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View compareGPS Tracker for Construction Equipment
⚡ Plugs in or mounts in under 2 minutes. No wiring, no shop visit.
GPS Tracker for Construction Equipment, Trucks and Trailers
Plug ShadowAuto into your pickup, put ShadowTrack in a magnetic case on your skid steer, and see every truck, trailer and machine on one map. Get an alert the moment anything leaves the yard after hours.
- Updates every 5 seconds
- No contract
- 30-day money-back
- ★ 4.5 from 205 reviews
F-250
Skid steer 2
Trailer 3
Trailer 3 left the yard
9:42 PM, just now
9:42 PM, just now
- F-250Parked, Car Alarm on
- Skid steer 2Inside the yard
- Trailer 3Moving, left the yard
Quick answer: To GPS track construction equipment, plug an OBD-II tracker into your pickups and crew trucks, and mount a battery tracker in a magnetic case on machines, generators and trailers that have no OBD-II port. Then set a geofence around the yard so you get an alert if anything leaves after hours.
Choose your tracker
One for your trucks, one for your machines
One-time hardware price. Both show up on the same map.
ShadowAuto
$69.90+ plans from $12/mo · No contract
- Plugs into the OBD-II port under the dash. Never needs charging.
- Car Alarm alerts you if a parked truck moves.
- Engine codes and unplug alerts.
ShadowTrack
$69.90+ plans from $12/mo · No contract
- Battery-powered. Up to about 15 days per charge.
- No OBD-II port needed: excavators, skid steers, generators, trailers.
- Add the weatherproof magnetic case.
Equipment theft data
Construction equipment theft by the numbers
Machines are hard to identify once they're gone, which is why so little stolen equipment ever comes back.
1 in 5
or fewer stolen machines are ever recovered (NICB)
11,574
heavy equipment thefts reported in 2016 (NER/NICB)
1 in 6
thefts were loaders: skid steers, backhoes, wheel loaders (NICB)
2,375
thefts in Texas, the top state (NER/NICB 2016)
- Weekends are the gap. A machine taken on Saturday often isn't missed until Monday. A geofence alert closes that gap to the moment it moves.
- Keys don't stop it. Many machines of the same type look alike and share common keys, so the key alone is weak protection.
- A tracker is the backup. Lock up, take the keys, and use GPS so you know where it went. What to do if it's stolen.
National figures come from the last NER/NICB equipment theft report series, which ended with 2016 data.
Fit guide
Which tracker goes on which machine?
Tap your equipment to see which tracker fits, how it goes on and which alert to set.
Best fit for pickups & crew trucks
ShadowAuto
- How it goes on
- Plugs into the OBD-II port under the dash. Never needs charging.
- Alert to set
- Car Alarm overnight, so you know if a parked truck moves.
- Good to know
- The trip timeline shows when each truck reached the job site.
Best fit for dump trucks
ShadowAuto
- How it goes on
- Plugs into the OBD-II port on light and medium dump trucks.
- Alert to set
- Geofence around the yard.
- Good to know
- No OBD-II port on a heavy-duty truck? Use ShadowTrack in the magnetic case instead.
Best fit for excavators & skid steers
ShadowTrack + case
- How it goes on
- Magnet on a steel surface, out of sight. No wiring.
- Alert to set
- Geofence around the job site, so you hear about it if a machine leaves.
- Good to know
- Up to about 15 days per charge. Recharge on fuel or grease day.
Best fit for generators & light towers
ShadowTrack + case
- How it goes on
- Magnet inside the frame or enclosure.
- Alert to set
- Geofence around the job site.
- Good to know
- Small enough to load in a pickup, so an alert the moment it moves matters.
Best fit for trailers
ShadowTrack + case
- How it goes on
- Magnet under the frame.
- Alert to set
- Geofence plus the trip timeline.
- Good to know
- Share Location sends a live link when a sub picks a trailer up.
See every machine in one table
| Equipment | Tracker | How it goes on | Alert to set |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pickup, crew or service truck | ShadowAuto | Plugs into the OBD-II port under the dash | Car Alarm overnight |
| Light or medium dump truck with an OBD-II port | ShadowAuto | Plugs into the OBD-II port | Geofence around the yard |
| Excavator, skid steer, backhoe, loader | ShadowTrack + case | Magnet on a steel surface, out of sight | Geofence around the job site |
| Generator, compressor, light tower, welder | ShadowTrack + case | Magnet inside the frame or enclosure | Geofence around the job site |
| Equipment, dump or tool trailer | ShadowTrack + case | Magnet under the frame | Geofence plus trip timeline |
| Heavy-duty truck with no OBD-II port | ShadowTrack + case | Magnet on the frame or in the cab | Geofence around the yard |
Swipe the table to see all columns →
Not sure? Most pickups and light trucks built since 1996 have an OBD-II port. Most yellow iron does not.
What you get
Everything on one map, alerts when it matters
Live map, app and web
See every truck, trailer and machine at once, on your phone or the web dashboard back at the office.
Geofence alerts
Draw a line around the yard or job site. Get an alert when a machine crosses it.
Set up geofences →Car Alarm
Arm it on parked trucks at night. If one moves, your phone knows right away.
Trip timeline and replay
See where a truck went and when it arrived. Handy for job-site arrival times and billing questions.
Share Location
Send a live location link to a sub picking up a trailer, or to the police if something goes missing.
Unplug alerts and engine codes
ShadowAuto tells you if it's unplugged and reads engine codes on your truck.
How it works
How GPS tracking for construction equipment works
Three steps, about two minutes per machine.
