Merchants Fleet and Proaction both combine fleet technology with operational support. Merchants is worth evaluating when you want leasing, maintenance and account support through FleetAssist, with fleet information in TotalView. Proaction is worth evaluating when you want a configurable operating platform and execution for selected Fleet Programs while retaining useful financing and provider relationships.
The decision should separate vehicle funding from the work of running the fleet. Compare the scope, workflow and costs you would actually buy. Public materials do not establish that Merchants requires every operating service to accompany a lease, so confirm the available program combinations rather than assuming a bundled arrangement. Merchants maintenance, FleetAssist.
Proaction vs. Merchants Fleet at a glance
| Decision area | Merchants Fleet | Proaction |
|---|---|---|
| Scope to evaluate | Vehicle financing, fleet services, FleetAssist and TotalView | Configurable fleet platform with execution for selected Fleet Programs |
| Vehicle funding | Leasing options, including open-end arrangements; terms determine settlement obligations | Retain useful financing relationships while selecting operating programs, subject to existing agreements |
| Maintenance | Preventive maintenance, driver support and a vendor network | PM oversight and shop/driver coordination through approvals, payment and closeout |
| Operating technology | TotalView consolidates fleet records, invoices, customizable reporting, alerts and acquisition workflows | Connected asset records, configurable workflows and approval rules |
| Provider arrangements | Confirm treatment of your preferred shops, rates and billing in the proposed program | Use a capable U.S. shop accepting the payment arrangement; no additional out-of-network surcharge, but normal program fees apply |
| Program charges | Request pricing for the selected funding, technology and services | Per-asset monthly platform fee plus a transaction-value fee for Fleet Programs; service payment and fee separate |
| Service-spend funding | Confirm account billing and payment terms | Expected monthly spend prepaid; overages invoiced and unused credits rolled forward |
Competitor entries summarize the linked official materials. The proposed agreement determines program availability and commercial terms.
Keep vehicle economics separate from operating costs
Merchants' open-end lease page describes fixed or variable financing rates and a structure that includes residual value and an end-of-lease settlement. These create questions about the vehicle-financing agreement that are separate from the price of maintenance coordination. Review the actual residual assumptions, rate, disposal process and settlement terms. Merchants open-end leases.
For an operating-program comparison, identify the work being delegated and the costs associated with it. A vehicle payment, technology subscription, repair invoice and program fee pay for different things. Combining them into one headline number can obscure differences in scope.
If you are retaining a financing provider, confirm what information and responsibilities must remain with it when another team handles maintenance or registration. Ask both providers whether the proposed arrangement affects existing service terms and how they will manage the handoff. Review the integration requirements for any systems that need to exchange records.
Compare the work behind the dashboard
FleetAssist offers a dedicated account contact and support for daily fleet work. TotalView brings together invoicing, maintenance and other fleet records, with customizable reporting, alerts, mobile tools and acquisition capabilities. Those offerings make it useful to compare both the information available and the actions each provider takes on your behalf. FleetAssist, TotalView.
Proaction's platform connects asset information with maintenance and related operational work. Your fleet sets approval rules and chooses where Fleet Programs should provide execution support. Your team can retain other responsibilities in the same operating process.
For delegated maintenance, Proaction coordinates with the shop and driver, reviews proposed work and follows service through payment and closeout. PM oversight helps connect scheduled service to that workflow. Provider preferences and negotiated-rate instructions guide the selected work. Proaction maintenance and repair.
Use a repair that led to a broader vehicle decision as the demonstration. Ask each provider to show the asset record, proposed work, approval, responsible person and final transaction. If estimated vehicle values enter the decision, distinguish them from recorded costs. The test is whether the information supports the next action and whether someone clearly owns that action.
Compare the proposed transaction detail
Ask each provider for an example showing the underlying service amount, applicable program charges, adjustments and final amount billed. If supplier discounts, commissions or rebates apply, request their treatment in the proposed agreement. The public Merchants materials reviewed do not establish a universal policy for those items.
Evaluate the same scope across both proposals. Include the work your staff would still perform and any effort required to pass information between providers. A lower fee for a narrower responsibility is not automatically a lower cost for the same result.
Proaction charges a platform fee per asset per month and a Fleet Programs fee calculated on transaction value. The service payment and Proaction fee appear separately. Your proposal specifies the applicable rate and calculation basis. Review the Proaction pricing model with the selected program scope.
Expected monthly program spending is prepaid. Actual spending above the estimate is invoiced, and unused credits roll into the following month. Proaction can coordinate with a U.S. shop that can service the asset and accepts the payment arrangement. Bring a negotiated rate where available or use the shop's standard rate. There is no additional out-of-network surcharge; the normal Fleet Programs fee still applies.
Frequently asked questions
Can we use Proaction while keeping a financing relationship?
Proaction supports selecting operating programs while retaining useful financing relationships, subject to existing agreements. Confirm the information flow and responsibilities before moving work. Ask Merchants which services can be contracted separately; the public sources reviewed do not establish a universal requirement to bundle operating services with financing.
What can fleet managers do in TotalView?
Merchants describes customizable reporting, alerts, mobile access, consolidated fleet records and acquisition workflows. Compare the capabilities relevant to your chosen program and ask for a demonstration of the work your team needs to perform. TotalView.
What should we review in a Merchants open-end lease?
Review the financing rate, residual assumptions and end-of-lease settlement alongside the actual agreement's disposal and extension terms. Keep those vehicle-financing obligations separate from your operating-program comparison. Merchants open-end leases.
What should a single-program pilot demonstrate?
It should establish how a request becomes completed work, who handles exceptions and which costs appear in the record. Choose a scope that lets you test the handoff with your existing providers, then assess whether that division of responsibilities fits your fleet.
Bring the program you want to change
Explore a fleet program with Proaction. Bring a recent transaction, the workflow you want to improve and the financing or provider relationships you want to retain.
If vehicle onboarding and upfitting are central to the decision, read Proaction vs. Holman. For a closer look at maintenance coverage versus actual-spend models, read Proaction vs. Enterprise Fleet Management.
Prepared by Proaction as a first-party comparison. Competitor sources reviewed September 9, 2026. Evaluation scenarios are illustrative, not customer outcomes. Features, availability and terms depend on the selected program and agreement.
