Teletrac Navman report reveals nearly half of equipment managers struggle with maintenance scheduling and cost control

Teletrac Navman announced the results of its Mobilizing the Future of Fleets Report: 2025 Equipment Management Edition. The report finds that nearly half of equipment managers struggle with scheduling equipment maintenance which, in turn, leaves them at a disadvantage in managing project costs. Additionally, 45% of respondents report difficulties with maintenance cost management.

“Whether it’s the high cost of repairs, difficulties in maintaining regular service schedules, or simply the challenge of locating equipment on-site, the impact on total cost of ownership is clear, so much so that the findings indicate that these issues are directly affecting their ability to control costs,” said Alain Samaha, Chief Executive Officer, Teletrac Navman.

Timing maintenance accurately can be particularly tricky for fleet operators because poor timing can have a negative impact on profitability. Without accurate usage data, the right timing becomes a guessing game and firms risk more operational problems than planned.

Assets removed from the field too early can cause project delays. Those removed too late risk breakdowns that further disrupt timelines.

Further, 35% of respondents also report that, at any one time, more than 25% of their on-road assets are unavailable due to their location being unknown, a frustration which can both slow down projects and interfere with maintenance scheduling. As the total cost of ownership (TCO) of equipment is a key metric for 30% operators looking to optimize return on investment, these inefficiencies have a direct effect on financial performance.

Yet despite these pressures, the outlook is one of action, with 86% of operators actively prioritizing improvements in maintenance, utilization and expense control, and the majority already embracing technology to support these goals.

Many equipment operators are turning to technology as a key enabler of improvement, and 99% of respondents have already deployed at least one technology to support their equipment management, with a substantial 71% investing in three or more. Operators are turning to data analytics/BI tools and GPS tracking to improve their control over maintenance expenses (45%), scheduling.

“Our TN360 ACM platform, and asset location devices[PM1] , can help to improve profitability by giving operators greater control of equipment maintenance, resource availability and ensure that assets are only removed from the field when necessary,” Samaha added.