What is the difference between a trip sheet, a driver daily log and a mileage log?

A trip sheet captures each individual leg of a journey with start and end odometer, purpose, project and passengers, giving trip-level granularity. A driver daily log summarises the whole shift for one driver, focusing on start of day, end of day, total kilometres and any defects raised, without breaking down each separate leg. A mileage log is a simpler running total of business kilometres for tax purposes, typically used for cents-per-kilometre method claims. Most fleets use all three: the trip sheet feeds the daily log, and the daily log feeds the monthly mileage and cost reports.

Does the ATO accept a vehicle trip sheet for fringe benefits tax substantiation?

Yes. The ATO log-book method under the Fringe Benefits Tax Assessment Act 1986 accepts a structured trip log that records the date, start and end odometer, kilometres travelled, purpose and whether each trip is business or private. A continuous twelve-week sample is required, and the same log can be relied on for five years before a new sample is needed. The vehicle trip sheet template captures every required field. Records must be retained for five years from the date the FBT return is lodged and made available on request.

How does a trip sheet support Chain of Responsibility duties?

Under the Heavy Vehicle National Law and the NHVR Master Code, every party in the chain (operator, scheduler, driver) must demonstrate they took reasonable steps to ensure fatigue, speed and load duties were met. A trip sheet aligned to standard hours, basic fatigue management or advanced fatigue management rules records each driving period, rest break and total work time, which is the primary evidence regulators look for during a CoR investigation. Combined with telematics and electronic work diary records, the trip sheet completes the documentary chain back to each individual trip and driver.

Who is responsible for completing the trip sheet?

The driver completes the trip sheet in real time during the shift, capturing each leg as it happens. The fleet supervisor reviews and signs off at the end of shift or end of day, checking the totals, the start and end odometer, the purpose codes and any defect or incident notes. Operators of heavy vehicles assign additional accountability to the schedulers who plan the work, since under Chain of Responsibility they share liability for ensuring trips can be completed within fatigue and load limits.

How long should trip sheets be retained?

ATO log-book records for FBT substantiation must be retained for five years from the date the FBT return is lodged. NHVR work and rest hour records for heavy vehicle drivers must be kept for three years and produced on request to a transport inspector or police officer. Most fleet operators retain trip sheets for at least five years to cover both obligations plus the general business record-keeping period under the Income Tax Assessment Act. Digital trip records linked to the asset in MapTrack provide a much easier retention and retrieval pathway than paper sheets filed in folders.

Free vehicle trip sheet template

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Free vehicle trip sheet template (PDF-ready). Captures driver, vehicle, start and end odometer, route, purpose, hours and rest breaks. Download free.

Jarrod Milford

Commercial Director

Updated 18 May 2026

Also see:GPS and fleet tracking →Best fleet management software (AU) →MapTrack vs Fleetio →

Updated 18 May 2026

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What is a vehicle trip sheet template?

A vehicle trip sheet is a per-journey record that captures who drove which vehicle, where they went, when and for what purpose. Each trip line shows the start and end times, start and end odometer readings, route or destination, purpose code, kilometres travelled, fuel added (if any) and the driver signature. It sits between the daily driver log and the monthly fleet report, providing the trip-level granularity needed to allocate costs to projects, reimburse mileage, monitor private use and reconstruct movements after an incident or insurance claim.\n\nFor heavy vehicle operators, trip sheets also support Chain of Responsibility evidence under the Heavy Vehicle National Law. Drivers and operators must demonstrate that fatigue, speed and load duties were met across every trip, and a structured trip sheet aligned to the NHVR work and rest hour rules makes that easy to show. Light-vehicle fleets use trip sheets primarily for cost allocation, fringe benefits tax log-book substitution, and odometer-based service scheduling. The ATO accepts a structured trip log as evidence for FBT log-book method calculations under the Fringe Benefits Tax Assessment Act 1986, provided a continuous twelve-week period is captured. Either way, the trip sheet is the source document that connects driver behaviour to vehicle cost.

