Van Walkaround Check Sheets

Daily checks without the HGV baggage

Vans under 3.5 tonnes sit outside operator licensing, but they do not sit outside the law: roadworthiness, insurance conditions and health and safety duties all still apply, and DVSA stops vans in numbers at the roadside. The mistake we see is fleets handing van drivers a 60 item HGV form, which gets ignored by week two. This van check sheet takes the opposite approach: a simplified daily check a driver can complete honestly in a couple of minutes, covering the items that actually fail on light vehicles.

Tyres, lights, mirrors, glass, wipers, fluid leaks, load area and doors: checked, dated, signed.

What is inside

• A one page van check sheet in a daily format, sized for the real attention span of a delivery driver at 6am.
• A weekly van walkaround version for fleets that judge daily checks disproportionate for their use pattern.
• A grey fleet variant for employees using their own vehicles on company business, covering condition, MOT, insurance for business use and servicing declarations.
• Printable duplicate pads plus a PDF master for scanning or tablet use.
• A defect box with carry through, so reported faults stay visible until fixed.

Who it is for

Trades businesses, couriers, service engineers and any company running vans without a transport office. Fleet and health and safety managers use the van check sheet to evidence a defect reporting system, which is what an insurer or an investigator asks about after a collision involving a bald tyre. The grey fleet variant matters more than most firms expect, because own vehicle business use is usually the least controlled corner of the fleet.

Format and updates

You receive the van check sheet as print ready pad artwork and an editable Word master with a version control sheet, so you can add your company name, van models and any racking or tail lift items, and log each amendment with a date and approver. If good practice guidance for light fleets changes, we revise the master and flag what is different.

How to put the pack into use

1. Replace every marked placeholder.
2. Compare the controls with your vehicles, work, licence commitments and current official guidance.
3. Remove irrelevant options and add local responsibilities and escalation routes.
4. Approve a controlled version and brief affected people.
5. Use the registers, sample completed records and correct failures.

Questions about this pack