Admin Setup Guide
Set up your fleet management system from scratch. This guide covers company configuration, user management, templates, and alert settings.
System Overview
Motrix Cloud uses a multi-tenant architecture — each company's data is completely isolated from other organizations on the platform. As an admin, you have full access to all features and are responsible for configuring the system for your fleet.
Key areas you will configure as an administrator:
- Users & Roles — who has access and what they can do
- Fleet Vehicles — your vehicle inventory with full lifecycle tracking
- Drivers — operator profiles with license and compliance tracking
- Service Templates — recurring maintenance schedules that power the Service Planner
- Inspection Templates — DVIR checklist templates for pre-trip and post-trip inspections
- Alert Thresholds — configurable windows for maintenance due notifications
Managing Users
User accounts are currently created by your Motrix administrator. Self-service registration is coming in a future release. Each user is assigned a role within your company that determines what they can access.
| Role | Access Level | Typical Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Admin | Full access to all features, user management, system settings | Fleet managers, operations directors |
| Operator | Create and edit vehicles, maintenance, fuel, work orders, and drivers | Mechanics, dispatchers, shop managers |
| Driver | File DVIR inspections with photos, view inspection history only | Bus drivers, vehicle operators |
| Viewer | Read-only access to all data and reports | Auditors, executives, external reviewers |
A user can have different roles in different companies. Roles are assigned per-company, not globally. A mechanic who works across two agencies can be an Operator in one and a Viewer in another.
Adding Your Fleet
Navigate to Fleet > Vehicles > Add Vehicle to begin building your fleet inventory. Motrix tracks vehicles through their full lifecycle from acquisition to disposal.
Required Fields
- Year — model year of the vehicle
- Make — manufacturer (e.g., Ford, Chevrolet, ElDorado)
- Model — vehicle model name
- VIN — 17-character Vehicle Identification Number
- Status — current operational status
- Current Mileage — used to calculate service due dates
Optional but Recommended
- License Plate — state plate number
- Fleet Number — your internal unit number
- Fuel Type — gasoline, diesel, CNG, propane, electric
- Purchase Date & Price — for cost-per-mile calculations
Extended Specifications
- Body Type — cutaway, minivan, transit bus, etc.
- Seating Capacity — total passenger seats
- Wheelchair Capacity — number of wheelchair positions
- Engine Type & Transmission
- GVWR — gross vehicle weight rating
Insurance & Registration
- Policy number, provider name, and expiration date
- Registration expiration date
Compliance
- DOT Inspection Expiration — tracked and shown on dashboard
- ADA Compliance Status — for paratransit reporting
OEM Warranty
- Warranty provider, type (bumper-to-bumper, powertrain, etc.), start and end dates, and mileage limit
Vehicle Photo
Upload a photo in JPEG, PNG, or WebP format up to 5MB. Photos help drivers confirm they are inspecting the correct unit.
Vehicle Statuses
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Active | In service, available for dispatch |
| Inactive | Temporarily out of service |
| Out of Service | Failed DVIR inspection, needs repair before returning to service |
| Sold | Removed from active fleet; preserved in history |
Setting Up Drivers
Navigate to Fleet > Drivers > Add Driver to create driver records. Driver profiles track operator credentials separately from user accounts.
Key Fields
- Name — driver's full name
- Phone & Email — contact information
- License Number — CDL or state license number
- License Class — Class A, B, C, or D
- Issuing State
- License Expiration Date — automatically monitored for alerts
License expiration alerts appear on the Dashboard automatically once the expiration date falls within your configured alert window.
Driver records and user accounts are separate. A driver can be selected on an inspection form without having a Motrix user account. Only drivers who need to log in and file inspections themselves require a user account with the Driver role.
Vehicle Assignments
Navigate to Fleet > Assignments to assign drivers to specific vehicles. Assignments include a start date and optional end date, providing a historical record of which operator was driving each unit and when.
Current and historical assignments are listed per vehicle, making it straightforward to determine who was operating a vehicle on any given date — useful for incident reviews and compliance audits.
Configuring Service Templates
Navigate to Service > Service Templates to define recurring maintenance schedules. Templates are the foundation of the Service Planner — they tell the system when each vehicle is due for each type of service.
