Free truck pre-start checklist
Enter your email below to download the PDF-ready checklist. No account required.
A truck pre-start checklist is a form used to inspect and document a truck's roadworthiness and safety before each trip or shift. This page explains what to include in a truck pre-start inspection, how to use the template, and provides a free PDF-ready truck pre-start checklist you can download now. Covers rigid trucks, articulated trucks and B-doubles. Includes cab, engine, brakes, tyres, load restraint and NHVR compliance items. No sign-up required.
Last updated: 2026-03-26 · MapTrack
Commercial Director
How to use: Fill truck and driver details → walk around the cab exterior → check engine and mechanical items → inspect tyres and brakes → complete safety and compliance section → check trailer if applicable → sign and date.
- ✓ PDF-ready. Open and print to PDF
- ✓ Covers cab, engine, brakes, tyres, load restraint and compliance
- ✓ Free to use with or without MapTrack
Download free PDF template
Trusted by Australian fleets and contractors
We use your email to send your download and occasional MapTrack updates. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy
Preview the template
See the first part of the checklist below. Enter your email above to download the full template (PDF-ready).
What is a truck pre-start checklist?
A truck pre-start checklist (also called a truck pre-trip inspection form or daily truck inspection) is a structured list of tasks completed by the driver before a truck is driven. It confirms the truck is roadworthy, mechanically sound, and compliant before entering the road. Truck pre-starts are particularly important under Australia's Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) and Chain of Responsibility (CoR) obligations, which place legal responsibility on drivers, operators and fleet managers to ensure vehicles are safe before use. The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) recognises documented pre-trip inspections as a key component of a Maintenance Management System (MMS) for heavy vehicles.
Benefits of truck pre-start checks
- Driver safety: identify brake, tyre or steering defects before entering public roads.
- Regulatory compliance: meet NHVR, HVNL and Chain of Responsibility obligations.
- Load security: confirm load restraint equipment is present, in good condition and correctly applied.
- Prevent breakdowns: catch minor issues before they cause roadside failures or delays.
- Recordkeeping and audit trail: maintain inspection records for CoR investigations, insurance and maintenance planning.
- Consistent standards: all drivers follow the same procedure regardless of experience or shift.
Benefits of digitising forms in MapTrack
When you move from paper or static PDFs to digital forms in 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).
Book a demo to see digital pre-starts in MapTrack.
What to include in a truck pre-start checklist
Our free truck pre-start inspection form covers:
- Truck and driver details: fleet number, registration, make/model, odometer, driver name, licence class and number, date, time, route.
- Cab exterior: windscreen, mirrors, lights (headlights, indicators, brake, tail, clearance), cab body, steps, number plates, reflectors.
- Engine and mechanical: engine oil, coolant, brake fluid/air pressure, belts, hoses, battery, fuel, leaks, exhaust.
- Tyres and wheels: tread depth, cuts/bulges, pressure, wheel nuts, spare tyre, mudflaps.
- Brakes and steering: service brake feel, parking brake, ABS indicator, exhaust/engine brake (if fitted), steering free play.
- Interior and controls: seatbelt, horn, gauges and warning lights, reversing alarm/camera, two-way radio.
- Safety and compliance: fire extinguisher, first aid kit, warning triangle, load restraint equipment, speed limiter, registration, roadworthy.
- Trailer checks (if applicable): coupling secure, safety chains, trailer lights, trailer brakes, trailer tyres, load securing points.
How to conduct truck pre-start inspections
- Complete truck and driver details at the top of the checklist.
- Perform the walk-around: start at the cab exterior, work around the truck systematically, check the engine bay, then inspect each axle group (tyres, wheels, brakes). Mark Pass or Fail for each item.
- If any item fails, especially brakes, tyres, steering or load restraint, do not drive the truck. Record the defect and report to your supervisor or fleet manager. Tag the vehicle out of service until repaired.
- Complete the interior and compliance sections, then sign and date. File a copy per your CoR records requirements.
In MapTrack, drivers can complete this pre-start on their phone in the cab before every trip. Defects trigger automatic work orders and keep the vehicle out of service until cleared. Book a demo to see how.
Get the free template
Enter your email above to download the truck pre-start checklist.
Back to download formHow often to complete a truck pre-start
A truck pre-start inspection must be completed before the first trip of each day, or before each shift where multiple drivers use the same vehicle. Under NHVR guidelines, heavy vehicle operators are expected to conduct and document daily vehicle inspections. If the truck has had repairs, been idle for an extended period, or is used by a different driver, always complete a fresh inspection. Your company policy may also specify additional inspection requirements for specific routes, loads or operating conditions.
Frequently asked questions
- What should a truck pre-start checklist cover?
- A truck pre-start checklist should cover: cab exterior (windscreen, lights, mirrors, number plates, reflectors), engine and mechanical (oil, coolant, brake fluid/air pressure, belts, hoses, fuel), tyres and wheels (tread depth, pressure, wheel nuts, mudflaps), brakes and steering (pedal feel, parking brake, ABS), interior and controls (seatbelt, horn, dash gauges, reversing alarm), safety and compliance (fire extinguisher, first aid kit, load restraint, registration, roadworthy), and trailer checks if applicable. Complete before the first trip of the day or each shift.
- Is a truck pre-start inspection required by law?
- In Australia, the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) and Chain of Responsibility (CoR) provisions place obligations on all parties in the transport chain, including drivers and operators, to ensure heavy vehicles are roadworthy before use. The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) recommends and in many cases requires documented pre-trip inspections as part of a Maintenance Management System (MMS) for heavy vehicles. Always check your relevant state/territory requirements and company policy.
- How long does a truck pre-start inspection take?
- A thorough truck pre-start inspection typically takes 10 to 20 minutes for an experienced driver. Articulated trucks and B-doubles take longer than rigid trucks due to the additional trailer checks. In MapTrack, digital pre-starts are completed on a phone. Drivers tap Pass/Fail for each item and photograph any defects, reducing the time and paperwork while improving accuracy and compliance.
- Is the template free to use without MapTrack?
- Yes. Download and use the truck pre-start checklist for free. Open the file and use your browser's Print then Save as PDF. No MapTrack account required. If you want digital truck pre-starts with automatic defect alerts, driver signatures, and a full inspection history per vehicle, MapTrack can help. Book a demo to see how.
Need digital pre-starts for your truck fleet?
MapTrack lets drivers complete pre-start inspections on their phone before every trip. Defects create automatic work orders. Full inspection history per vehicle for NHVR and CoR compliance.