Publicly traded connected operations platform offering fleet telematics, AI dash cams, ELD compliance, trailer and equipment tracking, and driver apps for trucking and logistics fleets.
Services
Who it serves
Overview
Samsara is a San Francisco company that sells what it calls "The Connected Operations Platform," a cloud system that combines vehicle telematics, video safety, equipment monitoring and workforce tools in one place. For trucking and logistics operators, the most relevant pieces are GPS fleet tracking, AI dash cams, an electronic logging device (ELD) for hours of service, trailer and reefer monitoring, and a driver app that handles logs, inspections and workflows.
The company was founded in 2015 by Sanjit Biswas and John Bicket, who had earlier co-founded the networking company Meraki and sold it to Cisco in 2012. Samsara trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker IOT after its December 2021 initial public offering. Its homepage says it helps more than 20,000 operations, and it lists transportation and logistics alongside construction, field services, food and beverage, passenger transit and the public sector as core industries.
For a freight business, Samsara is usually evaluated as a full fleet platform rather than a single point tool. A carrier can run compliance, safety video, maintenance data and trailer tracking from one dashboard, and then share location data with brokers and shippers through integrations.
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Services
Samsara groups its products into several families. Cameras and video include AI dash cams, a multi-camera system, 360 degree coverage, drowsiness detection and driver coaching tools. Fleet telematics covers GPS tracking, routing and dispatch, commercial navigation, ELD compliance, fuel and energy reporting, maintenance and electric vehicle management.
Equipment management covers trailer tracking, asset tracking, reefer temperature monitoring, small asset tags and digital vehicle inspection reports (DVIR). Workforce tools include driver and fleet apps, connected training and driver assignment. Platform features include AI tools, an incident center, connected workflows, reporting and alerts, and a shipment visibility module.
On compliance, Samsara describes its ELD as FMCSA-registered and third-party certified, and says it has been registered with FMCSA since 2017. The ELD records driving time automatically, applies hours of service rulesets based on the driver's location, shows countdown clocks to drivers, and gives managers tools to review and certify logs and handle unassigned driving time. Its Vehicle Gateway plugs into the truck's diagnostic port and includes a WiFi hotspot so driver devices can stay connected.
Samsara says it offers hundreds of integrations and an open API. Its ELD page names McLeod, FourKites, MacroPoint and SambaSafety among integration examples, which matters for carriers that need to feed location data to broker and shipper visibility networks.
Who it is for
Samsara fits motor carriers and private fleets that want one vendor for compliance, video safety, tracking and maintenance data. It publishes examples from large operators, including DHL Supply Chain, and its public sector customers include several cities and states, which shows it is built to scale to big fleets.
Smaller carriers can use it as well, and its driver app is described as free to use on supported iOS and Android devices. Freight brokers and shippers usually interact with Samsara indirectly, by receiving location data from carriers that run it, rather than buying it themselves.
How working with them works
Samsara sells through its sales team. Its website offers a "Check our prices" path, a pricing and plans section, a sales contact form and a free trial mention, but it does not publish specific per-vehicle prices on the pages reviewed in November 2026. Buyers should expect a quote based on the number of vehicles, the products chosen and the contract length.
The typical setup is a hardware install in each truck (the Vehicle Gateway, plus cameras if you buy video safety), activation of the cloud dashboard, and rollout of the driver app. Samsara says the gateway installs in a few minutes through the diagnostic port, and it also lists pre-delivery installation and a customer webstore for hardware. Once live, managers configure alerts, safety rules, HOS rulesets and integrations with their TMS or customer visibility platforms.
Questions to ask before you sign
Is hardware bought outright, leased or bundled into the subscription, and what happens to the hardware cost if we cancel or downsize? Ask for a written breakdown of hardware, installation, subscription per vehicle and any add-on modules such as video or trailer tracking.
What is the contract term, and are there auto-renewal or early termination terms? Telematics contracts often run multiple years, so confirm the length and the notice period before signing.
Is the ELD currently listed on FMCSA's registered ELD list under the exact model and version we will use? Check the FMCSA list yourself rather than relying on sales material, since listings can change.
Which TMS platforms and broker visibility networks does it integrate with today, and are those integrations included or extra? Ask specifically about the TMS you run and about sharing location with the visibility tools your brokers and shippers require.
Who owns the data, including video and location history, and can we export it in a usable format if we leave? Ask how long video is retained and how driver privacy settings work.
What support is included, how are hardware failures handled under warranty, and how long do replacements take to ship?
Company background
Samsara was founded in 2015 by Sanjit Biswas and John Bicket. Public sources say it was originally created to bring sensor technology to industrial operations, and Andreessen Horowitz was an early Series A investor. It later reached a valuation above one billion dollars in 2018.
Samsara completed its initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange in December 2021, selling 35 million shares and raising about 805 million dollars. It trades under the ticker IOT. Public reporting puts its 2024 revenue at about 937 million dollars, and the company announced in December 2023 that it had passed one billion dollars in annual recurring revenue. It employs roughly 3,500 people according to public profiles.
Samsara also works with vehicle manufacturers, with public sources naming partnerships with Ford, General Motors and Navistar. Its homepage cites more than 350 integrations and more than one billion dollars invested in research and development.
Sources
Information compiled from public sources. Last verified November 2026. Confirm details directly with the company.
