Van Daily Check Sheet

What this sheet is for

Give a driver one sheet per vehicle per day, with enough room to describe a defect properly instead of ticking a box nobody reads.

Who it is for

Van drivers, small fleets, trades running a vehicle, hire firms and anyone who wants a dated record of the state a vehicle was in that morning.

How to use it

1. Walk round the vehicle in the order the list is written, starting at the driver's door.
2. Tick each item you actually checked — a tick you did not earn makes the whole sheet worthless.
3. Describe any defect in the box below, and say whether it is new or already known.
4. Record who you reported it to and whether the vehicle was taken out of use.
5. Sign and date it, and keep the sheets in order.

What is on the sheet

The layout is fixed at a size that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the A4 and Letter files are visually identical and print at full size on either. Rows are set at a height that an adult can actually write a date and a few words into with a pen — most printable tables are built in a word processor and never tested with one.

Questions

Am I required to do a daily walk-around?

That depends entirely on where you are and what the vehicle is used for. Driver check duties, how they must be recorded and how long records must be kept differ by country and by the class and use of the vehicle. Check what applies to you — this sheet does not set the rule.

What should happen when a defect is found?

Report it, record who you reported it to, and record whether the vehicle was taken out of use. The sheet gives you a place for all three. Whether a particular defect means the vehicle should not be driven is a judgement for you and whoever is responsible for the vehicle.