Stop Pencil-Whipping Your Daily Checks
Your drivers tick the same boxes every morning without looking. Paper defect sheets end up coffee-stained on the dash. Then DVSA pulls you over and you're scrambling for proof. Digital walkarounds force proper checks, capture photo evidence, and keep you road-legal. No more excuses, no more fines.
The Problem
Real problems we've seen in depots across the UK
After 15 years watching courier fleets struggle with vehicle checks, we know what goes wrong. Drivers doing 30-second walkarounds at 4am. Lost defect sheets when DVSA asks for proof. Insurance claims rejected because you can't prove pre-existing damage. Time to fix it properly.
- • Significant DVSA fines for missing or incomplete checks - one roadside inspection can be costly
- • Insurance claim denied? Photo evidence from morning checks proves damage happened on route, not in your yard
- • Blown tyre at 70mph? Digital checks mean drivers actually look at tread depth instead of ticking boxes
- • No more "I checked it" arguments - timestamped photos show exactly what state the van left in
- • MOT failures cost you downtime - spot issues early when a simple bulb fix prevents a failed test
- • Paper trails disappear - but digital records stay put for the 15 weeks DVSA requires (and longer)
Complete Feature Set
Everything you need for bulletproof vehicle checks
Built by people who've run depots, not tech companies who think they know transport. Every feature solves a real problem we've seen in the yard.
- Photo Capture with GPS & Timestamp
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Every photo tagged with exact location and time. Proves the check happened in your yard at 05:47, not round the corner at 08:30. GPS accuracy means no arguments about where damage occurred.
- Customizable Inspection Checklists
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Running Sprinters? Different checks to Transits. Tail lifts need extra attention. Build checklists for each vehicle type. Add seasonal checks (screenwash in winter, coolant in summer). Your fleet, your rules.
- Offline Mode for Yard Checks
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Metal warehouse blocking signal? Underground parking? No problem. Drivers complete checks offline, everything syncs when they're back in range. No excuses for skipped checks.
- Instant Defect Alerts
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Driver finds brake light out? Alert hits transport desk before they've finished the check. Fix it before departure, not after DVSA pulls them over. Set severity levels - blown bulb vs brake failure.
- Historical Inspection Records
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Pull up any vehicle's history in seconds. See when that wing mirror damage first appeared. Track tyre wear over time. Spot patterns - same driver, same defects? Time for a chat.
- Maintenance Scheduling Integration
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Defect found? Creates maintenance job automatically. Links to service schedules - due for oil change? Reminder pops during morning check. No more "forgot it was due" MOT failures.
Common Defects We Catch
What drivers actually find when they look properly
Based on 2.7 million checks across UK courier fleets. These are the issues that turn into roadside prohibitions if you don't catch them first.
Tyre Issues (31% of defects)
- • Tread below 1.6mm (illegal) - £2,500 fine per tyre
- • Cuts exposing cords - immediate prohibition
- • Sidewall bulges - blowout waiting to happen
- • Wrong tyre pressures - 23% worse fuel economy
- • Missing valve caps - MOT failure
Light Failures (28% of defects)
- • Brake lights out - rear-end crash liability
- • Indicators not working - £1,000 fine
- • Headlight aim wrong - fails MOT
- • Number plate bulb - easy fix, big fine
- • Fog light cracked - another £1,000
Fluid Leaks (19% of defects)
- • Oil drips - engine seizure risk
- • Brake fluid - catastrophic failure possible
- • Coolant leaks - overheating in traffic
- • Power steering - sudden loss of control
- • Screen wash empty - £1,000 fine in winter
Body Damage (12% of defects)
- • Wing mirrors cracked/missing - can't see properly
- • Windscreen chips - spreads while driving
- • Loose panels - falls off on motorway
- • Damaged bumpers - sharp edges hurt pedestrians
- • Missing mud flaps - stones hit cars behind
Documentation (7% of defects)
- • Missing insurance disc - depot's fault usually
- • Out of date MOT - how did that happen?
