Free equipment run hours log
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Free equipment run hours log (PDF). Track daily plant operating hours for utilisation and service-due reporting. Download free.
Commercial Director
Key takeaways
- An equipment run hours log records the daily operating hours of each machine from its hour meter, for utilisation and service planning.
- Daily start and finish hour-meter readings give hours run per day and a running cumulative total per machine.
- Comparing hours run against available hours shows utilisation and reveals idle plant that could be off-hired or redeployed.
- Tracking cumulative hours against the service interval flags machines approaching their next hours-based service.
Updated 4 June 2026
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Used by construction, mining and field service teams
What is a equipment run hours log?
An equipment run hours log is a register used to record the daily operating hours of plant and machinery from each machine hour meter, so a team can measure how hard equipment is worked and time servicing to those hours. For each machine on each day it captures the asset ID, the hour-meter reading at start and finish, the hours run that day, the cumulative hours and the operator. From those figures it derives utilisation and the hours remaining before the next service. Unlike a general meter reading log, which records any meter type, a run hours log is built around hours specifically and is used daily on operating plant such as excavators, generators, compressors and dozers.
Run hours logs are used in construction, civil, mining and manufacturing wherever plant is costed and serviced by the hour, and wherever idle time is expensive. Without one, managers cannot tell which machines are earning their keep and which are sitting idle on hire, and servicing slips because nobody is watching the hour meter. In MapTrack, daily hours feed both utilisation reporting and meter-based maintenance, so the next hours-based service is raised automatically as a machine approaches its interval. Australian WHS Regulations 2011, Chapter 5, require plant to be maintained and the maintenance recorded, and an hours log is the working record that links usage to those service decisions.
Learn more about maintenance and work orders in MapTrack.
Benefits of using this equipment run hours log
- Utilisation visibility: daily hours show which machines are working and which are idle, so hire and fleet size can be right-sized.
- Hours-based servicing: a running cumulative total against the service interval flags machines approaching their next service.
- Hire cost control: comparing hours run against the hire rate exposes machines that are costing more than they are earning.
- Cost allocation: operating hours let you charge plant cost to the right job, project or cost centre with confidence.
- Operator accountability: recording who ran each machine each day links usage and condition back to the person operating it.
- Forecasting: hours trends help forecast fuel, servicing and component replacement so budgets and parts orders are realistic.
- Off-hire decisions: low daily hours on hired plant give a clear, evidenced trigger to off-hire and stop paying for idle machines.
Benefits of digitising forms in MapTrack
When you move your logs from paper to MapTrack, you get:
- Field users can easily scan a QR code to complete a form on mobile. Unlimited users.
- Automatically get alerts when faults are identified.
- Link every form digitally as a PDF to the relevant asset, location or person.
- Receive a digital PDF copy with every submission to your email.
- Ability to share forms digitally.
- Build conditional logic (show or hide questions based on answers).
- Take pictures or attach photos. Not possible with a paper-based form.
- Electronic signatures.
- Edit forms later without reprinting.
- Restrict permissions (who can view, complete or approve).
- Build forms with AI (describe what you need and MapTrack suggests the form).
- Trigger work orders automatically when a fault is logged during an inspection.
- Track service intervals by hours, kilometres or calendar date in one place.
- Attach supplier invoices and parts receipts to each maintenance record.
Book a demo to see how MapTrack handles logs.
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1-2 days/week saved
“Bloody amazing! We used to spend 1-2 days a week tracking and managing our generators alone.”
Steve McAllister
Asset Coordinator, Saunders International
What to include in a equipment run hours log
This equipment run hours log covers 10 key areas:
- Log details: organisation, prepared by, site or project, and the period the log covers.
- Asset ID or fleet number: the unique identifier for each machine.
- Machine description: a short name for the plant item, such as 20t excavator or 50kVA generator.
- Date: the operating day the hours relate to.
- Start hour-meter: the hour-meter reading at the start of the shift or day.
- Finish hour-meter: the hour-meter reading at the end of the shift or day.
- Hours run: the hours worked that day, calculated from start and finish readings.
- Cumulative hours: the running total of hours on the machine to date.
- Operator: the person who operated the machine that day.
- Next service due / notes: the hours at which the next service falls due, plus any standby, breakdown or idle note.
How to use this equipment run hours log
- List the plant the log covers and record each machine service interval in hours.: Identify every machine to be tracked and note its asset ID and the manufacturer hours-based service interval. Knowing the interval lets you calculate the next service due hours from the cumulative total rather than relying on memory.
- Record the opening hour-meter reading for each machine.: Capture the current hour-meter value for every machine as the starting cumulative total, with the date. This opening reading anchors the running total so daily hours add up correctly and service timing stays accurate from day one.
- Log start and finish hour-meter readings each operating day.: At the start and end of each shift, record the hour-meter reading and the operator against the machine. Subtract start from finish to get hours run for the day, and add that to the cumulative total so the running figure stays current.
- Calculate utilisation and compare cumulative hours with the next service due.: Divide hours run by the available hours to get utilisation, and compare each machine cumulative total with its next service due figure. Flag low-utilisation machines for off-hire review and machines nearing their interval for service booking.
- Record standby, breakdown and idle time honestly.: Note days where a machine was on standby, broken down or idle, even though hours did not accrue. This explains gaps in the hours trend, supports hire disputes and gives a true picture of availability rather than just run time.
- Total hours per machine for the period and carry the cumulative forward.: At the end of the period, total the hours run per machine for reporting, confirm the cumulative totals are correct, and carry them onto the next log. Accurate carry-forward keeps service timing and utilisation reporting reliable over the long term.
In MapTrack, you can schedule and track maintenance digitally. Each submission is stored as a timestamped PDF against the asset record.
Get the free templateEnter your email above to download the full equipment run hours log as a PDF.Back to download formHow often should you complete this log?
Record run hours every operating day for each machine, ideally at the start and end of every shift so the daily figure and the cumulative total stay accurate. Summarise utilisation weekly or monthly for plant and hire reporting, and review cumulative hours against service intervals at least weekly so nothing runs past its service. In MapTrack, an operator enters the hour-meter reading on a phone and the next hours-based service is raised automatically, so utilisation reporting and service planning use the same live figure.
Frequently asked questions
Applicable regulatory standards
This template aligns with the following regulations and standards:
- WHS Regulations 2011, Chapter 5 - Plant and Structures (duty to maintain plant and keep maintenance records)
- ISO 55001 - Asset Management Systems (managing assets based on use, condition and performance)
- ISO 14224 - Collection and exchange of reliability and maintenance data for equipment (operating-time data for equipment)
Need to schedule and track maintenance digitally?
Register every asset in MapTrack, attach digital forms, and get a complete history of every inspection, service and compliance record.
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