Anyone who has ever managed a construction fleet can attest to how difficult the task is. From keeping equipment running to tracking costs and utilization, there’s a flood of data available, but not all of it makes its way to the people responsible for the biggest decisions.
In a recent webinar hosted by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), HCSS product managers Michaela Halliwell (HCSS Data) and myself—Phil Robinson (HCSS Fleet Product Manager)—as well as Bill Ward (Fleet Manager at Active Construction) sat down to discuss how contractors can transform fleet data into actionable insights that save money, reduce downtime, and drive smarter business decisions.
Why fleet data is so important to executives
Every piece of equipment generates data, but unless that information is tracked, consolidated, and shared with decision-makers, it risks becoming noise instead of value. The C-Suite doesn’t need every detail, but they will benefit from a quick yet comprehensive overview that includes the following:
- Identifying risk before it becomes costly downtime
- Tracking inefficiencies to reduce waste and control costs
- Measuring ROI on major investments like telematics or GPS machine control
- Planning growth and scalability with the right mix of owned and rented equipment
Real-world example: Active Construction’s journey
With decisions now being backed by real numbers, Bill Ward, Fleet Manager at Active Construction Inc. (ACI), shared how he and his team have openly embraced data-driven practices.
“We moved to Telematics from doing manual data for meter reading,” Ward stated. “Within a few minutes, I can tell you whether or not they’ve been using a piece of equipment or if it’s available to move. My utilization is up 25%.”
For Active Construction’s fleet, this move has created better accountability and a definite culture shift. Teams now have clear, reliable data on how equipment is being used day-to-day. The change has resulted in smarter equipment purchasing. In fact, data revealed underused GPS and machine control features, leading to better deployment and training to maximize their ROI.
“Our utilization and the improvements we’ve made enabled us to keep our rate calculations lower than our competitors in our market, because we target getting so many hours a year on each of these pieces,” Ward added.
The core metrics every fleet should track
Managing equipment efficiently is about making data-driven fleet decisions that protect your profits. With rising costs and tighter margins, contractors need to focus on the metrics that matter most. Don’t worry though, tracking the right performance indicators can help! Here are four core metrics every fleet should be monitoring closely: preventive maintenance, utilization, driver behavior and safety, and fuel costs.
1. Preventive maintenance
Repairs are costly, especially when factoring in delays caused by unexpected repair time. This might seem unpredictable, but it doesn’t have to be! Preventive maintenance programs, fueled by accurate meter readings and inspection data, help contractors minimize breakdowns, extend equipment life, control repair costs, and reduce unplanned downtime.
Figure out what business outcomes you’re looking for and then use that data to influence those decisions. Focus on your biggest controllable costs and your most impactful areas of influence, utilization, fuel, maintaining a good preventive maintenance culture and driver behavior use.
2. Utilization
It’s important to always remember that not all hours are created equal. Tracking utilization across equipment types helps contractors resolve a range of issues. This includes right-sizing your fleet by avoiding too much idle time on equipment or spending more than you have to on expensive rentals. Utilization can guide purchasing decisions for future equipment and ensure each machine is earning its keep.
3. Driver behavior & safety
With telematics and dashcams, contractors can protect drivers with verifiable data in case of accidents or complaints, identifying risky behavior before it turns into costly incidents. Not only does this improve a company’s safety culture, but insurance costs go down too.
4. Fuel costs
One of the largest expenses is actually controllable: fuel. Keeping your fleet gassed up and running isn’t a luxury, and how much you’re paying for that hefty fuel bill directly impacts your bottom line. Tracking fuel consumption and idle time provides accurate fleet efficiency benchmarks, along with cost-per-hour insight into which equipment classes deliver the best fuel efficiency. Seeing some ROI when it comes to fuel savings is something no fleet manager will turn down.
From Data to Real-Time Equipment Insights
Showcasing how HCSS simplifies reporting for contractors by turning existing data into actionable information, Senior Product Manager Michaela Halliwell emphasized that many users might not even realize they’re already collecting valuable data through products like Equipment360, HCSS Telematics, and HeavyJob. “I'm here to prove you wrong,” she said, referencing a poll in which 24% of attendees believed they weren’t doing any data collection. “HCSS does that data collection for you in a tool called HCSS Insights.”
Offering more than 85 prebuilt Power BI reports that cover everything from equipment utilization and maintenance to fuel tracking, work orders, and safety, all reports are built on top of Microsoft Power BI and update automatically (hourly or daily) so users get near real-time visibility into their operations.
Designed as an out-of-the-box reporting solution, HCSS Insights requires no setup, configuration, or dedicated analysts. “You don't want to have to be building any reports yourselves, hiring data analysts...it’s already ready for you to get set up,” Michaela explained. For companies using multiple HCSS products, Insights offers a single, unified view across platforms. Reports can also be customized to meet specific business needs.
What makes Insights especially powerful is the ability to create calculated fields that merge data from different workflows into more meaningful metrics. Michaela noted that users can combine the existing workflows into more meaningful metrics for you so that you get a little bit more actionable construction data.
She highlighted specific examples like a mechanic's hours dashboard that helps shop managers understand how time is spent, along with a cost-by-equipment report that reveals the most expensive equipment to maintain, down to specific parts like brakes, tires, or engines. Insights can also identify trends in work order volume by day of the week, helping teams better plan staffing.
If you’re an HCSS customer, HCSS Insights is available at no additional cost and can be activated in just a few minutes. “It takes about five minutes to turn on, and I’ll show you how to do that,” Michaela said, encouraging users to get started immediately.
Turning metrics into profits
As the webinar concluded, both Phil Robinson and Bill Ward reaffirmed how the real value of fleet data lies in taking action. Ward underscored how utilization tracking alone has transformed fleet performance at Active Construction, boosting efficiency and driving smarter maintenance strategies. “You have to get started and then start pulling it apart to look at it,” Ward stated, reflecting on the process of identifying and targeting high-cost areas through better data visibility.
Robinson also reinforced the importance of focusing on core, controllable costs, such as utilization, fuel, preventive maintenance, and driver behavior. Doing so not only improves visibility but can dramatically shift any fleet from reactive to proactive. When fleet managers and executives align on the metrics that matter, they’re better equipped to reduce waste, extend equipment life, and ultimately improve profitability. Whether you’re just getting started or refining your system, the goal remains to transform operational data into better business outcomes.
TLDR? Here are your key takeaways
- Focus on controllable costs like utilization, fuel, preventive maintenance, and driver behavior.
- Align metrics to business outcomes—don’t just track data, track the right data.
- Use reporting tools like HCSS Insights to make data accessible to both executives and field teams.
- Start simple, then refine. Begin with the questions you want answered, then let your data maturity grow from there.
Ready to reap in the profits?
Explore more info about HCSS Fleet software to learn how your business can drive real ROI. Want proof? Watch the complete webinar, Data You Can Take to the Bank: Fleet Metrics That Matter to the C-Suite.