- • No first aid kit - H&S violation
- • Fire extinguisher expired - another fine
- • Missing wheel nut spanner - can't change tyre
Load Security (3% of defects)
- • Load straps frayed - parcels on motorway
- • Bulkhead damaged - crushing risk
- • Door locks faulty - theft liability
- • Tail lift safety bar - serious injury risk
- • Missing load bars - everything slides
*Data from 127 UK depots, January-December 2023. Average depot catches 47 serious defects per month.
DVSA Compliance Made Simple
What DVSA actually looks for (we asked them)
Spent years dealing with DVSA inspections. Know what makes them happy and what gets you prohibited. Here's the inside track on passing every time.
DVSA Roadside Check Priority List
- • First thing they ask: "Can I see your daily defect sheets?" - Digital records on tablet impress them
- • Tyre checks: They've got depth gauges and will check every tyre - your photos prove you checked first
- • Brake test: Roller brake test reveals problems - daily checks spot issues before they get bad
- • Lights inspection: Walk around with torch even in daylight - your morning check already found that blown bulb
- • Under bonnet: Oil leaks, loose batteries, worn belts - all things drivers spot with proper checks
- • Documentation: Insurance, MOT, operator license - app reminds about renewals
Common Prohibition Reasons (and how digital checks prevent them)
Immediate Prohibitions (vehicle off road)
- • Brake defects - 34% of prohibitions
- • Dangerous tyres - 28%
- • Steering faults - 11%
- • Insecure loads - 9%
- • No daily checks - 8%
Delayed Prohibitions (fix within 10 days)
- • Minor light defects - 41%
- • Oil leaks - 23%
- • Exhaust issues - 17%
- • Body damage - 12%
- • Missing equipment - 7%
90-Day Record Keeping Requirements
DVSA can demand to see 90 days of defect records. Paper sheets in a filing cabinet? Good luck finding Tuesday 3rd October at 2pm on a Saturday. Digital system? Three clicks and it's on screen.
- • What they need to see: Every daily check, signed and dated
- • Defects reported: What was found, when, by who
- • Actions taken: How you fixed it, who signed it off
- • Nil defect reports: Still need records when nothing's wrong
- • Digital advantage: Search by date, vehicle, driver, defect type - instantly
The Real Cost
What happens when checks go wrong
Think digital checks are expensive? Let's talk about what paper checks really cost when DVSA catches you out.
DVSA Fines Breakdown
Fixed Penalty Notices
- • No daily check: £300 per vehicle
- • Each defective tyre: £2,500 + 3 points
- • Defective brakes: £1,000
- • Insecure load: £300
- • No MOT: £1,000
- • Missing documents: £300 each
Court Prosecutions
- • Dangerous vehicle: Up to £5,000
- • False records: Unlimited fine + prison
- • Pattern of defects: License revocation
- • Serious injury: Corporate manslaughter
- • Plus legal costs: £10,000+
*One bad roadside check: £8,000+ in fines. Annual digital check system: £2,400. You do the maths.
Insurance Claim Nightmares
- • Claim denied: "No proof of morning checks" - you pay the £30,000 damage yourself
- • Premium increase: One denied claim = 40% rise next year
- • Personal injury claims: Defective vehicle = your liability, not insurer's
- • Subrogation rights: Insurer pays out then sues you for negligence
- • Policy cancellation: Try getting fleet cover after that
Hidden Downtime Costs
Real example from Manchester depot, March 2024:
- • Van prohibited for defective brakes at 09:30
- • 147 parcels needed redistributing to other drivers
- • Recovery cost: £380
- • Emergency brake repair: £890
- • Overtime for other drivers: £540
- • Late delivery penalties: £1,200
- • Lost customer (contract cancelled): £48,000/year
Total cost of one missed brake check: £51,010
Reputation Damage
- • DVSA Traffic Commissioner hearing: Public record, customers see it
- • Local newspaper headline: "Cowboy Courier Caught with Dangerous Vans"
- • Google reviews: "Their van broke down with my parcels inside"
- • Contract requirements: Big clients demand FORS Gold - need proven check systems
- • Driver recruitment: Good drivers won't work for cowboys
How It Actually Works
From van keys to road legal in 5 minutes
No training needed. If your drivers can use WhatsApp, they can do digital checks. Here's exactly what happens each morning.
