Do I need to install GPS hardware in my vehicles?
Yes. Vehicle GPS Tracking uses a small device that plugs into the OBD-II port on any light truck, van, or car built since 1996. It’s plug-and-play, so nothing gets wired in and you don’t need to book an installer. There’s no contract, and you can start with one device and add more as your fleet grows.
Is GPS tracking included in my plan?
Vehicle GPS Tracking is a paid add-on at $20 per vehicle per month, with no contract required. Dashcam Video Monitoring is a separate package at $49 per device per month that includes everything in Vehicle GPS Tracking plus a dual-facing HD dashcam.
How many vehicles can I track?
As many trucks as you run. Vehicle GPS Tracking is priced per vehicle at $20 per month, so you add a device for each one you want to track, whether that’s a single van or a fleet of 30. There’s no contract, so the count can move up or down as your fleet does.
Does Housecall Pro track my team’s location?
Only if Employee GPS Tracking is included in your plan and you’ve set your business hours under Settings, then Company, then Business hours. That feature follows the phone during the hours you set. Vehicle GPS Tracking is separate: it reads from hardware in the truck, so it reports on the vehicle, not the person.
Does GPS tracking work when a technician is off the clock?
That depends on which feature you’re using. Employee GPS Tracking stops updating once your set business hours end, so it doesn’t follow anyone off the clock. Vehicle GPS Tracking works differently: the hardware sits in the truck, not on a phone, so it keeps reporting around the clock. That’s what makes after-hours departure alerts possible.
What’s the difference between GPS tracking and time tracking?
Time tracking records the hours your team works. GPS tracking shows where they are. They answer different questions: timesheets tell you what to pay, location tells you who’s closest to the next job. Housecall Pro keeps the two GPS features separate too. Employee GPS Tracking follows the phone during business hours, and Vehicle GPS Tracking follows the truck through plugged-in hardware.
Can customers see their technician’s location in real time?
Yes. When a tech starts driving, your customer gets an “On my way” text with a link to a live map of the vehicle’s location. You control whether location gets shared, so it’s on only when you want it.
Does GPS tracking monitor driver behavior and vehicle health?
Yes. Every vehicle gets a safe driver score in the Force Fleet Tracking dashboard, alongside incident alerts, mileage reporting, and trip history you can pull up for any past date. Predictive maintenance alerts flag vehicle health issues early, so you can fix a small problem before it becomes a big one.
Can I get discounts from my commercial insurance provider?
You can get a quote. Housecall Pro works with GEICO to offer eligible businesses a commercial auto insurance quote of up to 10% off after 30 days of driving with Vehicle GPS Tracking or Dashcam Video Monitoring.* Dashcam footage and safe driver scores also give you documented evidence to support insurance claims, resolve disputes, and investigate incidents.
*Available to businesses with 10 or fewer active vehicles in 26 eligible states. Qualifying requires sharing certain telematics and business information with GEICO, used only to generate your quote. There’s no obligation to buy a policy.
Can I access the map view on mobile?
Yes. Live vehicle locations show on the Housecall Pro map, and the Force Fleet Tracking app gives you trip history, driver scores, and maintenance alerts from your phone. It’s available for iPhone and Android.
Can I track company vehicles and work trucks?
Yes. The tracker plugs into the OBD-II port on any light truck, van, or car built since 1996, so it works across a mixed fleet without anything custom. Each vehicle needs its own device at $20 per month, and you can add or drop them as the fleet changes.
How does GPS tracking work for HVAC businesses?
GPS tracking helps HVAC companies get the closest tech to an emergency call. When a no-heat or no-cool job comes in, you can see every truck on one map and dispatch whoever’s nearest instead of guessing. The customer gets an “On my way” text with a live map, which cuts down the “where’s my tech” calls on your busiest days.
Can I use GPS tracking for a plumbing business?
Yes. Plumbing companies use vehicle GPS tracking to route the nearest available tech to emergency calls and to confirm arrival times when a customer questions them. Trip history stores the route and stops for any past date, so you can settle a dispute with the record instead of a recollection.
Does GPS tracking work for cleaning companies?
Yes. Cleaning businesses running several stops a day use it to see where every vehicle is without calling around, and to confirm arrival and departure times at each property. Geofence alerts tell you when a vehicle reaches a job site, so you know a stop started without anyone checking in.
Read more: Field service management software