Drivers complete a phone checklist before each shift, with a photo of anything wrong. Minor defects open a workshop ticket, safety-critical ones alert the fleet manager on WhatsApp and hold the truck in dispatch, and every check is stored for audits.
Typical results
Same day
Defects logged and routed on the shift they appear
≈90%
Fewer missing pre-trip checklists
Under 5 min
From a safety-critical defect to a WhatsApp alert
1 hr
From a defect found to a workshop ticket
Figures reflect typical results for this kind of automation.
The challenge
A haulage company running 22 trucks to building sites relies on paper pre-trip sheets that are often skipped, filled in after the fact or left in the cab. Defects get mentioned to whoever is in the yard and forgotten, a truck with worn brakes can leave for a site, and audits mean digging through folders.
Before and after
Missing pre-trip checklists per month
−91%Hours from a defect found to a workshop ticket
−99%Hours to prepare inspection records for an audit
−92%The automation
Before each shift the driver completes a phone checklist for tires, lights, brakes, fluids and load securing, with a photo of any failed item. A Make scenario sorts defects by a fixed severity list. Minor ones open a workshop ticket in the fleet sheet. Safety-critical ones, such as brake or tire damage, send the fleet manager a WhatsApp alert and mark the truck unavailable in dispatch until a mechanic signs it off. Each checklist joins the truck's inspection log.
How it works
- 01
Checklist before the shift
The driver checks tires, lights, brakes, fluids and load securing on a phone form, adding a photo of anything wrong.
- 02
Defects sorted by severity
Each failed item is classed from a fixed list set by the fleet manager, so brake or tire damage is always safety-critical.
- 03
Minor defect ticket
Minor issues, such as a cracked mirror or a weak marker light, open a workshop ticket in the fleet sheet with the photo.
- 04
Critical defect hold
Safety-critical defects alert the fleet manager on WhatsApp and mark the truck unavailable in dispatch.
- 05
Sign-off and audit log
A mechanic signs the repair off on a phone, the truck returns to dispatch, and the checklist is stored in the truck's log.
Starts from
- Driver phone checklist
- Photo of each defect
Delivers
- Workshop ticket for minor
- WhatsApp alert, truck held
- Inspection log per truck
The impact
Defects are logged on the day they appear, and trucks with safety-critical faults stay in the yard until a mechanic signs them off. Missing checklists fall by about 90%, from around 35 a month to 3, defects reach the workshop within an hour instead of 3 days, and audit preparation takes half an hour.
Questions about this automation
Who decides whether a defect is minor or safety-critical?
The fleet manager sets the list once. Each checklist item has its possible faults and a severity, so a flat tire or a brake warning is always critical while a dirty plate light is minor. Drivers mark what they see and the automation applies the rule, so the outcome doesn't depend on who is driving.
Can dispatch still use a held truck in an emergency?
Only after a mechanic or the fleet manager signs off the defect on a phone, which records who released the truck and when. Until then it shows as unavailable in the dispatch view, so it can't be assigned to a job by mistake while the repair is pending.
How much training do drivers need?
One short walkthrough is usually enough, since the phone form takes about three minutes per shift. Behind it, this is a multi-step build, usually rolled out in stages: the checklist and severity list first, then the workshop tickets, the WhatsApp alerts and the dispatch status.