Driver Opens App (05:45)
Logs in with depot PIN. Selects their vehicle from dropdown (or scans QR code on windscreen). Previous defects show as reminders - "Check if yesterday's indicator fault is fixed".
What drivers see: Big green "Start Check" button. Can't access vehicle keys until check is complete (smart key box integration available).
Follows Guided Checklist (05:46)
App walks them round vehicle in logical order. Front > Driver side > Rear > Passenger side > Under bonnet > Inside cab. Each section has specific checks with photos where needed.
Smart features: Skip photo if nothing's changed since yesterday. Force photo for critical items (tyres weekly). Voice notes for complex issues.
Takes Photos of Issues (05:48)
Cracked wing mirror? Photo required. Guidelines overlay shows how to frame shot properly. Can't submit blurry pics - AI checks image quality. Multiple angles for serious defects.
Photo intelligence: Automatically tags location on vehicle. Suggests severity (red/amber/green). Compares to yesterday's photo to track deterioration.
Submits Report (05:50)
Review screen shows all findings. Driver adds digital signature. Can't submit without completing every section. Report uploads instantly (or queues if offline).
Submission options: Green button "Safe to drive". Red button "Unsafe - do not use". Amber "Drive with caution" for minor issues.
Depot Gets Alert (05:50)
Transport desk screen flashes red for serious defects. Notification shows vehicle, driver, issue, photos. One click to assign to workshop or book external repair.
Alert routing: Brake issues → Workshop immediately. Bulb out → Parts order. Body damage → Get quote. All tracked in system.
Follow-up Actions (05:52)
Minor defect? Schedule for lunch break fix. Major issue? Swap driver to spare van. System tracks repair progress. Driver notified when vehicle is safe. Full audit trail maintained.
Closed loop: Defect isn't cleared until workshop confirms repair complete. Photo evidence of fix required. Next day's check verifies repair.
Total time: 5 minutes for thorough check. Paper version: 30 seconds of fake ticks. Which would you rather explain to DVSA?
Benefits by Role
Something for everyone in the depot
Digital checks aren't just about compliance. Every role in your operation gets real benefits. Here's what's in it for your team.
For Drivers: Protection from Blame
- • CYA evidence: Timestamped photos prove "It wasn't like that when I left"
- • No more arguments: Customer claims damage? Check this morning's photos
- • Stay legal: Won't let you drive illegal vehicle - protects your license
- • Quick and easy: Faster than paper forms, works on any smartphone
- • Fair treatment: Can't be blamed for pre-existing damage anymore
- • Safety first: Spot dangerous defects before they cause accidents
Driver feedback: "Used to dread customer complaints about damage. Now I just show them the morning photos. Argument over."
For Depot Managers: Real-time Visibility
- • Live dashboard: See who's checked, who hasn't, what's broken
- • Instant alerts: Red flag issues hit your screen immediately
- • Resource planning: Know which vans are safe to use today
- • Pattern spotting: Same driver, same defects? Training needed
- • Audit ready: DVSA walks in? Pull up any record in seconds
- • Cost control: Fix small issues before they become big bills
For DSP Owners: Reduced Liability
- • Legal protection: Prove due diligence in court if needed
- • Insurance savings: Show insurers your professional approach
- • Contract winner: Big clients demand digital compliance
- • DVSA confidence: Green light on operator license reviews
- • Scale easily: Same system works for 10 vans or 100
- • Sleep better: Know your fleet is legally compliant
For Compliance Teams: Audit-ready Records
- • 90-day records: Instant access to any historical check
- • Search function: Find specific defects, dates, vehicles
- • Export reports: PDFs for DVSA, Excel for analysis
- • Compliance scoring: Track completion rates by depot
- • Evidence package: Photos + GPS + timestamp = bulletproof
- • Automated reminders: MOT, insurance, service due dates
Compliance feedback: "DVSA auditor said it was the best record system they'd seen. Audit done in 20 minutes instead of 2 hours."
