Van Fleet Management Software Without the HGV Baggage
Most van fleets under 3.5 tonnes don't need operator-licence-grade software — they need the MOT not to lapse, fuel spend to be visible, and every van's condition on record. Smart Strix covers exactly that, sized for 2–50 vehicles.
What does van fleet management software need to cover?
For a typical van operation the essentials are dates, condition, fuel and whereabouts. Miss an MOT and a van is off the road (and potentially uninsured on it); miss creeping fuel spend and margin leaks quietly; skip condition records and hire returns or incident claims become arguments. Smart Strix packages those essentials — plus dispatch, POD and invoicing if you deliver or attend jobs — without forcing HGV-style workflows onto a van fleet.
How does the compliance radar keep documents current?
Every vehicle in the registry — anything from a car up to an HGV — carries its MOT, insurance and V5C dates, and the expiry radar alerts you before each one lapses. Inspection due dates sit alongside, and drivers have their own document vault for licences and certificates. To be clear about what this is: Smart Strix helps you evidence and organise compliance — it doesn't make you compliant, and regulatory questions should always be checked against current DVSA and gov.uk guidance.
How are vehicle checks recorded?
Through check-in and check-out with photos: a driver taking a van photographs its condition at the start and hands it back the same way, building a dated condition history per vehicle. It's a photographic record rather than an itemised DVSA-style walkaround form — if you operate vehicles that need formal daily walkaround checks, see our guide to daily vehicle check requirements and keep the resulting records and photos in Strix.
Can I track fuel spend across the fleet?
Yes. Drivers log each fill in the app — litres, price and station — and attach receipt and odometer photos, so fuel records arrive complete instead of as a glovebox of crumpled receipts. Maintenance history sits on the same vehicle record, so when a van's consumption drifts you can see its service picture in the same place you spotted the drift.
Do vans under 3.5 tonnes need an O-licence or tachograph?
Generally, an operator's licence applies above 3.5t — which is why most van fleets are spared that regime — though the detail matters, so read our O-licence requirements guide and confirm with gov.uk. On drivers' hours, vans on GB domestic rules face limits including 10 hours' daily driving and a 56-hour weekly duty cap, with breaks required after sustained driving — our van driver hours guide covers the rules as published, and gov.uk is the authoritative source. Worth diarising: from 1 July 2026, vans of 2.5–3.5t doing international hire-or-reward journeys in the EU need Smart Tachograph 2; domestic-only UK vans are unaffected.
Where are my vans right now?
On the live map, positioned by each driver's phone through the Smart Strix app — no telematics install, no per-vehicle hardware cost, and vans join the map the day a driver logs in. Breadcrumb history shows past movement, and shift clock-in/out with weekly summaries records working time alongside it. App-based GPS tracking is included in the Advanced plan; see pricing for the Starter/Advanced split.
Which businesses run their vans on Smart Strix?
- Delivery and courier firms adding fleet admin to daily dispatch
- Trades and field-service companies whose vans double as workshops
- Removals and clearance operators with mixed van sizes
- Any business where vans support the work — from 2 vehicles to 50