Introducing Vehicle Management in ToolWorks
The Next Step Toward Complete Fleet Management
Start Tracking NowManaging a fleet of vehicles is no small task, especially when those vehicles double as mobile tool carriers, service trucks, or maintenance vans. Between maintenance tracking, tool accountability, and operator assignments, many companies struggle to maintain visibility over assets that are constantly on the move.
ToolWorks has long helped businesses keep track of tools, equipment, and maintenance activities. Now, with the introduction of Vehicle Management, ToolWorks takes a major step forward, expanding its capabilities into fleet management while continuing to simplify tool tracking and asset visibility across job sites and vehicles.
This new module gives businesses an easier, smarter way to track vehicles, link tools to those vehicles, and assign operators, all within the same platform they already use to manage tools and maintenance.
Why ToolWorks Added Vehicle Management
ToolWorks’ latest feature didn’t come from theory, it was inspired directly by customer behavior.
Several customers began using locations within ToolWorks to represent their service trucks and vans. This creative workaround allowed them to track which tools were loaded onto which vehicle, helping prevent misplaced or unreturned equipment.
That insight sparked an idea: what if ToolWorks made this functionality native?
The result is the new Vehicle Management module, a purpose-built feature designed to manage fleet vehicles, track tools carried on them, and monitor associated costs.
With this addition, ToolWorks evolves from an asset tracking system into a complete tool and fleet management platform, giving businesses a unified view of all their assets, from hand tools to heavy-duty service trucks.
The Foundation of ToolWorks Fleet Functionality
Vehicle Management is the foundation for ToolWorks’ broader fleet management initiative.
This first phase includes everything businesses need to begin tracking their vehicles and understanding how those vehicles contribute to tool movement, maintenance, and overall operational costs.
Here’s what’s available today:
1. Add and Manage Vehicles
Users can now create vehicle records within ToolWorks, complete with key details such as make, model, registration, VIN, and other identifiers.
Each vehicle is treated as an asset in its own right, which means it benefits from the same structured, auditable data tracking that ToolWorks offers for tools and equipment.
Whether you’re managing ten service trucks or a mixed fleet of vans, trailers, and pickups, ToolWorks provides a centralized way to store and manage all vehicle data.
2. Designate Vehicles as Tool Carriers
A highlight of this release is the ability to designate certain vehicles as “Tool Carriers.”
For companies where service trucks function as mobile storage units or field tool depots, this feature is a game changer.
Designating a vehicle as a Tool Carrier allows users to:
- Track tools currently assigned to or stored in that vehicle
- Monitor tool transfers between locations and vehicles
- Maintain accountability for equipment that moves between job sites
This creates an automatic audit trail of where tools are located, which truck they were last assigned to, and who’s responsible for them.
3. Assign Vehicle Operators
Every vehicle can be linked to a designated operator, typically a driver, technician, or service staff member.
This feature ensures clear accountability: users can instantly see who is operating which vehicle, what tools are stored onboard, and which maintenance or inspection activities are due.
The operator field also lays the groundwork for upcoming Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports (DVIR) and driver log features, both of which will strengthen compliance and daily oversight.
4. Integrate Vehicle Maintenance and Cost Tracking
ToolWorks already includes robust functionality for maintenance scheduling and manual logging of mileage and hours, which now extends to vehicles as well.
Users can record maintenance costs, schedule preventive maintenance, and track service histories directly within each vehicle’s record.
This integration is especially useful for businesses looking to understand the true cost of ownership for their fleet. By associating labor, parts, and service expenses with specific vehicles, ToolWorks helps uncover trends, such as high-maintenance vehicles or recurring repair issues, that inform smarter operational decisions.
Why Vehicle Management Matters
Adding Vehicle Management isn’t just about storing more data, it’s about visibility and accountability.
