While the paper-based vehicle check should be a relic of the past, for many organisations it remains a daily reality. However, most digital solutions aren’t much better – still generic, bypassable, and treated as a box-ticking exercise rather than a tool for risk reduction and operational excellence.
That’s why we took a different approach, creating a tool that isn’t a lift and shift of the paper-based problem. Find out how our Vehicle Check feature can be a game-changer for the smallest fleets to large enterprise operations.
The high cost of the “tick-and-go” culture
Traditional paper checklists can create more problems than they solve:
- Unverifiable: Without photos and digital timestamps, it’s hard to confirm if the check happened at the vehicle and before the driver started their day.
- Prone to error: Illegible handwriting, missed items, and lost forms are commonplace.
- Reactive, not proactive: Issues are often found too late, leading to costly roadside breakdowns, missed delivery windows, and increased risk on the roads.
- An administrative nightmare: Storing, sorting, and auditing stacks of paper forms is a time-consuming burden for fleet managers. Often by the time someone sees a fault was reported, it’s too late.
The result? Increased operational risk, higher maintenance costs, and a safety culture that exists on paper, but not in practice.
The Detrack Difference: A checkpoint, not a checklist
Our Vehicle Check feature is designed to seamlessly integrate safety into your driver’s daily workflow, making it a seamless part of their day. Here’s how it works and why it could be a game-changer to your operations.
1. Unmatched Customisation: Check what you care about
Generic checklists cover generic problems. Your fleet isn’t generic. Perhaps your refrigerated vans need daily thermostat and seal checks or your drivers are required to confirm that trailer brake and light connections are correctly fitted and functional prior to transport.
Our platform is highly customizable, allowing you to create tailored checklists that reflect the specific needs of each vehicle, driver, or role. This ensures the check is relevant, meaningful, and effective at catching the issues that truly impact your business—moving far beyond a simple “tyres, oil, water” approach similar solutions offer.
2. Seamless Integration: One app, one workflow
A major pain point with many solutions is app overload. Drivers shouldn’t have to juggle one app for navigation, another for forms, and another for proof of delivery. It’s frustrating and inefficient.
The Detrack Vehicle Check happens within the driver app itself. There is no separate application to download, no new login to remember. The checklist becomes a natural, integrated step in the process of starting their day. This drastically increases driver adoption and reduces friction, ensuring the checks are actually completed.
3. Enforced Compliance: Ensuring checks happen before the engine starts
Any vehicle check, paperbased or otherwise, is only valuable if it cannot be bypassed or skipped. With Detrack, you can configure the system to require completion of the checks before the driver can start their first job or even record their mileage.
This “forced compliance” is not about micromanagement; it’s about creating a non-negotiable safety standard. It guarantees that every vehicle on the road has been verified as safe and operational, protecting your drivers, the public, and your assets from the first mile, through to the last.
The real impact on your business
The real value isn’t in the digital safety check itself, but what it enables across your business:
- Proactive maintenance: Instant digital alerts are sent to managers the moment a driver reports a fault. This allows you to schedule maintenance before a minor issue becomes a major breakdown, reducing downtime and expensive emergency repairs.
- Bulletproof compliance: Create an irrefutable, time-stamped digital audit trail for every vehicle, every day. This is your first line of defense in maintaining a high level of due diligence and fulfilling your duty of care obligations.
- Empowered drivers: Your drivers become the first line of defense for vehicle health and safety. The easy-to-use app empowers your team to report issues immediately, making drivers active participants in the safety-first culture you create.
- Data-driven decisions: Aggregate data from checks to identify recurring issues with specific vehicles or models. Use this to inform future purchasing decisions and targeted maintenance programs.
Redefine your safety standard with Detrack
Don’t let vehicle checks be a forgotten formality. With Detrack’s Vehicle Check, you’re building a resilient and efficient environment by empowering your team and putting safety first. Discover how our customizable, integrated solution can transform your fleet operations today.
