  • 30-second data refresh
  • Customized alerts
  • Traffic alerts and geofencing

Verizon Connect – Best for lorry fleet management

Verizon Connect thumbnail
Verizon Connect
4.7
Pricing £20-40
Quick overview

Verizon Connect commands huge respect as vehicle tracking system that, basically, does it all. Scoring the highest overall score of all the providers we looked at (4.7/5), Verizon Connect is known for its ease of use, which makes staying on top of your fleet an easy feat. Its live tracking dashboard is easy to understand at a glance – colour-coding vehicles according to whether they’re moving, stopping, or idle.

You can also create bespoke dashboards filled with reports replete with insights that can help guide crucial business decisions. We also think Verizon is great because of its range of driver and vehicle management features, scoring a perfect 5/5 for both of these categories in our research. With access to customised locations, geofencing, driving style data, and idling alerts, you have all the necessary tools to adapt your operation in real-time. This will ensure you’re being efficient and help you meet your lead time on contracts.

Verizon's mobile app includes a leader board for drivers based on performance metrics. This helps to create a friendly, competitive, and safe environment. The app also includes navigation, the ability to see job updates in near real time, and detailed vehicle and driver statuses and histories.

To install a panic button, you'll need to speak to your Verizon account manager. Panic messages are dealt with differently so these are responded to much quicker.

Verizon Connect runs into significant speed bumps when it comes to flexibility and price. The typical offering asks subscribers to commit to a three-year contract, and investing in Verizon can represent a big commitment for fleets that are still on the fence about switching their vehicle tracking system. Verizon is also pricier than the other providers we look at on this list, which is why it scores an average 2.5/5 for price in our research – the lowest score of all the providers we look at. If you’re looking for an option with short-term contracts, we’d recommend swerving towards Teletrac Navman TN360. For something on the cheaper end, we think RAM is a great alternative.

Strengths

Excellent driver and vehicle management features

Doesn't charge an installation fee

Enables easy integration with third-party satnav devices

Weaknesses

More expensive than other fleet tracker solutions

12 months minimum contract length

Pricing
Price Guide From £20-40, with typical contract length of 12 months – 5 years

Pros

  • Offers global coverage
  • Offers a huge range of reporting features
  • Compatible with smartphones and tablets
  • Free demo available

Cons

  • Some users report being unhappy with the customer support provided

Samsara – Best for vehicle visibility

Samsara
4.6
Pricing Custom quote-based; From £20 per user, per month
Strengths

Comprehensive vehicle management features

Excellent driver management tools

30-second to one-minute data updates

Weaknesses

Premium pricing

No fuel card integrations

Pricing
Price Guide From £20 per user, per month with contracts between 1 year – 5 years

Pros

  • Has a TrustScore of 8.5 out of 10
  • Intuitive, easy to use interface
  • Very scalable
  • Cloud-based software can be accessed on any device

Cons

  • Customers report that the mobile app doesn’t always work perfectly

Teletrac Navman (TN360) – Best for managing drivers

Teletrac Navman TN360
4.6
Pricing Custom quote-based; Reportedly from $25 (~£20) per user, per month
Strengths

Top-tier driver monitoring tools, including driver fatigue management

Offers the best help and support to users

Offers one-year minimum contracts

Weaknesses

Lacks advanced hardware features like cargo temperature and engine temperature monitoring

Can't automatically optimise your routes

Pricing
Price guide (only in USD) From $25 (around £20 converted) per user, per month

Pros

  • Short contract length
  • Great driver management features, including a fatigue tracker
  • Great custom reports

Cons

  • Lacks general product features
  • No hardwire option
  • No temperature sensors

Radius Telematics – Best for smaller fleets

Radius Telematics
4.3
Pricing Starting from £7.20
Quick overview

With over 30 years of experience in the fleet industry, Radius started as a fuel card provider in the UK in 1990 and has since expanded globally. Today, the company is known for its innovative fleet management solutions that help fleet operators reduce fleet costs and increase efficiency.

Radius Telematics is a part of the larger Radius Payment Solutions group. It has over 575,000 tracked units worldwide, and has 20 UK offices that service over 100,000 businesses.

Strengths

Great value for money

Excellent driver management tools

Weaknesses

Lacks tax reporting tools

Doesn't automatically optimise your routes

No 24/7 phone support for users

Pricing
Price Guide Starting from £7.20

Pros

  • Very affordable
  • Flexible pay-as-you-go contracts
  • Quick data refresh speed

Cons

  • No automatic route optimization

How Did We Find the Best Tracking Software for Lorries

We've researched 29 market-leading fleet management and vehicle tracking systems to evaluate them in terms of functionality, usability, accuracy, and aesthetics so we can make the most useful recommendations to UK businesses.

