In this article:
The best fleet maintenance software for a trucking fleet keeps the records 49 CFR Part 396 requires and fits where your repairs happen: your own shop, outside vendors or both. As of October 2026, the main options with public pages include Fleetio, Whip Around, AUTOsist, Fullbay, TMT Fleet Maintenance, AMCS, Cetaris and Samsara. Two of them publish prices.
The eight, by what each is built around:
- Fleetio: maintenance for in-house, outsourced or mixed repair work
- Whip Around: digital inspections tied to work orders
- AUTOsist: simple maintenance tracking with published per-vehicle prices
- Fullbay: heavy-duty repair shop software, including in-house fleet shops
- TMT Fleet Maintenance (Trimble): shop software for heavy- and medium-duty fleets
- AMCS Fleet Maintenance: maintenance for complex, high-frequency operations
- Cetaris: maintenance, inventory and warranty in one system
- Samsara Maintenance: a maintenance system inside a telematics platform
How this list was built
Every vendor fact comes from the vendor's own page, opened on October 20, 2026, and linked at the claim. The list is grouped, not ranked. There are no review-site star ratings and no claims that one product beats another. Prices appear only where the vendor publishes them, dated.
Fleet maintenance software at a glance (as of October 2026)
| Vendor | Built for (its own words) | Inspection reports (DVIR) | Published price? | Fits fleets that want |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fleetio | Work "in-house, outsourced or both" | Inspections and inspection history | Pricing page did not open for us | One system across shop and vendors |
| Whip Around | "replace paper inspections with digital workflows" | "Customizable digital inspections" | No price on the pages we opened | Inspections first, then work orders |
| AUTOsist | Simple, affordable maintenance tracking | "Custom DVIR Digital Inspection Forms" | Yes | A low published per-vehicle price |
| Fullbay | "heavy-duty repair shop management software" | Defects "become service requests" | Yes, shop plans | Software built for a truck shop |
| TMT Fleet Maintenance | "heavy-duty or medium-duty" fleets | DVIRs feed automated work orders | No | A dedicated shop system |
| AMCS | "complex operations" | "simplified DVIRs" and defect reporting | No ("tailored") | Large shops with warranty recovery |
| Cetaris | Maintenance, inventory, warranty, fuel and labor data | "Import DVIRs into your maintenance system" | No ("Request pricing") | Inventory and warranty depth |
| Samsara Maintenance | In-house and vended maintenance | Work orders filled from DVIRs | No | Maintenance inside the telematics they run |
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What 49 CFR 396 requires your maintenance software to keep
Part 396 is the federal rule set for inspection, repair and maintenance of commercial motor vehicles. Every row below is a final rule in effect as of October 2026. Use it as the buyer checklist: if the software cannot do the right-hand column, you will keep that record somewhere else.
| Rule | What it requires | What the software should do |
|---|---|---|
| 396.3(a) | "systematically inspect, repair, and maintain" every vehicle you control | Schedule preventive maintenance by miles, engine hours or time |
| 396.3(b) | Records for each vehicle you control "for 30 consecutive days" | Add leased and rented units, not just owned trucks |
| 396.3(b)(1) | Vehicle ID: company number, make, serial number, year, and the owner if not you | Hold those fields on every asset record |
| 396.3(b)(2)–(3) | The nature and due date of inspections and maintenance, and a dated record of what was done | Track due dates and keep a dated work order history |
| 396.3(c) | Keep records 1 year, and 6 months after the vehicle leaves your control | Keep history for sold or returned units, and export it |
| 396.11(a)(1)–(2) | A written DVIR at the end of each day's work covering 11 items, listing any defect; no report needed if none is found | Use a form with all 11 items and a driver signature |
| 396.11(a)(3) | Repair safety defects before the vehicle runs, and certify the repair or that it was unnecessary | Block or flag the unit until a repair certification is entered |
| 396.11(a)(4) | Keep the DVIR, repair certification and driver review for 3 months | Store all three together |
| 396.13 | The next driver reviews the last DVIR and signs | Show the last report and capture the review signature |
| 396.17 | An annual inspection of every vehicle, including each trailer and converter dolly in a combination, with proof on the vehicle | Track each unit's annual inspection date separately |
| 396.19 | Inspector qualifications, with evidence kept while they inspect and 1 year after | Store inspector credentials |
| 396.21 | An annual inspection report naming the inspector, carrier, date, vehicle and results, kept 14 months | Hold the report, not just a date |
| 396.9(d)(3) | Certify roadside violations corrected within 15 days; keep a copy 12 months | Log roadside reports with a 15-day due date |
| 390.32 | Electronic records count only if they can be kept, used as intended and "accurately reproduced" | Export complete records on demand |
Three status notes, all from the Federal Register:
- The DVIR and pre-trip review rules now say reports "may be created and maintained in electronic format." That is a final rule, effective March 23, 2026 (91 FR 7893). Paper is still allowed.
- Since July 22, 2026, carriers return a completed roadside inspection form to the state only if the state asks for it (91 FR 37053). You still keep a copy for 12 months.
- Section 396.3 received a technical amendment in July 2026 (91 FR 45653). The record and retention text above is the current version.
The DVIR rule in 396.11 does not apply to a motor carrier operating only one commercial motor vehicle (396.11(a)(5)). The other sections above still do.
Two of these rows can fail a new carrier's safety audit outright. The automatic-failure list in 49 CFR 385.321 includes running a vehicle with uncorrected out-of-service DVIR defects (a single occurrence) and using vehicles not periodically inspected (51% or more of records examined). Our comparison of the new entrant safety audit and compliance review covers that process, and the most common DOT violations shows where maintenance problems tend to surface.