Here’s how it transforms day-to-day operations:
1. Track Tools on Service Trucks
Misplaced tools are one of the most common causes of downtime and unnecessary spending. When technicians use service trucks as mobile workshops, it’s easy to lose visibility over where expensive tools are stored or last used.
By linking tools directly to vehicles, ToolWorks gives companies a live view of their mobile inventory, reducing losses, improving accountability, and simplifying audits.
2. Simplify Fleet Oversight
Fleet managers can quickly see which vehicles are in service, under maintenance, or assigned to operators. Combined with preventive maintenance scheduling, this ensures vehicles remain road-ready and downtime is minimized.
3. Understand Maintenance Costs
With integrated cost tracking, ToolWorks helps managers analyze maintenance expenses over time, across the fleet or by individual vehicle. This insight helps identify aging vehicles that cost more to maintain or justify future replacements based on data, not guesswork.
4. Consolidate Asset Management
Instead of juggling multiple systems, one for tools, another for vehicles, another for maintenance, ToolWorks brings everything into one place. That reduces complexity and ensures all departments (operations, maintenance, and accounting) share a single source of truth.
Real-World Example: Tool Tracking for Service Trucks
Consider a construction or service company with ten field trucks. Each truck carries an assortment of specialized tools, torque wrenches, meters, drills, and safety equipment.
Previously, tracking which tools were on which truck required spreadsheets, paper forms, or relying on memory.
Now, with ToolWorks Vehicle Management:
- Each truck is added as a vehicle asset
- Tools loaded onto a truck are assigned to that vehicle
- The assigned operator is automatically responsible for those tools
- Maintenance reminders help ensure both tools and trucks are serviced on time
The result? No more lost tools, fewer redundant purchases, and a clear understanding of where every asset is, even when it’s on the move.
A Step Toward Complete Fleet Management
This new Vehicle Management module marks the beginning of a broader fleet-focused evolution within ToolWorks.
In addition to existing preventive maintenance scheduling and manual mileage/hour logging, ToolWorks’ upcoming releases will expand into comprehensive fleet management capabilities, including:
- Fuel Tracking: Record and analyze fuel usage to identify efficiency issues or detect anomalies.
- DVIR (Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports): Digitize daily inspections for safety and compliance.
- Driver Logs: Maintain a record of vehicle usage, hours, and driver assignments.
- Enhanced Analytics: Visual dashboards to evaluate fleet utilization, costs, and performance over time.
These features will build upon the current Vehicle Management foundation, all within the same easy-to-use ToolWorks platform.
Designed for Simplicity and Scalability
Like every ToolWorks feature, Vehicle Management is designed to be intuitive. There’s no complex setup, no separate app, and no steep learning curve.
The Vehicles module appears as a standalone section in the ToolWorks interface, ensuring users can add and manage vehicles as easily as they do tools or locations.
For small teams, it’s a simple way to start tracking service trucks and operators. For larger organizations, it scales seamlessly, supporting fleets of hundreds of vehicles and thousands of tools, all linked through a single, unified database.
ToolWorks: One Platform for Tools, Equipment, and Fleet
With Vehicle Management, ToolWorks redefines what modern asset management looks like. It’s not just about tracking tools or equipment, it’s about understanding the full ecosystem of how those assets move, get used, and incur costs.
Whether you’re managing tools across job sites, monitoring service trucks, or planning maintenance schedules, ToolWorks brings it all together, saving time, reducing losses, and empowering better decisions.
The Road Ahead
The addition of Vehicle Management is just the first milestone in ToolWorks’ journey toward complete fleet and asset management.
Over the coming months, new updates will continue to enhance how businesses track and manage vehicles, integrate cost data, and simplify field operations.
For companies looking to gain deeper control over mobile assets and service fleets, now is the perfect time to explore what ToolWorks can do.
Fleet or field, shop or site, ToolWorks keeps your tools, equipment, and vehicles connected.
Ready to see how Vehicle Management can transform your fleet operations? Start your free trial today!