If you only read the big industry websites and magazines, you’d think you need a team of data scientists and an enterprise-level software suite just to manage a dozen trucks. They showcase all-in-one platforms with predictive analytics and AI-powered dispatch, often hiding a price tag that would make a CFO blush. For a fleet with 5, 15, or even 45 trucks, that’s just not realistic.

Meanwhile, we see the real conversations happening in forums and on social media every day. Small fleet owners are asking the practical questions: “Which ELD is simple and won’t frustrate my senior drivers?” or “I need a dash cam for liability, but which one can I afford to put in every truck?”

The truth is, you don’t need the most expensive, feature-packed system to run a smarter, safer, and more profitable fleet. You just need a “good enough” tech stack. The goal is to get 80% of the benefit for 20% of the cost and complexity. Let’s build that stack piece by piece.

Piece 1: The Foundation – A Simple, Reliable ELD

Before anything else, you need a rock-solid, FMCSA-compliant Electronic Logging Device (ELD). The key here isn’t bells and whistles; it’s reliability and ease of use. A driver revolt over a complicated ELD is a real threat to a small fleet.

• What to look for: Seek out a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) system that uses a simple Bluetooth plug-in for the truck and a straightforward app for a driver’s phone or tablet. Prioritize providers known for good support and a clean interface.
• Pricing Models: You’ll generally find two options. The most common is a low-cost hardware and monthly subscription model, where you might pay a modest fee per truck each month. The other is a “buy-it-once” model, where you pay a higher upfront cost for the hardware but have no recurring monthly fees. For a small, stable fleet, the one-time purchase can save money over several years, while the subscription can be more flexible and often includes better ongoing support.

Piece 2: The Insurance Policy – A Practical Dash Cam

A dash cam is the single best investment you can make to protect your company from bogus accident claims. You don’t need AI-powered driver monitoring to start. You need clear, forward-facing video that proves what actually happened.

• What to look for: A quality, road-facing camera that is “plug-and-play.” Key features are high-enough resolution to capture license plates, good low-light performance, and loop recording. You don’t need a system that live-streams to your desktop; a simple SD card model is perfectly “good enough.”
• Pricing Models: A basic, fleet-focused, non-integrated camera can cost a couple of hundred dollars per unit. For maximum savings, high-quality consumer-grade dash cams can often be found for well under $100 per truck. While they may lack some fleet-specific reporting features, they excel at the core job: providing irrefutable video evidence that can save you from a five- or six-figure fraudulent claim.

Piece 3: The Organizer – A Simple Transportation Management System (TMS)

As you grow past a handful of trucks, spreadsheets and whiteboards for dispatch and invoicing become a liability. A simple, cloud-based Transportation Management System (TMS) is the next step to professionalize your operation.

• What to look for: You’re not managing a global supply chain. You need a tool for load entry, dispatching, tracking driver pay, and generating invoices. Look for systems designed specifically for small fleets.
• Pricing Models: You can find TMS providers that operate on a “freemium” model, offering a surprisingly capable, no-cost version of their software for small fleets. This is a fantastic, risk-free entry point. The more common approach is a low-cost monthly subscription, often priced per user or per truck. This allows the software’s cost to scale directly with your business as you grow.

My friend, Dave, runs a 20-truck fleet for a large electric supply company and for years he resisted technology. He finally cobbled together his own “good enough” stack. He told me last month it saved him from a massive fraudulent claim and cut his invoicing time by 75%. That’s the power of focusing on what’s practical, not what’s marketed to the mega-fleets. Start here, get the basics right, and you’ll have the foundation you need to grow.