1
Plug in or mount it
Plug ShadowAuto into the port under the dash. Put ShadowTrack in the magnetic case on any steel surface.
2
Open the app
Add each tracker in the ShadowGPS app and name it, like "Skid steer 2." No SIM card needed.
3
Draw your geofences
Put a geofence around the yard and each job site, and arm Car Alarm on parked trucks.
Reviews
What our customers say
Rated 4.5 out of 5 across 205 reviews of ShadowAuto and ShadowTrack.
★★★★★
Small business must-have
"The magnetic mount lets me move it between vehicles easily, and the tracking is always accurate. A fantastic investment for any small business."
Robert C. · Small fleet · ShadowTrack
★★★★★
Exactly what I needed for my fleet
"I run a small delivery business with 6 vans. Plugged it into each van, downloaded the app, and within minutes I could see all my vehicles on one dashboard."
Michael T. · Small business · ShadowAuto
Pricing
How much does construction equipment GPS tracking cost?
$69.90 per tracker, one time. Then a plan per tracker, per month. Cancel any time.
| Trackers | Monthly | Quarterly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 3 | $15/mo | $13/mo | $12/mo |
| 4+ (bulk order) | $13/mo | $11/mo | $10/mo |
Compare
ShadowGPS vs. other equipment tracking options
Each option fits a different job. Here's where ShadowGPS fits, and where it doesn't.
| Location updates | Monthly | Contract | Setup | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ShadowGPS | Every 5 sec while moving | $10 to $15 | None | Plug in or magnet, 2 min | Owner-operators and small contractors |
| AirTag / Tile | No live GPS, needs nearby phones | None | None | Drop it in | Keys and small tools |
| Long-life battery asset tags | Periodic check-ins | Varies | Varies | Bolt or strap on | Assets that rarely move |
| Enterprise equipment platforms | Varies, plus engine hours | Quote after demo | Varies | Wiring and onboarding | Large fleets |
Swipe the table to see all columns →
Typical ranges by category from public pages, November 2026. Check each provider for current details.
End-of-day checklist
How to lock down a job site in 6 steps
- Park machines together inside the fence, with buckets and blades down.
- Take every key with you, even on machines that seem hard to move.
- Disable what sits. Use a battery disconnect, pull a fuse or close a hidden fuel shut-off.
- Record serial numbers and photos, and register machines with the National Equipment Register.
- Arm your alerts: geofence on the site, Car Alarm on parked trucks.
- Check the map Friday before you leave, so you know where everything sits for the weekend.
Tracking crew trucks?
Tracking trucks and equipment your business owns is generally allowed. Some states have rules about telling employees, so put your tracking policy in writing and share it with your crew.
General information, not legal advice.
Employee tracking guide →Want the full guide?
Costs, tracker types and how small contractors roll out tracking across a mixed fleet.
Read the guide →
FAQ
Common questions
Is there a monthly fee?
Yes. Live tracking runs over a cell connection, so each tracker needs a plan: $12 to $15 a month for 1 to 3 trackers, or $10 to $13 a month for 4 or more. No contract. Month-to-month, or prepay and save.
Does it need a SIM card?
No. The cell connection is built into the tracker and covered by your plan. There is nothing to buy or activate separately.
Can you put a GPS tracker on an excavator or skid steer?
Yes. Most excavators, skid steers and loaders don't have the OBD-II port that ShadowAuto plugs into, so use ShadowTrack. It runs on its own battery and sits in a weatherproof magnetic case on any steel surface, out of sight.
How long does the ShadowTrack battery last on equipment?
Up to about 15 days per charge, depending on how much the machine moves. An easy routine is to recharge it on the same day you fuel or grease the machine.
What is the best GPS tracker for construction equipment for a small contractor?
Match the tracker to the power source. For pickups and crew trucks, a plug-in OBD-II tracker like ShadowAuto never needs charging. For machines, generators and trailers, a battery tracker like ShadowTrack mounts anywhere. If you run a large fleet that needs engine-hour reports and machine data, an enterprise equipment platform is the better fit.
Does it work on remote job sites?
It works anywhere with cell coverage on the Verizon, AT&T or T-Mobile LTE-M networks. Live updates need a signal, so check your carrier's coverage map before you rely on it at a remote or rural site.
Does ShadowGPS track engine hours?
No. ShadowGPS is built around live location, trip history and alerts, and ShadowAuto also reads engine codes on your truck. If you need engine-hour logging for maintenance schedules, an enterprise equipment platform is a better fit.
Can I see multiple job sites on one dashboard?
Yes. Every ShadowAuto and ShadowTrack on your account shows up on the same map, in the app and on the web dashboard, so you can check every site from one screen.
Is it legal to track company trucks and equipment?
Generally yes, when your business owns them. Some states have rules about telling employees, so put your tracking policy in writing. This is general information, not legal advice.
How do I order 4 or more trackers?
Bulk orders of 4 or more go through our team. Contact us and we will set up your account and the 4+ rate.
Plug it in today. See every machine by tonight.
Plug it in, see it move, cancel any time. Ordering 4 or more for your crew? Our team will set up the account and the 4+ rate.
Sources
- NICB: Heavy equipment theft report (recovery rate and why recovery is low)
- NER and NICB: 2016 Equipment Theft Report (national total and top states)
- Insurance Journal: NICB heavy equipment theft data (most stolen equipment types)
- Building Security Services: construction site theft statistics (weekend discovery gap)
Also referenced: Building Design+Construction on NICB findings about shared machine keys. Pricing current as of November 2026, in USD, per tracker. Some retailer links are affiliate links. Legal information is general and not legal advice.
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