The vehicle fleet is one of the biggest cost factors in many companies. Rising fuel prices, leasing rates, maintenance, insurance and personnel costs quickly add up to considerable sums.
In order to manage profitability in a targeted manner, a precise calculation of the total cost of ownership (TCO) in the fleet is essential.

What does TCO mean in the fleet?

Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) describes the total costs of a vehicle over its entire life cycle – from purchase to retirement.
In fleet management, it is not just about the purchase price, but about all direct and indirect costs incurred in the operation, management and depreciation of a vehicle.

A detailed TCO analysis forms the basis for well-founded decisions in fleet management. It helps to identify hidden cost drivers and increase the efficiency of the fleet in the long term.

Although many fleet managers already look at the costs per vehicle, only a few have an automated, data-based overview of all relevant TCO factors – and are therefore missing out on enormous optimization potential.

These cost factors are included in the TCO analysis

Purchase price, optional extras, registration and taxes – all of these are part of the purchase price.
In addition to the price, the resale value also plays a key role, as it has a significant influence on long-term profitability.

Lease payments, interest on loans and residual value guarantees are also part of the TCO.
The right financing strategy can secure liquidity and minimize costs.

The largest item: fuel or energy, maintenance, tires, insurance, tolls, repairs and fines.
These variable costs fluctuate greatly – their continuous recording is therefore crucial in order to identify trends and potential savings at an early stage.

Administration, personnel, software licenses or external service providers are often underestimated.
With digital tools such as the TCO module of GPS Fleet Software, however, these expenses can be significantly reduced – through automated processes and intelligent data evaluation.

Vehicles lose value over time – depending on their age, condition and market.
Regular maintenance and care help to reduce depreciation and improve the TCO.

How often should the TCO be calculated?

A one-off calculation is not enough. Markets, prices and conditions of use are constantly changing.
This is why the TCO analysis should be carried out regularly and, ideally, automatically.
This is the only way for fleet managers to maintain full control over costs, consumption and capacity utilization.

Manual evaluation in Excel is error-prone, time-consuming and hardly scalable – especially for large fleets.

Rethinking TCO analysis in the vehicle fleet

This is where the TCO module from GPS.at comes in – a modern fleet software that analyzes all data, costs and consumption.
With our GPS Fleet software, TCO analyses are not only simpler, but also more precise and fully automated.

  • Document entry: fuel bills and repair costs can be recognized and allocated.
  • License plate assignment: Each item can be assigned to the correct vehicle.

  • Real-time evaluation: all costs and trends are visible at the touch of a button.

The GPS Fleet software reduces manual administration work to a minimum and creates maximum transparency.
Fleet managers gain time for the essentials – strategic planning instead of Excel lists.

Conclusion: Future-proof fleet management with TCO analyses

The total cost of ownership is far more than just a key figure – it is the basis for sustainable profitability in the fleet.
Those who know all cost factors and evaluate them digitally gain planning security, transparency and a real competitive advantage.

Our TCO module makes TCO analysis simple, precise and automated.
This way, fleet managers not only keep control of their expenses, but also design their fleet digitally, efficiently and sustainably.