The 8 fleet maintenance software options in detail
1. Fleetio
Fleetio's headline is "One place to run fleet maintenance," for work done "in-house, outsourced or both" (Fleetio). Its home page lists work orders, preventive maintenance, inspections, parts inventory, fuel management and integrations with fleet telematics providers. It describes its market as "Any industry, any size fleet." Fleetio's pricing page did not open when we checked on October 20, 2026, so no price is quoted here. Fits fleets that split repairs between their own techs and outside shops.
2. Whip Around
Whip Around says it helps fleets "replace paper inspections with digital workflows across every asset" (Whip Around). It offers "Customizable digital inspections" and says you can "Streamline work orders, service schedules, and preventative tasks to reduce downtime." It also connects inspection data with telematics and other fleet tools. Its pricing link returned the home page on October 20, with no prices shown. Fits fleets that want driver inspections to drive the repair workflow.
3. AUTOsist
AUTOsist publishes its prices. As of October 20, 2026, its pricing page listed the All-in Maintenance Package at $6 per vehicle per month billed annually, or $7 monthly, with a "Minimum $59/month for 5 vehicles." That package lists "Custom DVIR Digital Inspection Forms," preventive maintenance work orders, parts inventory and unlimited users. The package with GPS and telematics ($28 per vehicle per month) and the one that adds safety cameras ($55) are billed annually with a 5-vehicle minimum. Fits fleets that want a published, low per-vehicle price and a simple system.
4. Fullbay
Fullbay calls itself "heavy-duty repair shop management software" and has a section for fleets with in-house maintenance (Fullbay). For fleets, it lists preventive maintenance by "mileage, engine hours, or time," and says "Reported defects automatically become service requests." Its pricing page lists repair-shop plans at $188, $258 and $318 per month. Each adds charges for extra users, and "All plans are on an annual agreement with convenient monthly billing." Fits fleets that run their own truck shop and want shop-grade estimates, parts and invoicing.
5. TMT Fleet Maintenance (Trimble)
Trimble says TMT Fleet Maintenance "provides an end-to-end view of your vehicles' health as reported from multiple sources" for "heavy-duty or medium-duty" fleets (Trimble). It covers "all of your in-house and outsourced maintenance needs." It also connects the shop "to real-time engine diagnostics and DVIRs to automate work orders." Warranty recovery and tire tracking are listed as add-ons. No price is published. Fits fleets that want a dedicated shop system for heavy equipment.
6. AMCS Fleet Maintenance
AMCS describes "Fleet maintenance software purpose-built for complex operations" (AMCS). Drivers get "simplified DVIRs, pre- and post-trip inspections, and defect reporting." When a part fails "within its warranty window," AMCS says it flags the claim at the point of repair. AMCS says it "was first to market with VMRS Code Key 25." The address dossiersystemsinc.com now redirects to this page. Pricing "is typically tailored." Fits fleets that run high-volume shops and want warranty recovery built in.
7. Cetaris
Cetaris says it "centralizes maintenance, inventory, warranty, fuel, labor, and operational data" (Cetaris). Its integrations let you "Import DVIRs into your maintenance system" and "Submit warranty claims to OEMs from Cetaris." It names Samsara among its featured integration partners. Pricing is by request. Fits fleets that carry a large parts inventory and file warranty claims often.
8. Samsara Maintenance
Samsara calls its product "A Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) built for both in-house and vended maintenance operations" (Samsara). It creates work orders with data from DVIRs and lists parts inventory, warranty management and purchase orders. It is sold as part of the Samsara platform, with no published price. Fits fleets that already run Samsara telematics and want one login. Geotab offers maintenance scheduling and work orders in its plans too (Geotab); our Geotab vs Samsara comparison covers both.
Fleetio alternatives by need
If you are comparing against Fleetio, sort the other seven by the job you need done:
| If you need… | Look at | From the vendor's own page |
|---|---|---|
| A published price before you call | AUTOsist, Fullbay | Both list prices; Fullbay's are shop plans on an annual agreement |
| Inspections as the starting point | Whip Around | "Customizable digital inspections" tied to work orders |
| A full truck shop system | Fullbay, TMT Fleet Maintenance | Shop workflow, parts, technician time |
| Warranty recovery | AMCS, Cetaris, TMT | Each lists warranty claim tools |
| Maintenance inside your telematics | Samsara, Geotab | Work orders created from the platform's own DVIRs and diagnostics |
If your telematics vendor is changing at the same time, see our list of Samsara alternatives.
Questions to ask before you sign
- Can it hold every Part 396 record in the checklist above, including leased units and the annual inspection report itself?
- Does a DVIR defect hold the unit until a repair certification is entered?
- How long are records kept after we cancel, and can we export everything, including signatures?
- Does it track each trailer and converter dolly as its own unit for the annual inspection?
- What does it pull from our telematics, and who pays for that integration?
- What is the contract term? Only Fullbay's and AUTOsist's pages state billing terms.
FMCSA's Vehicle Maintenance BASIC "considers proper vehicle maintenance," including "pre- and post-trip inspections, vehicle defects, and repairs," under Parts 392, 393 and 396 (FMCSA CSA). Our guide to CSA BASICs explains how roadside results feed it.
Off Duty Not Driving Rewards is a rewards program for trucking fleets. Contact our team to learn more.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Confirm requirements against the current regulation text and with your compliance counsel.
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