What Each Template Defines
- Service Type — name of the maintenance task
- Mile Interval — trigger service every N miles
- Day Interval — trigger service every N days
- Estimated Cost — used in budget projections
- Default Vendor — pre-fills work orders
Both mile and day intervals can be set simultaneously. The Service Planner triggers on whichever threshold is reached first.
Pre-Loaded DOT Templates
| Template | Mile Interval | Day Interval |
|---|---|---|
| Oil Change | 5,000 mi | 90 days |
| Tire Rotation | 7,500 mi | 120 days |
| Brake Inspection | 15,000 mi | 180 days |
| Wheelchair Lift PM | — | 90 days |
| Annual DOT Inspection | — | 365 days |
Templates drive the Service Planner. Set accurate intervals and the system will automatically track when each vehicle needs service. Add templates before entering your vehicles so the Service Planner populates immediately.
Configuring Inspection Templates
Navigate to Service > Inspections > Manage Templates to configure DVIR checklist templates. Templates define the items drivers check during pre-trip and post-trip inspections.
Pre-Loaded DOT Templates
Two standard templates are pre-loaded for immediate use:
- DOT Pre-Trip — 22 items across 5 categories
- DOT Post-Trip — 12 items across 4 categories
Item Categories
- Engine / Cab
- Exterior
- Interior
- Safety Equipment
- Fluids
You can create custom templates for specialized vehicles or agency-specific requirements. Each item includes a name and an optional description to guide the driver during the inspection. Items are organized by category within the checklist form.
Alert Settings
Navigate to User Menu > Alert Settings to configure maintenance alert thresholds. These settings control when the system flags upcoming and overdue service across the dashboard, Service Planner, and daily email summaries.
Configurable Thresholds
- Days Before Service (1–90 days, default: 10) — alert when maintenance is due within this many days
- Miles Before Service (50–5,000 miles, default: 500) — alert when a vehicle is within this many miles of a service interval
Alert Email
Optionally specify a dedicated email address for maintenance alerts. If left blank, alerts are sent to all admin users in your company.
Where Alerts Appear
- Dashboard — overdue and upcoming maintenance listed by vehicle
- Service Planner — color-coded status for each vehicle/service combination
- Daily Email — consolidated digest sent at 7:00 AM listing overdue and upcoming items
Budget Setup
Navigate to Operations > Budgets to create monthly budget targets. Budgets give you a real-time view of fleet spending against plan.
Budget Categories
- Total — overall fleet spend target
- Fuel — fuel purchases
- Maintenance — scheduled service costs
- Repairs — unplanned repair costs
Once budgets are set, the Dashboard automatically shows a Budget vs. Actual comparison. Variance is color-coded for quick interpretation:
| Color | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Green | Under budget |
| Blue | On track |
| Orange | Over budget |
| Red | Significantly over budget |
Available Reports
Motrix includes three built-in reports accessible from the Operations menu. Reports are automatically scoped to your company's data.
- Vendor Performance (Operations > Vendor Report) — job counts, average downtime, and total cost broken down by vendor. Useful for evaluating shop performance and contract decisions.
- Cost Analysis (Operations > Cost Report) — fleet-wide cost breakdown, per-vehicle cost comparison, and monthly spending trends. Exportable to QuickBooks (admin and operator roles).
- Parts & Warranty (Operations > Parts & Warranty) — component tracking by vehicle, warranty status, and replacement history. Helps identify chronic failure patterns and active warranty recovery opportunities.
Admin Tips
- Set up service templates before entering vehicles — templates feed the Service Planner automatically. Add them first and the planner populates as soon as vehicles are entered.
- Configure alert thresholds early — the default 10 days / 500 miles works well for most fleets, but adjust based on your service intervals and staffing capacity.
- Add vehicle photos and VINs — photos help drivers confirm they are inspecting the correct unit. VINs are required for warranty tracking and recall lookups.
- Review the Service Planner weekly — a 15-minute review keeps you ahead of maintenance and prevents vehicles from going overdue without warning.
- Check the Dashboard daily — the Fleet Health Score gives you an instant snapshot of overall fleet condition. Declining scores indicate maintenance backlog building up.
- Create both pre-trip and post-trip inspection templates — DOT regulations require both. The pre-loaded templates cover standard requirements; customize them for any specialized equipment in your fleet.
- Add drivers before assigning vehicles — driver records must exist before you can create vehicle assignments or have drivers selected in inspection reports.