The verdict in three sentences
For a mining contractor paid by the machine hour, every unproven hour is a lost hour: mine owners dispute paper timesheets and hold invoices. Software that reads engine hours from telematics, triggers hour-based maintenance and generates invoices automatically recovers 5 to 8% of billable hours. For a 70-machine fleet, payback comes well within a year.
Why paper hours are expensive
Take a contractor headquartered in Toronto: 70 machines (excavators, dozers, loaders, articulated haul trucks, tri-axle trucks), 180 staff, earthmoving and ore haulage contracts at gold and nickel operations around Timmins, Sudbury and the Ring of Fire access corridor. Billing is per machine hour, based on operator timesheets signed off by the client's supervisor.
The problems repeat. Timesheets reach head office 1 to 3 weeks late from remote camps. The mine compares them with its own dispatch data and disputes differences. Standby hours caused by the client (crusher down, waiting for blasting) are poorly documented. Maintenance runs on the calendar rather than the hour meter, so oil changes come too late and major failures hit in peak season.
| Indicator | Paper timesheets | Software with telematics (2026 estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| Billed hours disputed | 8 to 12% | under 2% |
| Client standby hours billed | 30 to 40% of actual | 90% and above |
| Monthly invoicing lag | 20 to 35 days | 3 to 5 days |
| Major failures per machine per year | 2 to 3 | 1 |
| Fleet availability | 75 to 80% | 85 to 90% |
| Unexplained diesel variance | 10 to 15% | under 4% |
The modules you need
Mining contractor software rests on five blocks. Engine hour capture from OEM telematics (Caterpillar, Komatsu and Volvo expose data through the ISO 15143-3 standard) or from an aftermarket GPS unit on older machines. Field entry on rugged tablets: activity, downtime, client standby with reason, photos, sign-off by the client supervisor. Hour-based maintenance: services triggered at 250, 500 and 1,000 hours, parts and work orders. Fuel tracking per machine, reconciled with delivery tickets. Automatic invoicing per contract, with rates by machine class and status (productive, standby, mobilisation), plus HST handling.
Offline mode is essential at remote sites: tablets sync whenever they reach LTE or satellite coverage at camp.
| Option | Indicative 2026 cost | Lead time | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper and spreadsheets | almost nil | immediate | disputes, delays |
| OEM telematics portal | CAD 35 to 90 per machine per month | 1 to 2 months | no billing, weak on mixed fleets |
| Heavy equipment fleet software | CAD 45 to 130 per machine per month plus setup | 3 to 6 months | hourly billing by contract rarely fits |
| Custom contractor software | CAD 60,000 to 140,000 | 4 to 6 months | needs rigorous scoping |
| GPS unit for older machines | CAD 350 to 700 per machine | 2 to 4 weeks | data plan extra |
Kolonell scopes this type of project on quote, after a workshop on your fleet, contracts and sites. See our custom web applications offer.
How to choose between a fleet platform and a custom build
Start with your contract mix. If most of your work is billed at a flat monthly rate per machine, an OEM telematics portal plus a spreadsheet may be enough. If you bill by the hour with separate rates for productive time, standby and mobilisation, and each mine owner applies its own sign-off process, the gap between what fleet software records and what you can invoice becomes the real cost. A mixed fleet is the other trigger: when a third of your machines are older units or come from different manufacturers, a single platform that merges OEM feeds and aftermarket GPS data saves your billing team several days every month.
Mini case study
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Daniel, operations director of a mining contractor based in Toronto, bills an average of 2,500 hours per machine per year at CAD 165 an hour. Across 70 machines, that is 175,000 hours and CAD 28.9 million of revenue.
A cautious 5% recovery of billable hours (documented standby, fewer disputes) brings 8,750 hours, about CAD 1.44 million a year. With a CAD 110,000 build, 30 GPS units for older machines at CAD 500 (CAD 15,000) and CAD 15,000 annual maintenance, year-one investment reaches CAD 140,000. It is repaid in just over a month of gains. Halving major failures, at CAD 12,000 per failure, adds up to CAD 840,000 in potential savings.
FAQ
How much does mining contractor software cost in 2026?
A custom build ranges from CAD 60,000 to 140,000 as a 2026 estimate, depending on fleet size and integrations. Fleet platforms cost CAD 45 to 130 per machine per month.
How do we capture hours from older machines without telematics?
Install a GPS unit wired to the ignition, at CAD 350 to 700 per machine. Hours come back accurate to a few minutes a day.
Does it work without coverage at remote sites?
Yes, entries and readings are stored on the tablet and synced once LTE or satellite is available. One sync a day is enough for billing.
Will the mine owner accept these records?
Timestamped telematics data signed off by the client supervisor on tablet cuts disputes from 8 to 12% to under 2%. Many mine owners even ask for read access to the portal.
How long does rollout take?
Allow 4 to 6 months, with a pilot site of 10 to 15 machines live in 8 to 10 weeks. The rest of the fleet follows site by site.
Let's scope your project. We map your fleet, contracts and sites, then run a pilot on one site before extending to the whole fleet over 4 to 6 months. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