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Benefits of using this vehicle trip sheet template

Cost allocation: attributes kilometres and fuel to specific projects, sites or cost centres so each job carries the true vehicle cost it incurred.
FBT substitution: a continuous twelve-week trip log meets ATO log-book method requirements for fringe benefits tax calculations on private use of business vehicles.
CoR evidence: aligned with NHVR fatigue, work and rest hour rules so heavy vehicle operators can demonstrate Chain of Responsibility compliance trip by trip.
Private versus business split: separates business kilometres from private use so reimbursements and tax claims reflect actual road usage rather than estimates.
Mileage reimbursement: provides the documented kilometres required by the ATO cents-per-kilometre method for staff using personal or pool vehicles for work.
Incident reconstruction: a complete trip history lets fleet managers and insurers reconstruct exactly where a vehicle was at the time of a damage or theft claim.
Service scheduling: real-time odometer entries trigger preventive maintenance work orders at the correct service interval rather than guessing from monthly averages.

Benefits of digitising forms in MapTrack

When you digitise vehicle logs 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).
Monitor odometer and service-interval triggers across your entire fleet.
Capture fuel receipts and trip logs alongside vehicle inspection data.
Compare vehicle downtime and repair costs to inform replacement decisions.

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“MapTrack's a great platform - intuitive for the guys out in the field and also has fantastic support.”

Matthew Anderson

Maintenance Planning Supervisor, Supagas

What to include in a vehicle trip sheet template

This vehicle trip sheet template covers 10 key areas:

Trip header: date, vehicle rego, vehicle make and model, fleet number and driver name with licence class.
Per-trip start details: trip number, start time, start location and start odometer reading in kilometres.
Per-trip end details: end time, end destination, end odometer reading and total kilometres for that leg.
Purpose code and project / cost centre: business, private, client meeting, site visit, delivery or other classification.
Passengers, freight or equipment carried with reference to any required permit or escort vehicle for oversize loads.
Fatigue, work and rest hours captured per NHVR rules for heavy vehicle drivers (start, end, breaks and total work time).
Fuel and AdBlue added during the trip with litres, cost and matching fuel card or receipt reference.
Toll, parking and other expense entries with receipt numbers so they can be reconciled and reimbursed.
Defect or incident notes: any pre-start defects, near misses or damage observed during the trip.
Driver signature and supervisor sign-off at end of shift confirming the trip data is accurate.

How to use this vehicle trip sheet template

Fill the header before starting the shift: enter the date, vehicle rego, make, fleet number, driver name and licence class so the trip sheet is tied to the correct vehicle and authorised driver from the first kilometre.
Record start details for each leg of the trip: at the start of each leg, capture trip number, start time, start location and start odometer reading directly from the dashboard so the figures are exact rather than estimated later.
Capture purpose, project and any passengers or freight: select a purpose code (business, private, client, delivery), name the project or cost centre, and note any passengers, freight or carried equipment along with required permits for oversize or dangerous goods.
Track work and rest hours for heavy vehicle drivers: log start, end and break times for each driving period in line with NHVR standard hours, basic fatigue management or advanced fatigue management rules covering the vehicle and operator accreditation.
Record end details, fuel and expenses: at the end of each leg, log end time, end destination and end odometer, calculate kilometres travelled, add any fuel or AdBlue purchased with the card or receipt reference, and capture tolls, parking and other expenses.
Note defects, incidents or near misses observed during the trip: any pre-start defects raised, mechanical issues encountered, near misses or third-party damage observed on the road should be documented while the detail is still fresh, and a maintenance request raised where required.
Sign off and submit the trip sheet: the driver signs each completed page to confirm the trip data is accurate, the supervisor reviews and countersigns at the end of shift, and the completed sheet is filed against the vehicle record for service scheduling, FBT and CoR purposes.

In MapTrack, you can track your fleet with gps and digital pre-starts. Each submission is stored as a timestamped PDF against the asset record.

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How often should you complete this log?

A vehicle trip sheet should be completed for every shift on every fleet vehicle that requires cost allocation, FBT substantiation or Chain of Responsibility coverage. Drivers record start and end details in real time at each leg, not retrospectively at end of day, so odometer and timing entries match the actual journey. For ATO log-book method substitution, the trip log must run for a continuous twelve-week period and then be retained for five years before another twelve-week sample is required. Heavy vehicle operators under the Heavy Vehicle National Law must keep work and rest hour records for three years. Completed trip sheets should be reviewed weekly by the fleet supervisor and reconciled monthly against fuel card statements and any electronic work diary or telematics feed.

Frequently asked questions

Applicable regulatory standards

This template aligns with the following regulations and standards:

Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) Chapter 6 (fatigue management)
NHVR Master Code 2018
Fringe Benefits Tax Assessment Act 1986 Section 162C (log-book method)
WHS Act 2011 Section 19

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