Our rigorous research and assessment processes mean these products have been scored and rated in six main categories of investigation and six subcategories – in fact, we covered 51 areas of investigation in total. We then gave each category score a ‘relevance weighting' to ensure the product's final score perfectly reflects the needs and requirements of Expert Market readers.

Our main testing categories for vehicle tracking systems are:

Price: the cost associated with using the vehicle tracking software, including upfront costs, subscription fees, hardware costs (if applicable), and any additional charges for advanced features or add-ons.

Tracking: the core functionality of the vehicle tracking software, which involves monitoring and tracking the location and movements of vehicles in real-time, such as GPS tracking, route optimisation, and geofencing.

Driver Management: the features and tools provided by the vehicle tracking software to manage and monitor driver activities. This can include driver behaviour monitoring, driver performance reports, and driver identification.

Vehicle Management: the functionalities that allow for the efficient management and maintenance of vehicles, such as vehicle health monitoring and maintenance scheduling.

Product Features: the additional functionalities and capabilities offered by the vehicle tracking software beyond basic tracking and management, such as real-time alerts and notifications or driver routing and dispatching.

Support: the resources, assistance, and guidance provided by the vehicle tracking software company to users, including phone support, email or chat support, and online forums.

Expert Verdict

If you’re looking for an intuitive, comprehensive truck fleet management system, you could do a lot worse than Verizon Connect, Samsara, Teletrac Navman, or Radius. Verizon scores a very solid 4.7/5, with its only let-down being a 2.5/5 for pricing. If cost is your bugbear, then Radius’ 4.3/5 for affordability should suit you nicely.

Of course, if you’d still like a hand in choosing the right system for your fleet of lorries, we’re here to help. Simply tell us about your fleet using our online form, and in return, you’ll receive quotes directly from Expert Market-approved suppliers (which may well include the excellent providers listed in this guide!).

Frequently asked questions

What are the benefits of using lorry fleet management software?

Improving customer experience

Thanks to fleet management software’s route planning and vehicle tracking abilities, you’ll be able to give customers ETAs that are as accurate as possible. Plus, if there’s an issue, you can let them know in real-time. Usually, a customer who’s kept in the loop is a happy customer.

Avoiding inappropriate routes

Many lorry vehicle tracking systems can cleverly plot routes that avoid any roads, tunnels or bridges that aren’t suitable for your hefty trucks. This minimises the risk of fines, accidents, and damage to your vehicles.

Enhancing security

Many vehicle tracking systems allow you to set up geofences – in other words, virtual boundaries around your vehicles’ authorised routes. If one of your lorries then sets foot (or wheel) outside that boundary, you’ll receive an alert.

Upskilling drivers

Harsh acceleration, excessive idling, sudden braking, and more all come under the microscope, giving you the opportunity to communicate with – or even arrange training for – any drivers who display these unwanted habits.

What are the costs of lorry tracking?
Lorry vehicle tracking costs incorporate that of both the hardware (whether you buy or rent it, and the installation fees) and the software

Hardware and installation charges are usually levied as a single, one-time fee when you begin using the service. Truck fleet management software, however, (like its asset tracking counterpart) is SaaS (Software-as-a-Service), meaning it’s leased from the provider on an ongoing basis (usually monthly).

Can I save on fuel costs with lorry tracking?
For companies that manage fleets of trucks, the sheer weight of the vehicles and their cargo means fuel costs can shoot through the roof.

However, lorry fleet management software can help you cut your fuel costs dramatically. It can calculate the most fuel-efficient routes, monitor your fuel consumption so you can recognise and minimise wastage, and identify wasteful driver behaviour for you to stamp out.

How do I install a lorry tracker?
To find out more about installing tracking equipment in your lorries and trucks, head over to our dedicated guide to vehicle tracking installation. We’ll cover how to install your devices, where in your vehicle to do so, and what the benefits of installing a professional fleet management system are.
Written by:
Julia Watts author headshot photo
Specialising in business software, Julia writes jargon-busting guides about VoIP, fleet management, dash cams, fuel cards, and more. Having spent almost a decade writing for entrepreneurs and reviewing business solutions, she loves helping exciting ventures – big or small – to flourish.
Reviewed by:
James draws on his 4+ years experience as a researcher to offer specialized advice on a wide range of categories from CRM to Fleet Management. He believes all businesses can grow if they use the right tools and services.