Return on Investment
Real numbers from real depots
Forget the sales fluff. Here's what digital checks actually save based on 50+ depot implementations.
Typical 30-Van Depot ROI Breakdown
Time Savings
- • Paper checks: 5 min/van filing = 2.5 hours/day
- • Digital checks: Auto-filed = 0 hours
- • DVSA audit prep: 8 hours → 30 minutes
- • Finding old records: 20 min → 10 seconds
- • Annual time saved: 780 hours (£11,700)
Fines Avoided
- • Average depot: 3 roadside checks/year
- • Paper checks: 1.2 prohibitions/year
- • Digital checks: 0.1 prohibitions/year
- • Average fine saved: £2,600
- • Annual fines avoided: £2,860
Claims Protected
- • Disputed damage claims: 8/year average
- • Success with paper evidence: 20%
- • Success with photo evidence: 95%
- • Average claim value: £1,800
- • Annual claims protected: £10,080
Maintenance Savings
- • Tyres replaced at 1.6mm: £180 each
- • Tyres rotated at 3mm: £0 (labour only)
- • Brake pads at 2mm: £120
- • Brake discs at 0mm: £450
- • Annual maintenance saved: £8,400
Total Annual Savings: £33,040
Digital check system cost: £2,400/year
ROI: 1,377% (Pays for itself in 3 weeks)
Small Fleet Example (8 vans)
- • Investment: £79/month
- • One DVSA fine avoided: £2,600 saved
- • Time saved on filing: 2 hours/week
- • Insurance discount: 10% (£1,200/year)
- • Payback period: 6 weeks
Large Fleet Example (150 vans)
- • Investment: £750/month
- • Compliance manager freed up: 50%
- • Workshop efficiency: +35%
- • Major incident prevented: £180k saved
- • Annual ROI: 2,400%
Hidden Value Most People Miss
- • Driver retention: Good drivers prefer professional operations - save £3k per driver replacement
- • Customer confidence: Show them your compliance system - win more contracts
- • Management time: Stop firefighting, start improving - worth more than any saving
- • Stress reduction: No more 3am worry about that DVSA checkpoint - priceless
Integration & Compatibility
Works with what you've already got
Don't rip and replace. Digital checks slot into your existing systems. We've integrated with most transport management platforms out there.
Popular Fleet System Integrations
- • FleetCheck: Automatic service schedule updates
- • Webfleet: Driver ID sync, mileage capture
- • Samsara: Combine with telematics data
- • Verizon Connect: Single dashboard view
- • Masternaut: Route optimization with vehicle status
- • BigChange: Job management integration
Maintenance System Links
- • R2C: Auto-create job cards from defects
- • Freeway: Parts ordering integration
- • MAM: Workshop scheduling updates
- • AutoVHC: Share inspection data
- • Halfords Autocentres: Direct booking API
- • Kwik Fit Fleet: Priority repair slots
Export Options for Audits
PDF Reports
- • Individual check certificates
- • Weekly summaries
- • Defect history by vehicle
- • DVSA format reports
Excel Exports
- • Raw data for analysis
- • Defect trends
- • Completion rates
- • Cost tracking
API Access
- • Real-time data feed
- • Webhook notifications
- • Custom integrations
- • BI tool connections
Technical Specifications
Requirements
- • Works on any smartphone (iOS 12+, Android 8+)
- • No special hardware needed
- • 4G/5G or WiFi (offline mode available)
- • 50MB storage per van per month
Security
- • UK data centres (GDPR compliant)
- • 256-bit encryption
- • Daily backups
- • ISO 27001 certified
Setup time: 2 hours for 30-van fleet. Training: 15-minute video. Support: UK-based team who know transport.
Ready to Stop Failed Vehicle Checks?
Been in transport long enough to know this: A proper walkaround takes 5 minutes. A DVSA prohibition takes your van off the road for days. Your drivers will thank you when they're not getting pulled over, and your accountant will thank you when the fines stop coming.